The Chad Daybell case has captivated the nation, with the search for Tylee Ryan and J.J. Vallow, and the subsequent discovery of their remains on Chad Daybell's property, becoming a focal point of the investigation. This article delves into the details of the property, the forensic methods used to map it, and the key evidence found during the search.
A graphic showing a map of Chad Daybell's Salem, Idaho, property and a photo of several yard tools found there is projected to the courtroom during Daybell's murder trial on Friday.
The Significance of the Daybell Property
The property belonging to Chad Daybell, located on the outskirts of Rexburg in Fremont County, Idaho, became a primary focus of the investigation into the disappearance of Tylee Ryan and J.J. Vallow. The 3.4-acre property gained nationwide attention after the bodies of Daybell’s first wife Tammy and his second wife’s children Tylee and JJ Vallow were found buried there.
Jurors in eastern Idaho were tasked with interpreting a mountain of complex information in the criminal cases against Chad Daybell and his wife, Lori Vallow Daybell. With a January 2021 trial date for Chad Daybell approaching, KSL TV and KSL NewsRadio partnered with Visual Law Group to create a unique 3D model of the primary crime scene in the case: Daybell’s property on the outskirts of Rexburg in Fremont County, Idaho.
The infamous former home of convicted murderers Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow in Rexburg has been officially sold. The property was purchased by an anonymous local benefactor who intends to create a community space that will honor the victims and facilitate healing. The home was deeded to Daybell’s former attorney to pay his legal fees. It was listed at $350,000 and sold for nearly $100,000 below market price.
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Creating a Forensic Model
In order to build forensic models, companies like Visual Law Group rely on a wide array of data sources. In the case of the Daybell property, Visual Law Group used more than 900 overlapping aerial images to generate measurements that are accurate down to the inch.
Visual Law Group created the model in partnership with KSL-TV, using data gathered from KSL drone overflights of the property belonging to Chad Daybell. Visual Law Group also referred to photos, videos and verbal descriptions to accurately map the burial sites from which the children were exhumed, as well as other locations of interest on the property.
“Once we had that, it became very easy to reverse-engineer all of that other footage,” Johnson said.
According to Johnson, 3D models can help judges and jurors understand complex crime scenes.
“It has to be absolutely to scale,” Johnson said.
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“It has to be non-prejudicial.
Visual Law Group used data from the flight in the creation of a forensic model of the Daybell property.
KSL’s 3D model of the Daybell property was not created with any assistance from law enforcement or the opposing legal teams in the case. It has not been provided to the prosecution or defense.
FBI Agent Describes Horrifying Discoveries Found at 'Doomsday Prophet' Chad Daybell’s Property
Key Evidence and Discoveries
On June 9, 2020, police executed a search warrant at Chad Daybell’s home where they discovered human remains. Items found during that excavation were presented to jurors in the Chad Daybell murder trial as physical evidence, including a charm thought to belong to 16-year-old Tylee Ryan and tools that were found in that backyard.
Steve Daniels, an FBI agent who was part of the team that eventually found the children's bodies, testified about that day: June 9, 2020. He said they had clues of where to dig: They knew there was a fire pit on the property; they knew of a text message sent by Chad Daybell mentioning a pet cemetery; and they had phone location data pointing to a few spots on the property.
Read also: Vallow-Daybell Trial: Key Evidence
Daniels talked about a series of pictures from that day, some showing items investigators found and others showing what the burial locations looked like from inside the Daybell home. He listed important things they found in the fire pit - a silver charm, possible bone pieces, a chain and possible cloth pieces. He described going through the fire pit layer by layer.
The chain, a Pura Vida chain, and the charm that was one of the first pieces of evidence found were both brought into the courtroom, along with a photo showing Tylee wearing a necklace with the same charm. Photos were also shown to the jury of excavations that were conducted.
Daniels said JJ was buried under stones and cement, and since his body was found before Tylee's, they thought they might encounter similar buried markers, but they did not find anything. Once investigators started smelling decomposing remains, they treated the scene carefully to learn how the remains were buried. He said they found pieces of Tylee's body that they placed in a body bag.
Daniels said once they found "charring pink flesh" and determined it was a human body they were uncovering, they set up a perimeter and planned to come back the next day to finish the excavation.
He said they analyzed some shovels and hand tools from Chad Daybell's property, as well, which is typical when investigating a burial. A pick and yellow-and-black-handled shovel were brought into the courtroom.
Daniels said the pick was a tool that could have been used in the fire pit and the shovel looked dirty, so officers confiscated them for additional investigation.
That site would soon become known as burial site one, after investigators unearthed JJ Vallow’s body there.
Here's a summary of key items found during the excavation:
| Item | Location | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Silver Charm | Fire Pit | Believed to belong to Tylee Ryan |
| Bone Pieces | Fire Pit | Possible human remains |
| Chain (Pura Vida) | Fire Pit | Associated with Tylee Ryan |
| Shovels and Hand Tools | Various locations on the property | Potential tools used in the burials |
| JJ Vallow's Body | Buried under stones and cement | Confirmed remains of J.J. Vallow |
| Tylee Ryan's Body | Buried in a separate location | Confirmed remains of Tylee Ryan |
Internet Search History as Evidence
Stubbs also testified about using internet search histories to help find the children. Stubbs said Lori Daybell's account had searches for wedding rings right after they believe JJ was killed, and the meaning of "possessed."
He said investigators saw Chad Daybell had searched for wind directions for Sept. 9, 2019, the day before, and they believe Tylee was burned and buried that day behind his house.
The Trial and Sentences
Daybell was sentenced to death in June for his role in the killings. Vallow was sentenced to multiple fixed life terms in prison without the possibility of parole.
Lori Vallow Daybell was sentenced to multiple fixed life terms in prison without the possibility of parole.
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