Chad Guy Daybell, born on August 11, 1968, in Provo, Utah, is at the center of a disturbing case involving extreme religious beliefs and multiple deaths. His early life, rooted in Mormon traditions, took a dark turn as he embraced apocalyptic ideologies and became involved in the Vallow-Daybell doomsday murders. This article delves into Daybell's formative years, exploring his upbringing, education, and the evolution of his religious views that ultimately led to his trial and conviction.
Chad Daybell during a court hearing in 2022.
Early Life and Education
Chad Daybell was raised in a Mormon family in Springville, Utah. After graduating high school, he was accepted and enrolled at Brigham Young University (BYU). After one year of college, he applied to be a missionary, for which he spent two years in New Jersey. He then resumed his studies and graduated from BYU with a B.A. in journalism in 1992.
After graduating from Brigham Young University in 1992 with a B.A. in journalism, Daybell worked as a cemetery sexton. In 2004, he established Spring Creek Book Company, an end-of-days publisher, with his wife, Tammy, who served as a graphic artist and manager. In 2015, Chad Daybell allegedly twice heard a voice telling him to relocate to Rexburg, Idaho; he and Tammy moved there from Springville, Utah that June.
Marriage and Family
Chad married Tamara "Tammy" Douglas on March 9, 1990, in Manti, Utah. Chad and Tammy had 5 children: Garth, Emma, Seth, Leah, and Mark.
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Financial Struggles and Literary Pursuits
By the end of the 2000s, the Daybells were facing financial problems. At that time, Chad's publishing business provided an annual income of approximately $2,000. Chad's novels often depicted apocalyptic situations and dystopian futures and featured characters based on his own family. In a memoir called Living on the Edge of Heaven, he claimed to have had two near-death experiences that allowed him to receive supernatural visions from "beyond the veil." A recurring theme in Chad's writings was a supernatural voice giving instructions and advice to him or to his characters.
He commented: "I don't fictionalize any of the events portrayed [in my books]. I'm really not that creative... My torn veil allows information to be downloaded into my brain from the other side."
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Increasingly Extreme Religious Beliefs
Over time, Chad's religious beliefs became increasingly extreme. Jason Gwilliam, the husband of Tammy's sister, later recalled that Chad's views had started changing around 2006 and 2007, as he became "hyper-focused on preparing for end of times." In 2010 or 2011, Chad started claiming he had visions about how the end of the world would occur. During the 2010s, Chad became the publisher of apocalyptic author and self-proclaimed clairvoyant Julie Rowe. In 2015, Chad claimed he heard the "voice" telling him to relocate to Rexburg, Idaho.
Meeting Lori Vallow
In October 2018, Lori attended a "Preparing a People" event where she met Chad for the first time. Gibb and Pastenes both said that Lori had behaved in a very flirtatious manner with Chad at the conference. Chad claimed to Lori that they had been married in multiple previous lifetimes.
After their initial meeting, Lori's husband went on a business trip, giving her the opportunity to hold a small overnight gathering at her home. Chad and Gibb were among the attendees, with Chad captivating Lori and the group by sharing his Mormon-influenced, but unique, beliefs. Lori developed a strong attachment to Chad and his teachings.
Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell.
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The Murders
The Vallow-Daybell doomsday murders consist of a series of killings-including child murder, filicide, and spousal murder-committed by Lori Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell. Chad and Lori led a Mormon religious sect described in the media as a "doomsday cult." The murders started when Lori's estranged husband, Charles Vallow, was shot dead by her brother Alex Cox on July 11, 2019, in Chandler, Arizona. Next, Lori's daughter, Tylee Ryan (16), and adopted son, Joshua Jaxon "J. J." Vallow (7), disappeared from their home in Rexburg, Idaho on September 9 and 23, 2019, respectively. Their remains were found on June 9, 2020. They had been buried on a property owned by Chad, who was Lori's lover at the time of their deaths and had become her husband by the time their bodies were found. On October 2, 2019, Lori's nephew-in-law Brandon Boudreaux survived a murder attempt in Gilbert, Arizona.
The Case Unfolds
The case was set in motion by the children's disappearances. Tylee was last seen alive on September 8, 2019, and J.J. on September 22, 2019. In late November 2019, after police questioned Lori about J.J.'s whereabouts, she and Chad abruptly vacated their homes in Idaho and left for Hawaii. As police searched for J.J., they discovered that Tylee was also missing. Investigations revealed that Tylee and J.J.'s disappearances had been preceded and followed by the suspicious deaths of Lori and Chad's respective spouses and by the attempt on Brandon Boudreaux's life. Lori and Chad had married two weeks after the death of Chad's first wife Tammy. On February 20, 2020, Lori was arrested for desertion and non-support of her children. On June 9, police discovered the remains of Tylee and J. J. Lori and Chad were tried separately.
Conviction
Daybell was convicted of three counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Tammy Daybell, his late wife, JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan, his current wife's two children. On May 30, 2024, Chad was found guilty of all charges related to the deaths of his first wife and of Lori's children.
Timeline of Events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| August 11, 1968 | Chad Daybell was born in Provo, Utah. |
| March 9, 1990 | Chad married Tamara "Tammy" Douglas in Manti, Utah. |
| 1992 | Chad graduated from Brigham Young University with a B.A. in journalism |
| 2004 | Chad established Spring Creek Book Company. |
| 2015 | Chad and Tammy moved to Rexburg, Idaho. |
| October 2018 | Chad met Lori Vallow at a "Preparing a People" event. |
| July 11, 2019 | Charles Vallow was shot and killed by Alex Cox. |
| September 2019 | Tylee Ryan and J.J. Vallow disappeared. |
| October 19, 2019 | Tammy Daybell died. |
| November 5, 2019 | Chad married Lori Vallow in Hawaii. |
| June 9, 2020 | The remains of Tylee and J.J. Vallow were found on Chad Daybell's property. |
| May 30, 2024 | Chad Daybell was found guilty of all charges related to the deaths of his first wife and of Lori's children. |
Read also: Vallow-Daybell Trial: Key Evidence
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