Brian Laundrie’s sister estranged from family amid explosive new docuseries

Cassie Laundrie, the sister of Brian Laundrie, has found herself at the center of a public firestorm following the release of a new docuseries about the murder of Gabby Petito. The docuseries, titled American Murder: Gabby Petito, has brought to light text messages exchanged between Cassie and her mother, Roberta Laundrie, in which the two appear to joke about how police allowed Brian Laundrie, the man who murdered Petito, to evade capture before ultimately taking his own life in a Florida park. Cassie has since taken to social media to address the fallout, revealing that she has not spoken to her parents in nearly two years. "If you’re new here and just starting to attack me today, I’ve been no contact with my parents for almost two years," she wrote on Instagram. "Have fun." Her statement comes as tensions between her and her family continue to rise, with Cassie disputing claims made by law enforcement officials about her involvement in the investigation into Petito’s disappearance and murder.

The docuseries has reignited the debate over the Laundrie family’s handling of the situation, particularly their interactions with police during the search for Petito. Cassie has publicly contradicted statements made by Suffolk County Police Detective Tracey Barry, who was instrumental in initiating the missing person case for Petito after authorities in other jurisdictions declined to act despite urgent pleas from Petito’s mother, Nichole Schmidt. In bodycam footage from September 11, 2021, when police first approached the Laundrie family about Petito’s disappearance, Detective Barry can be heard recounting a conversation she had with Cassie. According to Barry, Cassie had told her that Brian and Petito got into a fight, and he left her at a hotel before flying back to Florida. However, Cassie denies making these statements, claiming that Barry "gravely miscommunicated" their conversation. "Det. Barry gravely miscommunicated what I told her on the phone," Cassie wrote on Instagram. This discrepancy has raised questions about the accuracy of the information shared by law enforcement during the investigation.

The docuseries also delves into the events leading up to Petito’s murder, which occurred on August 27, 2021, in Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest. According to the FBI, Brian Laundrie killed Petito, staged the crime scene, and made fake communications between his phone and hers to cover his tracks. He then transferred money from her bank account and drove her van back to Florida, where he joined his family for a camping trip in Fort De Soto Park. Cassie and her family reportedly spent six hours at the campsite on September 6, just days after Brian returned home. When police visited the Laundrie residence on September 11 to inquire about Petito’s whereabouts, Brian refused to cooperate. He later fled on September 13, but his parents did not inform the police until days later. Cassie has maintained that she had no knowledge of her brother’s actions or her parents’ handling of the situation, though she has faced intense scrutiny from the public and Petito’s family, who accuse her of not doing enough to help.

Cassie has also faced backlash for her claims that she witnessed Brian being a victim of domestic violence at the hands of Petito. In social media posts, she has suggested that Petito was abusive to her brother, a claim that Petito’s family has vehemently denied. "Cassie Laundrie is spewing lies," Nichole Schmidt told Fox News Digital. "Evidence and actions speak louder than words." The dispute over the nature of the relationship between Brian and Petito has further complicated the narrative surrounding the case, with both families trading accusations in the public eye. The docuseries has only intensified these tensions, as it provides a detailed look at the events leading up to Petito’s murder and the subsequent investigation, which many have criticized for mishandling the case.

One of the most shocking revelations from the docuseries is the exchange of text messages between Cassie and her mother, Roberta Laundrie, in which the two joke about the police’s handling of Brian’s surveillance. After Brian went missing, police were criticized for their failure to track him effectively, allowing him to evade capture for weeks before his remains were discovered in a Florida nature reserve. In the text messages, Roberta jokes about the police’s description of Brian, saying, "The North Port police said Brian and I have a ‘similar build’" and adding, "short, pudgy and big bottomed! Or short sassy and shapely! (Pear shaped!)" Cassie responds with laughter, quipping, "Lol must have just been that hat!" and sarcastically noting, "Put their top-notch guys on surveillance." These exchanges have sparked outrage, with many accusing the Laundrie family of showing a lack of empathy for Petito’s family and victims of domestic violence.

Cassie has attempted to distance herself from her parents and brother, stating that she has been estranged from her family for nearly two years and that she is "losing my parents and my brother and my children’s aunt and future sister-in-law on top of this." She has also expressed frustration and heartbreak over the situation, insisting that she, too, is a victim of the tragedy. However, her involvement in the case has been further complicated by her role in a lawsuit filed by Petito’s family against her parents. Cassie was initially set to be deposed in the case but her interview was canceled after the two sides reached an out-of-court settlement last year. Despite her efforts to separate herself from her family’s actions, Cassie remains a central figure in the public’s perception of the case, with many continuing to question her involvement and knowledge of the events surrounding Petito’s murder.