Chad Daybell’s triple-murder trial began with prosecutors painting him as someone driven by a “desire for sex, money, and power.” They described how he and his current wife, Lori Vallow, labeled people who stood in the way of their dreams as “dark spirits” or “zombies.” The couple was charged in connection with the deaths of Daybell’s ex-wife, Tammy Daybell, and Vallow’s two children, Joshua ‘JJ” Vallow and Tylee Ryan. Authorities believe Daybell hid the children’s remains on his property in Idaho between September 2019 and June 2020.
The formal search for Joshua and Tylee began in November 2019 after concerned family members reported not having seen or spoken to the children. Their remains were later found; Joshua had been buried in a pet cemetery, and Tylee had been dismembered and burned in a fire pit. Daybell and Vallow were indicted on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, grand theft by deception, insurance fraud, and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in connection with Tammy Daybell’s death. Daybell also faces a first-degree murder charge in his ex-wife’s death.
Despite the charges against them, Daybell has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors stated their intent to seek the death penalty in his case. Authorities had accused Daybell and Vallow of failing to cooperate with the investigation into the children’s disappearance and lying to officers. The couple initially claimed Joshua was in Arizona before abruptly leaving Rexburg and being found in Hawaii. The investigation uncovered mysterious deaths connected to the couple, including Vallow’s fourth husband, Charles Vallow, who was killed by her brother. Vallow was charged with conspiracy to commit murder more than two years after her husband’s death.
After Charles Vallow’s death, Tammy Daybell was also found dead, initially believed to be from natural causes. An autopsy later ruled it a homicide. Daybell and Lori Vallow married shortly after Tammy’s funeral, leading prosecutors to believe the couple’s obsession with apocalyptic beliefs fueled the killings. Daybell, a self-published author focusing on near-death and doomsday events, was said to have become deeply involved in these beliefs along with Vallow, ultimately leading to the murders. The trial is expected to last 10 weeks and has shed light on a disturbing series of events involving the deaths of multiple individuals connected to Daybell and Vallow.
