Chad Daybell, 55, is found guilty in triple-murder trial and now faces death penalty

‘Doomsday prophet’ is accused of conspiring with his wife, Lori Vallow, to kill her two young children and his first wife

Conviction comes two-month Daybell went trial for the murder of his first wife Tammy Daybell, and his current wife’s children Joshua ‘JJ’ Vallow, 7, and Tylee Ryan, 16

Prosecutors said the couple justified the three killings by creating a detailed and apocalyptic belief system

It was an elaborate scheme to eliminate any obstacles to their relationship and to obtain money from survivor benefits and life insurance, prosecutors said

Daybell faces life in prison or death penalty at sentencing on Friday

Idaho jury Thursday convicted doomsday author Chad Daybell [right], who was charged with murdering his first wife and his current wife’s two youngest children, on all counts 

‘Doomsday prophet’ Chad Daybell has been found guilty of killing his ex-wife and co-conspirator Lori Vallow’s two children in a chilling triple murder case that rattled the state of Idaho.
Daybell showed no emotion as the verdict was read on Thursday, standing beside his attorney as the judge revealed the jury had found him guilty on all counts.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty and a decision is expected on Friday. 

The verdict comes after a nearly two-month trial after Daybell, 55, was accused of killing Tammy Daybell, Joshua ‘JJ’ Vallow, 7, and Tylee Ryan, 16. 
During the summer of 2020, the remains of the children were discovered on Daybell’s Fremont County, Idaho property. Police believe the bodies were buried by Daybell sometime between September of 2019 and June of 2020.

In 2021 the children’s mother Lori Vallow Daybell, [photo], along with Chad Daybell was indicted on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and grand theft by deception in the children’s deaths

In a related event, Chad’s then wife, Tammy Daybell died in 2019, mere weeks ahead of Chad and Lori Vallow’s wedding on a beach in Kauai, Hawaii.
Though her death was initially believed to be due to natural causes, her corpse was later exhumed and following an autopsy, it was determined that she had been suffocated to death.
Daybell and Lori Vallow were indicted in 2021 on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and grand theft by deception in the children’s deaths.

Killed: Vallow’s children Joshua Vallow, 7, [left], and Tylee Ryan, 17, were last seen on Sept. 23, 2019 in Rexburg, Idaho.Their remains were discovered on Daybell’s property nine months later

The children’s mother Lori Vallow Daybell, standing between her attorneys for a hearing at the Fremont County Courthouse in St. Anthony, Idaho, on Aug. 16, 2022, was convicted in May 2023. In in February 2024, she received multiple life sentences without parole

The pair were slapped with a handful of additional charges relating to Tammy’s death.
Last year, Vallow was convicted and handed a sentence of multiple life sentences behind bars without the possibility of parole.
During his trial, Daybell was accused of crafting an alternate reality so that he could fulfill ‘his desire for sex, money and power.’ 
‘When he had a chance at what he considered his rightful destiny, he made sure no person and no law would stand in his way,’ prosecutor Rob Wood said.
Prosecutors, who called 67 witnesses throughout the trial, said the couple justified the three killings by creating a detailed and apocalyptic belief system, part of an elaborate scheme to eliminate any obstacles to their relationship and to obtain money from survivor benefits and life insurance.

Chad Daybell [left] was also charged with killing his late wife Tammy Daybell [right]. Tammy died in her sleep on October 19, 2019, initially believed to have been from natural causes, her body was later exhumed. The autopsy determined she died by asphyxiation

Chad Daybell married Lori Vallow on the beach in Kauai, Hawaii, less than two months after her children vanished. Chad’s wife, Tammy Daybell, also died in 2019, weeks ahead of the wedding 

Investigators searching Chad Daybell’s property in Salem, Idaho, in June 2020, found the remains of Vallow’s two youngest children, JJ and Tylee – 9 months after their disappearance

Daybell’s defense attorney John Prior presented a different picture to jurors – noting that Chad Daybell was a religious person but suggested that his belief in things like premonitions were fairly mainstream. 
Prior also explained to jurors that Lori Vallow Daybell’s brother, Alex Cox, had a violent history. He had previously been convicted of attacking Vallow Daybell’s third husband, and he shot and killed her fourth husband.
‘Whenever there was a problem with Lori Vallow, Alex Cox ran to the rescue,’ Prior said in opening statements.

Daybell’s defense unsuccessfully tried to shift blame to Lori Vallow Daybell’s brother, Alex Cox, seen [left with his sister Lori]. Cox had a violent history and had previously been convicted of attacking his sister’s third husband, before he shot and killed her fourth husband

Daybell’s attorney also argued that his client lived a normal, faith-focused life before he met a vixen in the person of Lori Vallow Daybell, who he said showered Daybell with attention. 
Upping the blame shift strategy, Daybell’s defense team team described Vallow as a ‘beautiful, vivacious person’ who drew Daybell into an extramarital relationship.
Daybell’s attorney also said he would present several experts in DNA, forensics and pathology who would testify that it’s impossible to determine what caused Tammy Daybell’s death and that none of Chad Daybell’s DNA was found with the children’s bodies. 
The Jury sided with the prosecution and Convicted the defendant on all counts.