Chad Daybell Receives Death Sentence for Murdering His Ex-Wife and His Second Wife’s Two Children

Chad Daybell Receives Death Sentence for Murdering Wife and Girlfriend’s 2 Children

Chad Daybell, convicted earlier this week for the 2019 murders of his first wife and his second wife’s two children, faced the ultimate consequence as an Idaho jury sentenced him to death.

During the reading of the verdict, Chad Daybell, 55, remained impassive, showing no visible emotion. The jury deliberated for two days before delivering their decision. Fremont County prosecutor Lindsey Blake expressed hope that the verdict would provide a semblance of closure for the families and friends of the victims. “We are pleased with the outcome and justice has been served for the victims in this case,” Blake stated during a news conference following the sentencing.

Chad Daybell’s conviction on all counts stemmed from what prosecutors characterized as a scheme driven by “money, power, and sex.” The charges included murder and conspiracy related to the deaths of Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 7, and Tylee Ryan, 16, as well as his former wife, Tamara “Tammy” Chad Daybell, 49. Tammy’s death, initially ruled as natural, was later determined to be a homicide by asphyxiation.

The prosecution asserted that Daybell, an author of books about the apocalypse, manipulated spiritual beliefs to rationalize the killings, claiming that the victims were possessed and needed to be eliminated for him to be with his new partner, Lori Vallow. The couple married in Hawaii just two weeks after the murders.

Daybell’s defense attorney, John Prior, argued to the jurors that the evidence linking Daybell to the deaths was insufficient. He contended that the police focused solely on incriminating Daybell rather than seeking the truth of the matter. Prior asserted that the late brother of Vallow, Alex Cox, was the one responsible for the crimes.

Daybell’s defense attorney attributed the murders to Cox and Vallow, suggesting that Daybell was manipulated by Vallow. He described Vallow in his opening statements as a voracious and “very sexual” woman who enticed Daybell into carrying out her commands.

“This beautifully stunning woman named Lori Vallow comes up and she starts giving him a lot of attention,” Prior said of the couple’s first meeting at a religious convention in October 2019. “She pursued him. She encouraged him.”

Last year, in the same courtroom, Vallow was found guilty of the three murders, landing her a life sentence in prison.

During the trial, evidence revealed how Vallow, Daybell, and Cox were influenced by their unusual cult beliefs. Cox, who died of natural causes during the investigation, was never formally charged.

“Alex Cox is a murderer, and he is not shy about shooting people,” asserted Prior on Wednesday, referring to Cox’s previous killing of Vallow’s fourth husband, Charles Vallow, in Arizona, with the two children as witnesses.

Attorney Prior alleged that Cox tried to frame Daybell by hiding the remains of the children in Daybell’s yard in Rexburg, Idaho.

Over the past two months, prosecutors have called numerous witnesses to back their claims of Daybell and Vallow conspired in the killings. The alleged motive was to remove obstacles to their relationship and to access financial benefits from survivor benefits and life insurance.

Before the jury reached their sentencing decision, family members recounted their anguish over Tammy Daybell’s sudden death and subsequent revelations of foul play. Samantha Gwilliam, Tammy’s sister, lamented her sister’s absence, stating, “My sister should not be dead right now.” Kay Woodcock, JJ’s grandmother, expressed profound sorrow over JJ’s death, calling it an inexplicable betrayal.

Chad Daybell chose not to address the court during the sentencing phase, nor did he testify in his defense before the verdict.

With Chad Daybell’s sentencing, Idaho’s history with the death penalty adds another chapter. The state has carried out 29 executions since its establishment in 1864, with eight residents currently on death row.

 

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