The Chad Daybell trial has captivated the nation, drawing attention to the complex legal proceedings and the disturbing details surrounding the deaths of Tammy Daybell, Joshua "JJ" Vallow, and Tylee Ryan.
Background of the Case
The Vallow-Daybell doomsday murders consist of a series of killings-including child murder, filicide, and spousal murder-committed by an American couple, Lori Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell. Chad and Lori led a Mormon religious sect described in the media as a "doomsday cult." 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.
Today, people know Lori Vallow Daybell as the so-called "doomsday mom," stemming from coverage of her children's disappearance and deaths. She's been called a "monster" and a "cult mom."
The Victims
- Charles Vallow: Lori's estranged husband, shot dead by her brother Alex Cox on July 11, 2019, in Chandler, Arizona.
- Tylee Ryan: Lori's daughter, disappeared September 9, 2019.
- Joshua Jaxon "JJ" Vallow: Lori's adopted son, disappeared September 23, 2019. Their remains were found on June 9, 2020, buried on Chad Daybell's property.
- Tammy Daybell: Chad Daybell's wife, died under suspicious circumstances.
Key Figures
- Chad Daybell: The defendant, accused of multiple murders and conspiracy.
- Lori Vallow Daybell: Chad's wife, already convicted in connection to the deaths of her children and Tammy Daybell.
- Alex Cox: Lori's brother, who shot and killed Charles Vallow and was present near the Daybells' residence on October 9, four hours before Tammy was shot at.
The Investigation Unfolds
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 June 9, 2020, the FBI, Rexburg Police and Fremont County Sheriff's Office descended upon Chad Daybell's home and property. Authorities dug in areas of the backyard where Alex Cox's cellphone had pinged in September 2019. Tragically, they uncovered human remains buried in shallow graves. JJ Vallow had been buried under a tree and about 50 yards away; investigators found Tylee's grave in the Daybell's pet cemetery.
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Prosecutors believe she was buried in the same location Chad Daybell referenced when he texted Tammy Daybell nine months earlier, saying he was burying a raccoon. Investigators dug up part of the pet cemetery and found no raccoon. But Daybell's family told" 48 Hours" there was a second pet cemetery on the property that was not searched. Chad Daybell was arrested.
10 Horrifying New 'Doomsday Cult' Murder Details Revealed in Chad Daybell's Trial
The Trial Commences
Initial jury selection continued Frday in the case against Chad Daybell being tried in Ada County. At the conclusion of proceedings Thurday, 52 potential jurors had been moved forward in the process, two more than needed according to what Judge Steven Boyce indicated on Monday.
Jury selection in the trial of Chad Daybell is now on day two in Ada County. 18 total jurors are expected to be selected for the months-long death penalty case.
Day one of jury voir dire began on Monday in the Chad Daybell case. This is the preliminary examination of a witness or a juror by a judge. District Judge Steven Boyce ordered that juror questionnaires be distributed and completed before going into the courtroom to streamline the selection process.
Opening Statements
Prosecutors began their opening statements on Wednesday with a largely similar theme to last year's trial of Chad Daybell's current wife, Lori Vallow. They accused the pair of killing two of her children and his former wife in pursuit of sex, money and power.
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Fremont County prosecuting attorney Rob Wood handled the opening statement, framing Daybell as a manipulator whose fringe religious beliefs and thirst for attention led him to work with Vallow to create a way they could be together, unencumbered by responsibility or financial worries.
"Once their calculated plan was devised, it only took months to execute to remove perceived obstacles to Chad Daybell's path to a new life," said Wood.
The defense opening statement, from Daybell's attorney John Prior, indicated they will argue Daybell was manipulated by Vallow, and plan to call experts to try and poke holes in the state's use of DNA evidence tying Daybell to the murders.
Key Trial Moments
Testimony resumed Thursday in the Chad Daybell murder trial. As expected, it was a grim day as jurors heard a Rexburg police detective testify about the discovery of the bodies of Lori Vallow's children. During the trial, jurors heard graphic descriptions of the decomposition of the children's bodies.
On Monday, five witnesses took the stand including Colby Ryan, Lori Vallow's son from a previous marriage. He told the court he believed his mother was influenced by Chad Daybell. Hart said Chad Daybell's greatest desire was to be with Lori, and he sent those messages while his ex-wife Tammy Daybell was still alive.
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On Wednesday, jurors heard about how Tammy Daybell's life insurance had been increased and a good deal about Chad Daybell's finances, particularly his multiple transfers of cash.
Legal Arguments and Defense
After the state rested, Chad Daybell's attorney John Prior argued for a directed verdict, or a ruling from the judge that determines there is no legally sufficient evidentiary basis for a reasonable jury to reach a different conclusion.
East Idaho News reports that Prior said there is no indication Daybell was present in the murders of Tylee Ryan or JJ Vallow and the conspiracy charges also show there is no indication Daybell was involved.
Lead Deputy Attorney General Ingrid Batey listed out the evidence the state presented in relation to each charge, arguing the jury should determine the weight of the evidence.
Closing Arguments
Attorneys offered closing arguments Wednesday, with Fremont County prosecutor Lindsay Blake walking jurors back through the timeline and the extreme religious beliefs she says helped justify the killings, which started with Daybell’s then-wife Tammy and continued with two of Lori Vallow’s children.
Daybell’s attorney John Prior aimed to poke holes in the prosecution’s link between Daybell’s religious beliefs and the crimes, saying text conversations about light and dark spirits and death percentages don’t prove any conspiracy to kill.
Prior blamed the crimes on manipulation by Vallow and her brother Alex Cox, who died of natural causes in 2019, painting his client as having been set up to take the fall or even next to die at the hand of Cox. Prior said the crimes had nothing to do with religion and prosecutors had not proven Daybell was guilty.
The Verdict and Sentencing
Chad Daybell was sentenced to death on June 1, 2024, nearly a year after his second wife, Lori Vallow Daybell, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
On May 30, Daybell was convicted of first-degree murder of his first wife, Tammy Daybell, and two of his then-girlfriend Lori Vallow's children, Joshua "JJ" Vallow and Tylee Ryan, as well as for conspiracy in the murders and of insurance fraud.
Reactions to the Verdict
Lindsey Blake, the Fremont County, Idaho prosecutor, told reporters she was hopeful the verdict would allow the victims' families and friends a chance to heal.
"We are pleased with the outcome and justice has been served for the victims in this case," she said at a news conference later Saturday.
Kay Woodcock, JJ's grandmother, described her "immense pain" over the boy's death, which she called a "betrayal that can't be explained."
"There's a hole in my heart, in the hearts of every member of my family, that can never be filled and will remain for the rest of my life," she said, crying.
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