Chad Daybell, the husband of Lori Vallow, is facing trial in Idaho this week for the murders of Vallow's two children and his first wife in 2019. The case involves multiple murder charges related to the deaths of Vallow's children and both her and Chad's deceased ex-spouses.
Initially, there was a plan for a joint trial for Vallow and Daybell, but Chad's defense team successfully argued for separate trials due to conflicting defense strategies. Daybell's attorney stated that their version of the facts would differ significantly from what Vallow and her legal team would present.
In May 2023, an Idaho jury found Vallow guilty on multiple counts, including two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of 7-year-old J.J. Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan, with alleged involvement from her husband. Vallow was also convicted of conspiring to kill Tammy Daybell, Chad's first wife, in October 2019.
The tragic discovery of J.J. and Tylee's remains in shallow graves on Chad Daybell's property in June 2020 revealed disturbing details. J.J. died of asphyxiation by a plastic bag, while Tylee's cause of death remains unknown due to the condition of her remains, which were dismembered and burned before burial.
Vallow and Daybell's actions following the children's disappearance and Tammy Daybell's death raised suspicions. They fled to Hawaii to get married, having met at a conference where they bonded over apocalyptic beliefs and claimed to have been married in a past life.
Both Vallow and Daybell were arrested in 2020, with Vallow receiving a life sentence without parole for her crimes. The case shed light on their involvement in a group promoting preparedness for apocalyptic scenarios, with prosecutors emphasizing motives of money, power, and sex rather than religious beliefs.
During Vallow's sentencing, the judge condemned her actions, stating that she chose an evil and destructive path by removing her children from safety and ultimately causing their deaths without remorse.
