BOISE, Idaho — Chad Guy Daybell was sentenced to death Saturday, June 1, making him the ninth inmate on Idaho's death row.
Daybell was found guilty by jury two days prior for the first-degree murders of his first wife, Tammy Daybell, and his current wife Lori Vallow-Daybell's two children, Joshua "JJ" Vallow and Tylee Ryan.
After less than six hours of jury deliberations in Daybell's capital murder trial, the 12 jurors found the East Idaho man guilty of murder in the first degree on all three counts.
Daybell's first-degree murder convictions and the additional three 'conspiracy to commit murder' charges elevated his sentencing possibilities to the death penalty; a sentence taken off the table for co-conspirator, 50-year-old Lori Vallow, due to insufficient review of evidence.
Daybell received a guilty verdict on all eight of the charges he faced.
Tammy Daybell, 49, was found dead in her and Chad's bedroom in October 2019. Her death was initially thought to be from natural causes. After the strange disappearance of Vallow's two children in September 2019 began to draw suspicion, Tammy's body was exhumed and ruled death by asphyxiation in December 2019.
Lori Vallow's children, 7-year-old JJ Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan, were found buried in shallow graves on Chad Daybell’s Rexburg property in June 2020 after disappearing in September 2019. The decaying remains of Tylee were found in charred, burnt pieces; while JJ was found suffocated and bound in duct tape.
The crimes occurred after a series of bizarre twists, turns and allegations made by Vallow and Daybell, in which they held firm in cult-like beliefs that categorized people "zombies," and "dark" or "light."
The self-proclaimed "Doomsday Prophet" and "Doomsday Mom" were both charged with the murders, among other charges related to the crimes.
Vallow was found guilty by jury in early 2023 and sentenced to five life terms in prison without parole on July 31, 2023, following her guilty verdict for the murders of her two children and conspiracy to murder Tammy
Daybell.
For Chad to receive the death penalty, Idaho law requires all jurors in capital punishment cases to unanimously find the defendant guilty of murder in the first degree.
Daybell's trial began April 1, 2024, with jury selection and concluded May 29 with closing arguments. The verdict of guilty was reached within five and a half hours.
Chad Guy Daybell was found guilty of the following charges on May 30, 2024:
- Conspiracy to commit murder, Tylee Ryan - Guilty
- First-degree murder, Tylee Ryan - Guilty
- Conspiracy to commit murder, JJ Vallow - Guilty
- First-degree murder, JJ Vallow - Guilty
- Conspiracy to commit murder, Tammy Daybell - Guilty
- First-degree murder, Tammy Daybell - Guilty
- Insurance fraud, Tammy Daybell's benefits
- Insurance fraud, Tammy Daybell's benefits - Guilty
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