Thread by @FreedomFriesInc

Thread: The public comments by Cassie Laundrie about her brother Brian Laundrie who is (likely) still on the run and widely suspected to have murdered Gabby Petito.

Cassie said things in the impromptu conversation with protesters & a TV interview.

Many are following this story and yes there are plenty of similar cases that get ignored but: I don't see the harm in following this one, at least until we find out if Brian Laundrie (BL) is alive and in custody, or otherwise.

It's a good way to raise domestic abuse awareness.

BL's sister Cassie has gone on the record now, to clear up some misconceptions. I think she did the right thing. As a DV survivor, I know some of what Gabby experienced in the days before her death. The gaslighting, manipulation, guilt, fear, shame etc.

I think it's possible for people with personal or professional experience of DV to be able to learn a lot from the police bodycam footage we have. And there could be additional footage held back for now, wisely.

I don't blame Cassie or anyone else for not seeing the signs.

Because the signs can be incredibly subtle. By design.

The abuser obviously doesn't want others to know the real story of how he or she is abusing their target.

What makes some people vulnerable to DV and others not as vulnerable? Well, it's...

... complicated so, forgive me for generalizing a massive topic.

Obviously I look at the Petito family rn with nothing but empathy, sympathy, & support. No one deserves to be murdered & for the alleged murderer to go on the run for weeks on end. I include Cassie & husband, too.

One of the best ways we can prevent DV is to educate the kids in our lives to be more resilient & less likely to be targeted by a well-concealed psychopath.

I am sure the Petitos did their absolute best & had no inkling something like this could ever happen to their girl.

Thinking back to the bodycam footage, IMO at that time Gabby's focus was on preserving the relationship at all costs. She obviously didn't know that she could be in mortal danger. This is very common.

Something Cassie said got me thinking...

Cassie said she had seen no violence or signs of DV at the hand of her brother, BL. She said the couple would at times need to "have some space from each other."

To me, that would have been a red flag. It's not normal. I've seen it happen in doomed relationships multiple times.

Sure, 30-60 minutes space to cool down and then work to resolve a disagreement, is fine. But I think Cassie was referring to longer periods of time, eg a few days.

We've heard that BL "flew home to empty a storage unit because the couple had decided to extend the road trip."

And that after BL had returned to Gabby and the van, that she video chatted with her mother and Cassie, essentially.

I think at that time Gabby had no inkling she could be in danger within a few days. I don't think BL was planning to kill her: He may have snapped later on.

I think the (limited) evidence in the public domain points to a couple of potential scenarios (and please note I'm only talking about what is possible, not what is more likely. We have to be patient.)

After only a few days BL returned home alone with Gabby's van....

It is possible he did this knowing Gabby was or could be dead. BL would potentially have been able to initially conceal his part in that, from his parents and Cassie.

We don't know what had been said to Cassie prior to or during the 6 hours she spent with them on the 6th.

Either the parents and BL kept the truth from Cassie that day, or BL was still able to keep it from his parents (potentially.)

Either way, Cassie said none of the three gave her info about Gabby after that.

BL *might* have said we broke up & I don't want to talk about it rn.

I believe that claim of Cassie's is likely true, especially with her pointing out that her kids were there. The photos of BL with her kids (that are likely to be from that day) support her claim, IMO.

BL might have said Gabby is fine and we're on a break for reason x.

BL might have given his parents and Cassie some convoluted story about Gabby's parents that convinced them to ignore the many messages asking after her.

The level of pretzel-like twisting of the truth that a DV psychopath can come up with is often extraordinary.

So that's the potential scenario that most people seem to be running with at the moment, give or take minor details. That BL did harm Gabby, and returned home with her van intending to conceal the truth for as long as possible.

The other potential scenario in my mind:

Is that his actions could suggest he & parents are laying low because Gabby's death clearly looks like a homicide by his hand, BL says it wasn't, & they know if he is to have any chance of defending himself then initial silence is advisable.

J/s, it's possible. Not probable.

All we know rn from FBI and partners is that she died by homicide, on one of about 3 days, during the time BL was said to be with her. And that he's charged with using a bank card not his own, on August 30.

It's possible he left her in circumstances where she was not safe.

Which is bad enough. And, being on the run only adds to the suspicion that he killed her.

I think the FBI and others who are keeping certain info to themselves are doing the right thing. It's normal in a homicide investigation, esp. if someone is on the run.

I've mentally prepared myself to hear they have found him but he opted to take his secrets to the grave. DV abusers are cowards. Always.

I am skeptical of every claimed sighting, because there's always a few people who want the fame and attention.

When you look at photos and video of Gabby prior to that awful day the police spoke with her, you can't help but think of her as a bubbly, carefree, young woman having the time of her life.

Predators target people like her. They notice the scent of naivete and vulnerability.

That's the message I want to send to as many people I can: be they women, men, parents, siblings, friends, even adult children of those who are vulnerable to being targeted.

We need to support them and help build them up so they develop immunity against DV.

A target / survivor (I dislike using the term victim) settles for less than what they deserve in a partner / spouse.

Please DO share your concerns with them. Don't pull back out of fear they will react badly to you. Do it carefully, too.

Make sure the person understands why you are concerned, and that you are there for them no matter how many times the pattern is repeated before they finally learn.

And that they need to keep this info from the abuser.

The last thing you want is for the abuser to know you've had this conversation with their target. Typically the abuser is monitoring their every move anyway.

Survivors who seek help are trained to have a safety plan. She or he needs to know if they escape, they will be safe.

Another tip: As an onlooker, you can call a DV helpline for advice on how to help the person. If you were abused in the past, even in the distant past, you may benefit from therapy and/or an educational program yourself. If the person sees you doing that, it can do a lot of good.

I will leave it there for now. If you ever want to privately discuss a topic like surviving domestic abuse / violence, my DMs are open. It took me years to get into the right headspace about it so if I can save you some heartache, I would love to try.

#JusticeForGabbyPetito🙏

The parents have changed their story. Imagine my shock.