Local domestic violence advocate shares observations on the Gabby Petito case

Expert says she saw signs of abuse in video of murdered woman - News 11's Wiley Jawhary reports

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - A domestic violence advocate from the Imperial Valley says she believes domestic abuse could have been a factor in the case of Gabby Petito.

Judith Kline-Pritchard is the director of legal services for Womanhaven, a domestic violence center in El Centro. Kline-Pitchard sites an interview in which one of Petito's friends describes her fiance, Brian Laundrie, as controlling. She told News 11's Wiley Jawyhary she wishes Petito's friend came forward sooner. She says it could have helped.

"Obviously someone saw his controlling behavior and they have mentioned it now, I wish they had mentioned it beforehand," she said.

Kline-Pritchard says she saw signs of abuse in video of Petito taken shortly before her disappearance.

"Her behavior, she was on the verge of hysterics, and he was calm, cool, and collected, that is something that happens time and time again in domestic violence situations, and it seems like that wasn't taken notice of," she said.

Kline-Pritchard says law enforcement should be trained to spot the signs of domestic abuse.

A former victim of domestic violence also feels that the warning signs for law enforcement should have been evident.

“All the signs are there, she is blaming herself for the situation she is trying to protect him," she said.