Chad Daybell trial: Lori Vallow’s friend confronted with subpoena outside court in cult prophet case
Chad Daybell’s trial comes one year after Lori Vallow was convicted over the murders of Tylee Ryan, JJ Vallow and Tammy Daybell
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Melanie Gibb, the former friend of Lori Vallow, was served with a subpoena during a break in Chad Daybell’s triple murder trial in Boise, Idaho on Thursday.
Daybell’s defence attorney John Prior told her she had to accept to the papers. Ms Gibb was called by the prosecution to testify in the case a year after she testified at Vallow’s trial about the couple’s extreme religious beliefs.
Daybell, 55, is on trial for the murders of Vallow’s children, Tylee Ryan, 16, and JJ, seven, as well as his then-wife Tammy Daybell, who died suddenly in her sleep in October 2019. Weeks later, Daybell married Vallow.
Nine months after the children were last seen, they were found on Daybell’s property in Rexburg, Idaho.
Prosecutors say his “desire for sex, power, and money” led to their murders. Mr Prior, however, said his client was manipulated by Vallow.
Last year, Vallow was convicted in the three murders and sentenced to life in prison. Jurors heard how she, Mr Daybell and her late brother Alex Cox were fuelled, in part, by their bizarre cult beliefs.
If convicted, Mr Daybell faces either the death penalty or life in prison.
Doomsday cult, murders and children buried in a pet cemetery: The twisted case of Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell
Is Chad Daybell a doomsday cult mastermind? Trial for the murder of Lori Vallow’s children and ex-wife begins
Did a doomsday cult really drive Lori Vallow to murder her children?
Chad Daybell, Lori Vallow and Alex Cox: Key players in the ‘doomsday cult’ murder case
Video: Officer describes finding remains of Chad Daybell’s stepdaughter
Court sees video of Chad Daybell telling his daughter ‘I’m not coming back’
Chad Daybell calmly talked to his adult daughter about handling finances and other family matters as he was detained on the day investigators found the remains of Lori Vallow’s two children buried in the backyard of his Idaho property.
“Yeah, I’m not coming back,” Mr Daybell told his daughter Emma in never-before-seen video footage that was played for the jury in his triple murder trial on Monday.
Read more:
Who was Tammy Daybell?
Tammy was the former wife of Chad Daybell. On 19 October 2019, the healthy 49-year-old died suddenly in her sleep.
Despite the mysterious circumstances, her husband declined an autopsy and her death was ruled from natural causes.
Less than three weeks later, he married Lori Vallow.
It was only after her two children were reported missing weeks later – and authorities began delving into Vallow and Daybell, their sudden remarriage and bizarre cult beliefs – that questions began being asked about her death.
Investigators exhumed her body for an autopsy in December 2020 and found that Tammy had died “at the hands of another and died of asphyxiation.“
In a shocking moment revealed at Vallow’s trial, Daybell had predicted his wife Tammy would soon be dead.
Daybell is charged with murder in relation to her death, as well as the murders of Vallow’s two children. He’s also charged with conspiracy to commit murder for all three deaths.
Vallow was found guilty of conspiracy to kill Tammy, with prosecutors alleging that the couple conspired with Vallow’s brother, Alex Cox.
What charges does Chad Daybell face?
- Murder of Tammy Daybell
- Murder of Joshua “JJ“ Vallow
- Murder of Tylee Ryan
- Conspiracy to commit murder of Tammy Daybell
- Conspiracy to commit murder and grand theft in the death of Joshua “JJ“ Vallow
- Conspiracy to commit murder and grand theft in the death of Tylee Ryan
What we know about the Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell ‘cult’ murder case
With ‘cult mom’ Lori Vallow jailed for life for the murders of her children and her spouse’s first wife and Chad Daybell now on trial, Rachel Sharp delves into the deeply disturbing tale of murders, unexplained deaths and apocalyptic cult beliefs.
What we know about the Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell ‘doomsday cult’ murder case
With ‘cult mom’ Lori Vallow jailed for life for the murders of her children and her spouse’s first wife and Chad Daybell now on trial, Rachel Sharp delves into the deeply disturbing tale of murders, unexplained deaths and apocalyptic cult beliefs
Celebration of Life to be held for JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan
A Celebration of Life will be held on 27 April to honor Joshua “JJ” Vallow and Tylee Ryan.
JJ’s grandparents, Larry and Kay Woodcock, will be hosting the memorial at the Colonial Theater in Idaho Falls, according to EastIdahoNews.com.
“It’s going to be a celebration of two children whose lives were taken way too early,” Larry Woodcock told the outlet.
“We have so many wonderful friends here – friends that we’ll have for a lifetime – and we think it’s time to appreciate the lives of Tylee and JJ.”
The bodies of Tylee and JJ were found on Chad Daybell’s property in June 2020. Their remains were released to family at the end of last year.
Visitation hours will be from 11am-1pm MT followed by a service from 1 to 2pm.
The memorial will be streamed on EastIdahoNews.com.
Chad Daybell trial resumes today
The triple murder trial of Chad Daybell resumes today with more testimony.
Nicole Heideman, FBI Tactical Specialist, will return to the stand.
Court will begin at 10.30am ET.
RECAP: Chad Daybell tells his daughter ‘I’m not coming back’
On Monday, prosecutors played video from the police cruiser that showed Chad Daybell in the back seat of a police car talking to his daughter Emma who tearfully told her dad, “I love you so much.”
Daybell was being detained after the bodies of Lori Vallow’s children were found buried on his property in June 2020.
“Yeah, I’m not coming back,” he told his daughter in the never-before-seen video footage that was played for the jury in his triple murder trial.
Read more:
JJ’s grandfather rocks socks featuring slain boy’s favorite Queen song in court
In court on Monday, JJ Vallow’s grandfather, Larry Woodcock, was wearing socks that featured his slain grandson’s favorite song by Queen.
The photo was posted on social media by the Pretty Lies And Alibis account, a podcast hosted by GiGi.
Last year, at Lori Vallow’s trial, Mr Woodcock regularly played JJ’s song “We will rock you,” before and after court and blasted it for all to hear outside the courthouse after Vallow was convicted in the murders.
Testimony resumes in Chad Daybell’s trial
Court is back in session as testimony resumes for a fourth day.
FBI Tactical Specialist Nicole Heideman, who began her testimony yesterday, will be back on the stand this morning.
Watch the proceedings on Judge Steven Boyce’s livestream: