Gabby Petito: Note written by Brian Laundrie's mother marked 'burn after reading'

LONG ISLAND - Brian Laundrie’s mother offered him a shovel and garbage bags if he needed to dispose of a body - this revealed in a letter released by Gabby Petito’s family. 

The letter was found in Laundrie’s backpack by the FBI after his death. On the envelope, it said, "burn after reading."

"I’ve never written a letter like that to any of my three children," said Pat Reilly, who is the attorney for Gabby Petito’s family. "I’ve never gotten a letter like that from my mother."

The letter is now at the center of an emotional distress suit filed by Petito’s family against the Laundries and their attorney after a judge ruled on Wednesday lawyers could use it in the civil case. It’s unclear when the letter was written and whether its meaning was literal.

"To me, that letter either demonstrates that she knew Brian had murdered his fiancée or that she knew that something was going to happen with Brian," Reilly said.

But Roberta Laundrie, who also wrote that if her son was in jail she’d "bake a cake with a file in it," tells her attorney the letter was written prior to Brian and Gabby’s cross-country trip, adding: "Although I chose words that I thought would be impactful with Brian given our relationship, the letter was in no way related to Gabby."

Law expert Randy Zelin believes the letter doesn’t belong in the courtroom.

"It’s eerie, it’s creepy, but do I see a connection where the letter was written to foretell what was going to happen? No I don’t see it," said Zelin.

State officials are hoping to pass a Missing Adults law in honor of Gabby Petito. It would require police to issue a Teal Alert for missing adults believed to be in danger including domestic violence victims. The color teal was chosen to represent Gabby’s eye color.

"We had nothing when we have an alert for an adult ages 18-64 presumed either missing or possibly in danger," said Assemblyman Ed Moore.

The trial is scheduled for the Spring of next year.