BOISE, Idaho – Chad Daybell, set to stand trial in Idaho for the alleged murders of his wife’s two children, is facing the beginning of a legal battle nearly a year after his wife, Lori Vallow, was convicted in a similar case involving a doomsday scheme.
The trial, scheduled to commence on Monday in Ada County, will involve jury selection and is anticipated to span approximately nine weeks, according to court records. Daybell, along with Vallow, faces charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the deaths of Vallow’s children, Joshua “J.J.” Vallow, 7, and Tylee Ryan, 16, whose remains were discovered on Daybell’s Idaho property in June 2020.
The complaint against Daybell alleges that he promoted religious beliefs as a means to justify the killings of the two children. Additionally, both Daybell and Vallow were charged with conspiracy to commit murder in the death of Daybell’s former wife, Tamara Daybell, who passed away in October 2019, shortly before Daybell and Vallow married in Hawaii. Vallow was found guilty in her trial.
In addition to the murder charges, Daybell faces two counts of insurance fraud related to life insurance policies he held on his former wife, for which he was the beneficiary. Despite pleading not guilty to all charges, Daybell could potentially face the death penalty if found guilty of murder.
Daybell’s defense attorney expressed readiness for the trial, indicating that Daybell is eager to present his side of the story. While it remains uncertain whether Vallow will testify in this trial, it is important to note that neither Vallow nor Daybell testified in her trial, with Vallow’s legal team resting their case without calling any witnesses.
The presiding judge in Vallow’s trial, Judge Steve Boyce, will oversee Daybell’s case. Vallow was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the murders of her children, after the defense successfully petitioned to dismiss the death penalty in her case.
As the legal proceedings unfold, it is clear that the case is heavily influenced by intricate family dynamics, a complex web of allegiances, and a background steeped in doomsday ideologies. The intricacies of the case highlight the devastating consequences of a fractured family embroiled in tragedy, deceit, and ultimately, the pursuit of justice.