Joseph Petito Says His Lawsuit Against Utah Police Is Not A “Substitute GoFundMe Campaign”

(NewsReady.com) – A war of words has broken out between Utah police and the parents of Gabby Petito, who was murdered by her fiance in 2021. The Petito family say officers in Moab, Utah, failed their daughter by letting her stay with Brian Laundrie, who went on to kill her days later. They’ve brought a lawsuit against the department, but police have accused them of being out for money.

On August 21, 2021, Moab police officers pulled Petito and Laundrie over following reports of domestic violence between them. After interviewing the couple, who were touring in a van, officers let Petito stay in the vehicle overnight and put Laundrie in a hostel. The next day, the couple headed off together. Around two weeks later, Laundrie killed Petito in a national park in Wyoming, then returned to his home in Florida alone.

In November 2022, Petito’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Moab PD, alleging officers had failed in their duty to protect her and seeking massive damages. At the heart of the lawsuit are a series of claims against one of the officers, Eric Pratt. The Petitos allege Pratt is a lazy and corrupt officer who regularly slides out of jobs he thinks are too much trouble; they say his reluctance to fill out paperwork was behind the police decision to let Petito and Laundrie leave town the day after the traffic stop. Moab PD, which recently promoted Pratt to detective, disagrees.

Now the Petitos are even angrier after Moab PD filed a response to the lawsuit that said “the judicial system is not a substitute for a GoFundMe campaign.” The family has reacted furiously to the suggestion they’re out to make money from their daughter’s death. Joseph Petito, who is suing the police for $50 million, told reporters, “This case has never been about money,” and insisted it’s about “seeking accountability and fighting for change.”

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