Chad Daybell trial live: New witness casts doubts on cult prophet’s son’s story about mom’s death
Chad Daybell’s trial began on April 1, about a year after Lori Vallow was convicted in the 2019 murders of Tylee Ryan, JJ Vallow, and Tammy Daybell
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A new rebuttal witness for the prosecution testified that Chad Daybell’s son Garth had told him how he found his dead mother Tammy Daybell, which is different from what Garth told the court at his father’s triple murder trial earlier this week.
Shortly after the defense rested on Thursday, Jason Abegelen, who worked with Garth at a haunted house, recalled that Garth told him how he found his mother dead in the bedroom and that his father was not there.
But Garth had testified that in the early morning hours of October 19, 2019, his father woke him up to help after finding the mother-of-five dead and halfway off the bed on the floor, tangled up in sheets.
Daybell, 55, is on trial for the death of Tammy, and the murders of Lori Vallow’s two children, Tylee Ryan, 16, and JJ Vallow, seven. Two weeks after Tammy’s death, Daybell and Vallow married on a beach in Hawaii.
It was only after the children were reported missing – and authorities began delving into the couple’s bizarre cult beliefs – that questions were asked about Tammy’s death and her body was exhumed for an autopsy. It was determined she had died of asphyxia and Daybell was charged with her murder, as well as the murders of Vallow’s children, who were found buried in Daybell’s Idaho backyard nine months after they went missing.
Prosecutors say Daybell and Vallow justified the three killings by creating an apocalyptic belief system, which was part of an elaborate scheme to eliminate any obstacles from their life.
But Daybell’s attorney claims he was manipulated by Vallow, who was convicted of the murders last year and received three life sentences.
Like Vallow, Daybell did not testify in his defense.
Closing arguments are expected to be next week and then the case will be in the hands of the jury.
If convicted, Daybell faces the death penalty or life in prison.
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What happend at Lori Vallow’s trial?
A year before Chad Daybell’s began, his wife Lori Vallow was at the centre of this bizarre case involving cults and multiple deaths with her own trial at the same Ada County courthouse in Boise, Idaho.
She is currently in jail in Arizona where she faces charges of conspiracy to commit murder in the 2019 death of her fourth husband Charles Vallow, and in the 2019 attempted murder of her former nephew-in-law, Brandon Boudreaux.
Rachel Sharp explains the most crucial moments from her high-profile trial, which ended with Vallow’s conviction for the murder of her two youngest children.
Read more:
Lori Vallow case summary: Key revelations from ‘cult mom’s’ murder trial
Lori Vallow was at the centre of a bizarre case involving cults and multiple deaths. Rachel Sharp explains the most crucial moments so far in her high-profile trial, which ended with Vallow’s conviction for the murder of her two youngest children
FBI investigator testifies about phone locations near children’s buried bodies
Day 24 of Chad Daybell’s trial begins
Chad Daybell is back in an Ada County courtroom in Boise, Idaho on Wednesday for the 24th day of his triple murder trial.
Livestream the proceedings on Judge Steven Boyce’s YouTube page.
FBI agent Rick Wright is back on the stand
Investigator Rick Wright is back on the stand.
He analyzed cell phone data and GEO locations for phones linked to Alex Cox from September to November 2019.
Jail call reveals Daybell told Lori Vallow he texted her dead brother
A jail phone call played in court on Wednesday revealed that Daybell told his wife Lori Vallow that he texted her dead brother, Alex Cox.
“I texted Ray,” he is heard on the recording. Det Hermosillo says Cox often went by Ray LeMar. He had a gmail account raylemar@gmail.com.
“He was very optimistic,” Daybell tells her and the two giggle multiple times.
“He’s said it will work out. He didn’t want me to say he misses you but he’s not far from contact. We can text him whenever we want.”
Daybell says he asked Ray about the “video project.” Vallow’s sister Summer Shiflet posted a video online about Alex Cox after he died.
Daybell and Vallow talk about completing the project on time and if they get a bonus.
Daybell tells her: “he’s still very interested and hasn’t forgotten about us. He’s involved in this latest batch.”
Chad Daybell’s trial is now on break for lunch.
Court will resume at 3pm ET/2pm MT
Lori Vallow asks Chad Daybell for reassurances day before children’s bodies found
Det Hermosillo testified that in multiple calls, Vallow asked Daybell for reassurances.
In the never before heard jail phone call, Vallow asks her husband for reassurance the day before the bodies of her children were found dead in Daybell’s backyard.
He tells Lori her value is tremendous and needed in every way.
“I know that is a fact. You are needed, my love. I think you underestimate yourself. I’m not trying to give you a big head or ego because you don’t have one.
You just are spectacular and the Lord is going to use those talents. You’re on earth at this time for that purpose.”
WATCH: Jail phone reveals Daybell and Vallow discussion of ‘blueprint’ before discovery children’s bodies
Chad Daybell walks into courtroom with ankle monitor after lunch break
Court is back in session after a lunch break.
Chad Daybell appears to be wearing an ankle monitor as he walked back into the courtroom, East Idaho News’ Nate Eaton noted.
Prosecuting attorney Lindsey Blake will continue questioning Attorney General Lead Investigator Nicholas Edwards.
Daybell and Vallow talked about ‘blueprint’ for ‘project’ one day before children’s bodies were found
Rexburg police detective Ray Hermosillo was back on the stand on Wednesday where he testified about the jail phone calls recorded after Vallow’s arrest in February 2020.
“Through our investigation, interviews with multiple witnesses that were close to (Chad Daybell), through the teachings in his books,” Det Hermosillo said, “he would often talk about how he had the ability to see and speak with people on the other side of the veil,” referring to heaven.
Daybell told Vallow in the call that he texted “Ray,” a known alias of Vallow’s brother, a detective testified. The call happened in June 2020, a day before the bodies of the children were found on Daybell’s property.
At this point, Cox had been dead for six months. He died in December 2019 of what police determined were natural causes.
The couple talked about a “project,” and Vallow asked if “the blueprints are still intact? The timing?”
“Can he just make us any guarantees?” Vallow asked. “I mean, we did make our down payments. ... I would like a guarantee, just an end date of our project.”
She told Daybell to remind Cox “that at the beginning of this project he said there’s only a 3% chance there would be trouble.”
She questioned the "complications" that had occurred in the "project" and said there were "other things on the project, when I’m going back over it, that I could have easily done or been inspired to do, to avoid a lot of the issues that would have come up with that, that we were not made aware of.”
Daybell reassured her and said “overall this was part of the blueprint” and that “(Cox) is in that contractor position for a reason.”