Brian Laundrie’s family speaks out about ‘distasteful’ Jeopardy! clue referencing their son

After fans called out Jeopardy! for a “tasteless” question referencing Gabby Petito’s murder, family members of Brian Laundrie have also spoken out to condemn it.

On Monday’s (14 November) episode of Jeopardy!, actors John Michael Higgins, Wil Wheaton, and Joel Kim Booster were put on the Alex Trebek stage.

A clue for an opening category featuring the letter “A” brought Laundrie, the prime suspect in Petito’s murder, into the spotlight.

As host Mayim Bialik read: “In 2021, fugitive Brian Laundrie ended his days in Fla’s Myakkahatchee Creek area, home to these long & toothy critters.”

The answer was: “What are alligators.”

In response to the moment, the Laundrie family’s attorney, Steve Bertolino, told Fox News: “The entire Laundrie family is appalled and concurs with all of the comments on social media on how distasteful this was.”

Petito, from Blue Point, Long Island, was last seen on 27 August 2021 at a Whole Foods store in Wyoming with Laundrie, her partner of two and a half years.

The couple had been documenting their travel experiences as “van lifers” since setting out from New York on 2 July 2021 via a YouTube channel called Nomadic Statik. Petito would regularly FaceTime her mother from the road, consequently sparking concern when she went missing.

On 15 September 2021, North Port Police in Florida revealed that Laundrie was a “person of interest” in the case.

While law enforcement was searching for Laundrie in Florida on 19 September 2021, investigators announced they had located a body believed to be that of Petito in the eastern portion of Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.

A month later, human remains were found in the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park. The remains were confirmed to belong to Laundrie. As per the authorities, he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Laundrie admitted to killing Petito in a notebook discovered near his body in the Florida swamp, according to the FBI.

After Laundrie’s clue was read out on Jeopardy!, many people took to Twitter to express how “disrespectful” the answer was.

“One of the worst answers ever tonight, @Jeopardy,” one person wrote. “The Brian Laundrie one showed a complete lack of class and total disrespect.”

Another person added: “I was mortified to be watching Jeopardy and low and behold they asked a casual question about alligators referencing Brian Laundrie! Oh Mayim. Oh Jeopardy! What incredibly poor taste. I’m sure her parents would be thrilled to turn on the tv to see this on a game show!!???”

The Independent has contacted the show’s network, NBC, for comment.