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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He’s accused of killing their mother but Chad Daybell’s children will take the stand in their father’s defence
ICYMI: Jury hears intimate texts between Chad and Lori
The murder trial of Chad Daybell took an intimate turn on Monday, as jurors listened to text messages exchanged with his wife Lori Daybell -- and the name they had for his penis.
Read the full story:
Chad Daybell trial: Graphic testimony as jury hears Lori Vallow’s name for his penis
Revelation came as court considered Chad Daybell’s text messages with Lori Vallow
What are the charges against Chad Daybell?
Chad Daybell was arrested on 9 June 2020 and booked into the Fremont County Jail after the remains of Lori Vallow’s children were found in his Rexburg, Idaho backyard.
He had left the house during the search as Rexburg Police, Fremont County Sheriff deputies and the FBI swarmed the property and began a dig that lasted for hours. But he was arrested a short time later.
Daybell has shown little to no emotion at his court appearances over the past four years.
On 21 March, he was transferred from Fremont County Jail to the Ada County Jail in Boise in preparation for his trial.
Daybell is charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the deaths of the two children and the death of his former wife Tammy. He’s also charged with insurance fraud.
Prosecutors say that the couple conspired with Vallow’s brother Alex Cox to kill the children and Daybell’s wife both as part of their doomsday beliefs – but also to collect life insurance money, the kids’ social security and survivor benefits.
Recap: FBI Special Agent Douglas Hart previously testified at Lori Vallow’s trial
Agent Hart, who is on the stand now at Chad Daybell’s trial, testified last year at Lori Vallow’s trial.
He testified that the doomsday couple exchanged thousands of text messages, voicemails and photos including messages “relevant to” the deaths of her children and their spouses and referring to them as “obstacles”.
In chilling messages, Vallow complained about being “tired of taking care of demons” while referring to her children.
“We r both so tired of taking care of demons,” she wrote in a text to Daybell in Augsut 2019 – one month before Tylee and JJ were murdered. “We are weary. Please ask the Lord to take them.”
The couple also spoke about inflicting pain on children and giving them “a reason to scream”.
In one exchange, Daybell asked if she wanted him to “cause pain” to the “two three’s” she was travelling with.
She replied to him telling him to hold off, but added that if they started to act up again “we can zap them”.
Daybell agreed and responded: “Sounds great. Yes, If they are going to act up, well at least give them a reason to scream.”
Read more from that testimony:
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
Watch: Chad Daybell gets emotional as 911 call is played at his murder trial
Chad Daybell’s children will take the stand in their father’s defence
As the prosecution begins to wrap up its case, many are wondering who will take the stand in Chad Daybell’s defence.
In stark contrast to Vallow’s trial in which no experts were called and no witnesses testified on her behalf, the defence will call four experts and three or four of Daybell’s five adult children.
Defence attorney John Prior said in opening statements that he would present several experts in DNA, forensics and medicine who would testify that it’s impossible to determine what caused Tammy Daybell’s death and that none of Mr Daybell’s DNA was found with the children’s bodies.
“What’s important are facts and evidence,” Mr Prior told the jury. “Don’t be distracted by speculation, don’t be distracted by guesses or suspicions or hunches. It all comes down to facts and evidence.”
After six weeks, the state will call its last witness on Thursday.
Read more:
Chad Daybell’s children will take the stand in their father’s defence
Chad Daybell faces the death penalty if convicted in the disturbing murders the prosecution say were fuelled by his desire for ‘sex, money and power’
ICYMI: Judge denies motion to acquit ‘cult prophet’ Chad Daybell on all charges
Judge denies motion to acquit ‘cult prophet’ Chad Daybell on all charges
Chad Daybell accused of killing his wife Tammy, and Lori Vallow’s children Tylee and JJ
Defence will begin on Monday – no court today
There is no court today for Chad Daybell.
The trial will resume on Monday morning with the defence.
Defence in Chad Daybell case begins today
The defence in Chad Daybell’s case will begin calling witnesses today.
Among them will be experts and some of Daybell’s own children.
Last year, the defence for Daybell’s wife Lori Vallow called no witnesses and offered no defence.
Jury hears Lori Vallow’s name for his penis
The messages captured the two discussing romantic liasons after they met at a 2018 religious conference, and even appeared to reveal a nickname the couple had for Daybell’s penis, according to testimony from FBI tactical specialist Nicole Heideman.
One message described how “Elena,” a fictional name the pair used for Vallow when discussing their relationship, “gripped the storm and they stare into each other’s eyes as intense waves wash over them,” according to the FBI agent.
The agent added that “the storm” appeared to be a nickname for Mr Daybell’s anatomy, reportedly drawing a smile from the 55-year-old at the defence table.