Key testimony so far from witnesses in Chad Daybell trial

Various angles of the Ada County courtroom are shown via livestream during Chad Daybell's murder trial on Thursday. Daybell is charged with the murders of JJ Vallow, Tylee Ryan and Tammy Daybell.

Various angles of the Ada County courtroom are shown via livestream during Chad Daybell's murder trial on Thursday. Daybell is charged with the murders of JJ Vallow, Tylee Ryan and Tammy Daybell. (Judge Steven W. Boyce via YouTube)


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BOISE — The 18 jurors, 12 of which will decide the fate of Chad Daybell in his murder trial, have heard testimony from prosecution witnesses over 13 days.

Chad Daybell is charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Lori Vallow Daybell's children — 7-year-old Joshua "JJ" Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan — and his former wife, Tammy Daybell. He is also charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder of each of the victims, grand theft and two counts of insurance fraud.

Each of the deaths occurred on separate dates in September and October of 2019. The police investigation that led to the charges began in November of 2019 and was extensive — and has led to a lot of information available for attorneys and witnesses to discuss during the trial.

Tammy Daybell's body was exhumed and an autopsy was performed in December of 2019, and the children's bodies were found buried in Chad Daybell's backyard in June of 2020.

Here are highlights from some of the testimony from witnesses in the trial so far:

Funeral director had concerns

Steven Schultz, a funeral director and friend of Chad and Tammy Daybell, said he immediately had concerns about her death after going to the Daybell home in Salem, Idaho, to transport her body to Utah County. He cited Chad Daybell's rush to hold a funeral, his insistence that no autopsy be performed and his extreme religious beliefs as reasons for his concern. Schultz said while driving Tammy Daybell's body to Springville for the funeral, he asked Tammy Daybell's brother-in-law if he thought it might be murder.

Coroner changed Tammy Daybell's cause of death

Brenda Dye, the coroner for Fremont County, testified about her decision to change Tammy Daybell's cause of death from natural causes to homicide after her body was exhumed. She brought up inconsistencies in Chad Daybell's story, witnessing an autopsy months after her death showing her lungs were still full of pink foam, and finding out about Chad Daybell's new wife, investigations into her and her brother in Arizona, and her two missing children.

Friend testifies about 'castings'

Melanie Gibb, Lori Daybell's former best friend, testified about her, Chad Daybell and Lori Daybell doing "castings" for both Charles Vallow (Lori Daybell's then-husband) and Tammy Daybell before they died, to cast out evil spirits that Chad Daybell had said were inside them. She said she understood that if the castings were successful the people would die, but she did not think there would be any violence. Gibb also testified that Tylee and JJ were labeled as "dark" before they died.

Chad Daybell, left, as seen during his murder trial at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise on April 18. On the same day, Melanie Gibb, right, a former friend of Chad and Lori Daybell, testified during the trial.
Chad Daybell, left, as seen during his murder trial at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise on April 18. On the same day, Melanie Gibb, right, a former friend of Chad and Lori Daybell, testified during the trial. (Photo: Judge Stephen W. Boyce via YouTube)

Light and dark scale used outside of Chad and Lori Daybell's relationship

The light and dark scale often mentioned in messages with Lori Daybell was also brought up in a family chat with Chad and Tammy Daybell. Vincent Kaaiakamanu, with the Madison County Sheriff's Office, said one message sent from Tammy Daybell's account — which Chad Daybell often messaged from — labeled a child in a church class the couple had taught as "4.2 dark." Chad Daybell would label people light and dark, based on how much he believed a person had been taken over by evil, according to the officer and other witnesses.

Tylee and JJ's remains are found

Rexburg police detective Ray Hermosillo testified about finding JJ and Tylee's bodies, and photos were shown to the jurors of the state of the remains when they were found. JJ's body was found wrapped in plastic bags and duct tape, and Tylee's remains were burned and buried in a bucket.

The bodies of Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow were found in Chad Daybell's backyard. His murder trial in their deaths is underway in Boise.
The bodies of Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow were found in Chad Daybell's backyard. His murder trial in their deaths is underway in Boise. (Photo: Family photo)

Lori Daybell said she would 'take care of it'

When Colby Ryan, Lori Daybell's oldest child, asked his mother where his younger siblings were in November 2019, he testified that her response was: "I'll take care of it." He did not receive much communication from her after that, just an email months later telling him not to worry and that Jesus was on her side.

He also testified that when his stepfather, Charles Vallow, died, she called him at work and told him the man had died of a heart attack. He later learned that Vallow had actually been shot and killed by his uncle, Alex Cox. He described his mother's demeanor as "calm, unrattled," but said he was freaking out. He said shortly after the death, his mother told him she would be married again soon.

Real estate agent said Chad Daybell wanted to build home in his backyard

Ron Arnold, a real estate agent and neighbor of Chad Daybell, testified about meeting with him in March 2020 about building a home on his property. He said with all that he knows now about the children's bodies being buried there, he thinks there may have been a different motivation to build a house than simply to have a house to live in with his new wife.

Investigators in Idaho recover human remains in the backyard of Chad Daybell’s home in Salem on June 9, 2020. Chad Daybell's murder trial is ongoing in Boise.
Investigators in Idaho recover human remains in the backyard of Chad Daybell’s home in Salem on June 9, 2020. Chad Daybell's murder trial is ongoing in Boise. (Photo: John Wilson, KSL)

'I'm not coming back'

Rexburg police detective Eric Wheeler testified about a video of the arrest of Chad Daybell the day the bodies were found in his backyard. The video shows him talking to his daughter, Emma, who lives kitty-corner from his home. He told his daughter "I'm not coming back" and proceeded to instruct her from the police car about how to pay the bills for his home and where his money was held.

'The angels are angry'

FBI agent Douglas Hart testified about texts between Chad Daybell and Lori Daybell, showing how he said they manipulated each other. He described texts from Aug. 8, 2019, depicting the couple's "first big fight" over a family vacation Chad Daybell was taking with his wife and other family members. Chad Daybell sent multiple texts telling Lori Daybell that he still loved her and it was "absolutely excruciating" to be cut off from her. But she did not send any texts in response.

About an hour later, after she still hadn't responded, he told her that her deceased grandfather was now there with him and her grandfather wanted him to "warn" her that she was now "unprotected." "The angels are angry that you are ignoring me," Chad Daybell texted. "I'm honestly not trying to manipulate you to respond. ... But they say you have cut me off, and the protection I built around your house is gone."

He said if she would just send him a thumbs-up emoji, then he could restore some of her "protection." Lori Daybell responded within about 10 minutes, telling him she loved him. Chad Daybell responded that the protection had been restored.

Monday's testimony:

The trial is scheduled to last until the end of May. Attorneys have indicated that eventually some of Chad Daybell's children will likely be called to the witness stand.

There are potentially two parts to the trial. If Daybell is found guilty, a second phase would be held with additional evidence and testimony, and the jurors would determine whether to impose the death penalty.

KSL.com is streaming the trial each day. The court is not holding the trial on Tuesday, but testimony will resume Wednesday morning.

Most recent Daybell case stories

Related topics

Daybell casePolice & CourtsUtahIdaho
Emily Ashcraft joined KSL.com as a reporter in 2021. She covers courts and legal affairs, as well as health, faith and religion news.

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