Jury to Continue Consideration of Penalty for Chad Daybell in Trial for Potential Death Sentence for 3 Homicides on Saturday (Idaho)
On Thursday, Daybell was found guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy in the deaths of his first wife, Tammy Daybell, and two of his second wife's kids, 16-year-old Tylee Ryan and 7-year-old Joshua "JJ" Vallow. According to prosecutors, Daybell's motivation for the killings was fueled by a desire for power, sex, money, and apocalyptic spiritual beliefs.
The jury started deliberating Daybell's future after the trial on Friday, overall devoting six hours to the case before calling it a night. They will resume deliberations at 9 a.m. MT on Saturday, as per the Ada County Courthouse.
Both the prosecution and the defense presented their viewpoints on Daybell to the jury ahead of the deliberation.
During his opening statement, prosecutor Rob Wood urged the jurors to weigh aggravating factors that could potentially make Daybell eligible for the death penalty. He emphasized that the three murders were carried out for monetary gain, as Daybell was also found guilty of life insurance fraud, stemming from policies he allegedly cashed in after Tammy's death. Additionally, Wood argued that the murders were "especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel," and showcased "exceptional depravity." He also said that Daybell displayed a propensity to kill, which indicates a potential continuation of this behavior in the future.
"It is your decision whether one or more of these aggravators has been proven. And if it has been, you must decide if, under these circumstances, the imposition of the death penalty would be just or unjust," Wood concluded.
A year ago, Daybell's second wife, Lori Vallow Daybell, was also convicted of murdering her children and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. She has appealed her verdict to the state Supreme Court, raising concerns about her mental competency during the trial.
Law enforcement officials believe Tylee and JJ were killed in September 2019, around the time they were last seen, and Tammy Daybell was found dead in her Idaho home on October 19, 2019. This happened just before Chad Daybell married Lori Vallow Daybell.
In his address to the jury, Daybell's defense lawyer John Prior portrayed him as a reserved, quiet young man who grew up in a small, tight-knit, religious community in Springville, Utah. He described him as someone deeply committed to his family and spent nearly 30 years with his first wife, raising five children.
However, he added, everything changed when Daybell met Vallow Daybell who was already married several times.
"You examine what Chad Daybell's past was prior to the Lori Vallow bomb being dropped... If it wasn't for that trajectory coming in and changing the plan, is this where we would be going? It's not where we'd be going," Prior said.
"Tammy should have been cherished, not wiped out"
The jury was also asked to hear from relatives of the victims.
Ron Douglas, Tammy Daybell's father, talked about the emotional turmoil caused by the way his daughter was treated. "It makes me angry and it destroys me to know Tammy was treated how she was," he said.
Kay Woodcock discussed her grandson JJ and step-niece Tylee. "I sit here today and try to explain the immense pain that me and everyone in my family continues to endure daily. But how do I do that?" Woodcock said.
She added, "But how do I explain the endless amount of times I had to tell my family that JJ won't be at this event or that milestone? The constant question remains: Who would he have become? What kind of man would he have been?"
Remembering Tylee, Woodcock said, "The most precious, blond-haired, blue-eyed little girl. She was an absolute mama's girl." Breaking down, she continued, "There's a hole in my heart, in the hearts of every member of my family, that can never be filled and will remain for the rest of my life."
Tylee's aunt, Annie Cushing, recounted memories of a charming Tylee. "Tylee had her whole life ahead of her. She had dignity, she had dreams, she had goals. This defendant stole all of that."
Before the jury's decision, both Tammy's and Tylee's families gave their accounts. Tammy's father, Ron Douglas, said, "Tammy should have been cherished, not wiped out." Kay Woodcock spoke of the unanswered questions on JJ and Tylee's futures. "But how do I explain the endless amount of times I had to tell my family that JJ won't be at this event or that milestone?" Woodcock said. Remembering more fondly, she added, "I’ll never forget her voice, her smile, her hugs." Tylee's aunt, Annie Cushing, stated, "Tylee had her whole life ahead of her. She had dignity, she had dreams, she had goals. This defendant stole all of that."
Kelsee Douglas, Tammy's sister-in-law, relayed to the court that the aftermath of the murders consists of "pain, fractured relationships, and unhealed wounds" for the family. She continued by emphasizing that this "legacy of anguish and sorrow" will haunt the family for future generations.
Tammy's brother, Michael Douglas, expressed his emotional distress, stating that the "nightmare fuel" he's received will remain with him for the rest of his life.
Chad Daybell chose not to address the court following the victim impact statements.
According to authorities, the remains of Tylee and JJ were discovered on Chad Daybell's property in Fremont County in June 2020.
"It's a sad day. JJ would have been 12 years old," lamented JJ's grandfather, Larry Woodcock, after the verdict was announced on Thursday.
Remembering the victims, Woodcock kept asking, "What did they accomplish? Nothing. What did they do? They destroyed families." However, Daybell and Lori Vallow Daybell could not take away the cherished memories of the victims, Woodcock stated. "They can't take that," he added while growing emotional at one point. The emotional impact of the verdict was intense for Woodcock, causing him to feel as if he couldn't breathe.
Throughout the opening statements, the prosecution and Daybell's attorney presented distinct images of the defendant. The state described him as an ambitious individual who would do anything to attain "what he considered his rightful destiny." Conversely, Daybell's defense lawyer portrayed him as a religious figure drawn into a challenging situation by a "beautiful, vivacious woman" who knew "how to get what she wants."
Wood, the prosecutor, kicked off the trial by highlighting the tragedy: "Two dead children buried in the defendant Chad Daybell's backyard."
A month after Tammy Daybell's death in 2019, she was discovered dead in her marital bed. Just seventeen days later, Chad Daybell was seen on a beach in Hawaii, celebrating his union with Lori Vallow Daybell, Daybell's former mistress and mother of the buried children.
When Daybell believed he was entitled to "his rightful destiny," Wood argued, he ensured that "no person and no law would stand in his way."
"His desires for sex, money, and power led him to pursue those ambitions," the prosecutor concluded, ultimately, resulting in the deaths of his wife and Lori's two innocent children.
Tammy Daybell's demise was first thought to be due to natural causes, with Chad Daybell remarrying less than three weeks after her passing.
Vallow Daybell's relationship with Daybell allegedly began to change when she began giving him more attention, eventually leading him into a "inappropriate" and "unfortunate" extramarital relationship with her.
Lori Vallow Daybell's two children from her past relationship went missing in September 2019. Tylee Ryan was a "normal, vibrant teenage girl" who adored her friends, while JJ, with autism, required specialized care.
In late November 2019, relatives expressed concern about JJ's welfare to police in Rexburg, Idaho. Upon visiting the home, the police didn't find him, but Daybell and Vallow Daybell claimed he was staying with a family friend in Arizona.
When authorities returned the next day with a warrant, the couple was gone. They were located in Hawaii in January 2020.
In June 2020, law enforcement officials unearthed the remains of Tylee and JJ on Daybell's property in Fremont County, Idaho. Vallow Daybell and Daybell were charged with murder in May 2021.
Prosecutors believe Tylee was murdered between September 8 and 9, 2019, while JJ was killed between September 22 and 23, 2019.
"We are filled with indescribable sadness that these two radiant young souls were taken from us, and we can only hope they died free of pain and suffering," the families of the victims said in a statement after the remains were found.
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The United States Justice Department will closely monitor the jury's decision, as Daybell's case could set a precedent for future trials with potential death sentences.
Regardless of the jury's verdict, the Daybell family and the families of Tammy, Tylee, and JJ will continue to seek closure and justice for their loved ones.
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