An Idaho jury has begun deliberations in the high-profile case of Chad Daybell, accused of the deaths of his first wife, Tammy Daybell, and his stepchildren, Joshua “JJ” Vallow and Tylee Ryan. Daybell, who faces the death penalty if convicted, has pleaded not guilty to all charges, including first-degree murder and conspiracy. This trial follows the July 2023 conviction of his second wife, Lori Vallow Daybell, who was sentenced to life in prison for her role in the murders.
The case has drawn national attention due to the couple’s fringe religious beliefs and the mysterious circumstances surrounding the deaths. Tammy Daybell died in October 2019, and Lori Vallow married Chad Daybell just two weeks later. The children’s bodies were found on Daybell’s property months after being reported missing by JJ’s grandparents in November 2019. Prosecutors argued that Chad and Lori Daybell’s beliefs about “dark” and “light” spirits and “death percentages” were used to justify the murders, painting them as driven by a doomsday-focused worldview.
Throughout the trial, the defense argued that Chad Daybell’s religious writings and beliefs were protected and unrelated to the murders. Chad Daybell did not testify in his defense, but two of his adult children described his beliefs as traditional and unrelated to any conspiracy. Prosecutor Lindsey Blake countered by highlighting the dangerous implications of Chad and Lori’s beliefs, which included the notion that possessed individuals had to die to free their spirits.
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