Crime Gabby Petito's Mom Calls Brian Laundrie's Notebook Confession 'Ridiculous': 'Wanted to Look Like the Good Guy' Nicole Schmidt has announced a $100,000 donation to help combat domestic violence and aid victims By Steve Helling Published on August 5, 2022 01:28 PM Share Tweet Pin Email The mother of Gabby Petito is speaking out about Brian Laundrie's notebook confession, in which he claims he killed his fiancée because he thought she wanted him to. "That was his character, even in his last moments," Nicole Schmidt told NBC News. "He wanted to make sure he looked like the good guy. That's ridiculous. We know how she died." Last month, Steven Bertolino, the attorney representing Laundrie's parents, released images of pages from the 23-year-old killer's notebook. "I ended her life," Laundrie wrote in the notebook, which was found in October 2021, after his death by suicide. "I thought it was merciful, that it is what she wanted, but I see now all the mistakes I made," Laundrie wrote. "I panicked. I was in shock. But from the moment I decided, took away her pain, I knew I couldn't go on without her." Gabby Petito, Brian Laundrie. Find Gabby/Facebook Brian Laundrie's Parents Skipped Hearing on Civil Lawsuit Alleging They Covered Up Gabby Petito's Murder Laundrie and Petito had spent the summer of 2021 traveling across the country in a white van together, documenting their adventures on YouTube along the way — but on Sept. 1, Laundrie quietly returned to his parents' home in North Port, Fla., with their van but without Petito. Ten days later, the 22-year-old woman's family reported her missing. A Timeline of Gabby Petito's Case, from Deadly 'Van Life' Journey to the Search for Fiancé Brian Laundrie On Sept. 19, Petito's body was discovered in Grand Teton National Park. Her death was declared a homicide by the county coroner shortly after, and on Oct. 12, it was revealed that she died from strangulation. Days after Petito's body was discovered, the U.S. District Court of Wyoming issued a warrant for Laundrie's arrest in relation to activities that occurred after Petito's death — not for her death itself. Gabby Petito. Gabby Petito Instagram Brian Laundrie's Notebook Reveals Confession to Killing Gabby Petito: 'I Ended Her Life' Laundrie was never arrested on the Wyoming charges or charged with the disappearance and murder of Petito. On Oct. 20, his remains were discovered in a Florida nature park alongside his backpack and notebook. He had killed himself and left behind a confession about killing Petito. Schmidt has announced a $100,000 donation to help combat domestic violence and aid victims, saying that the donation from the Gabby Petito Foundation to the National Domestic Violence Hotline will help other victims like her daughter get help if they find themselves in an abusive relationship. Gabby Petito's parents and stepparents at a press conference in September 2021. AP Photo/John Minchillo 'Narcissists Rewrite History': Gabby Petito's Mom Responds to Brian Laundrie's Notebook Confession It's not the first time that Schmidt has spoken out about Brian Laundrie. After his notebook was released last month, she shared a post on Twitter that read "Narcissists rewrite history to escape accountability." If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.