REXBURG, IDAHO – Chad Daybell, a resident of Idaho, was found guilty on Thursday of first-degree murder and conspiracy charges in the deaths of his first wife and two children of his second wife. Prosecutors in Idaho allege that the crimes were motivated by power, sex, money, and apocalyptic religious beliefs. Daybell potentially faces the death penalty.
Daybell, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, stood emotionless as the verdict was delivered. The victims include his first wife, Tammy Daybell, and the children of his second wife, Lori Vallow Daybell – 16-year-old Tylee Ryan and 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow. Authorities believe that Tylee and JJ were killed in September 2019, and Tammy Daybell was found dead in her Idaho home a few weeks before Daybell married Lori Vallow Daybell.
The remains of Tylee and JJ were discovered on Daybell’s property in Fremont County in June 2020. The state is pursuing the death penalty, with the sentencing phase commencing promptly after the jury’s verdict and instructions from Judge Steven Boyce.
The trial shed light on the dark undercurrents of the couple’s relationship, with the prosecution painting Daybell as power-hungry and manipulative, while the defense portrayed him as a victim of circumstances. The defense argued that there was insufficient direct evidence linking Daybell to the crimes, suggesting that others might have been responsible.
The case also brought attention to the religious beliefs and apocalyptic ideology that seemed to drive the couple’s actions. Vallow Daybell, already convicted for her role in the murders and conspiracy, continues to maintain her innocence and has appealed her convictions.
Despite the tragic outcome, the families of the victims expressed their grief and memories, with JJ’s grandfather lamenting the loss of the young victims and questioning the senselessness of the crimes. The trial highlighted a case of profound tragedy that shook the community and exposed the devastating consequences of misplaced faith and misguided beliefs.