Chad Daybell is on trial for triple murder, accused of killing his ex-wife Tammy Daybell and Lori Vallow’s children, Joshua ‘JJ’ Vallow and Tylee Ryan. Prosecutors described him as someone with a “desire for sex, money, and power” who labeled people who stood in the way of his dreams as “zombies” and “dark spirits.” Wood said that in the world Chad and Lori planned for themselves, those who opposed them were dehumanized through labels as ‘dark spirits’ or ‘zombies’. The trial, expected to last 10 weeks, began after authorities found the remains of Joshua and Tylee on Daybell’s property.
Daybell and Vallow were indicted in 2021 on multiple charges including first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and grand theft by deception. They were also charged with insurance fraud and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in connection with Tammy Daybell’s death. Daybell pleaded not guilty to the charges and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. The couple was accused of failing to cooperate with the investigation into the children’s disappearance and lying about their whereabouts initially telling officers Joshua was in Arizona with a family friend. Vallow’s brother Alex Cox shot and killed her fourth husband Charles Vallow in July 2019, two years later Lori was charged with conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree.
Several mysterious deaths connected to the couple began to surface, including the death of Charles Vallow in July 2019 and Tammy Daybell in October 2019. Tammy’s death was initially believed to be natural causes, but an autopsy later ruled it a homicide. Daybell and Vallow married just two weeks after Tammy’s funeral, leading prosecutors to believe that they became obsessed with apocalyptic beliefs that fueled their actions. Daybell is a self-published author of books about near-death and doomsday events. The couple left Rexburg suddenly, eventually being found in Hawaii where Vallow was taken into custody in January 2020.
Authorities began a formal search for Joshua and Tylee in November 2019 after concerned family members contacted them when they had not seen or spoken to the children. Joshua’s remains were found buried in a pet cemetery and Tylee had been dismembered and burned in a fire pit. Daybell and Vallow were charged in connection with the deaths of the children as well as Tammy Daybell, who prosecutors believe was also murdered by Daybell. Daybell and Vallow’s apocalyptic beliefs are said to have driven them to commit the murders as prosecutors seek justice for the victims. The case has garnered significant media attention due to the shocking nature of the allegations and the involvement of prominent public figures.
