TRIAL OF CHAD DAYBELL CHARGED WITH MURDER OF JJ VALLOW, TYLEE RYAN AND TAMMY DAYBELL

[indicolite22]

Priors strategy? Well, that should be easy enough. He is a dumb old country boy. He made is mark in the world by murdering and grifting.

Prosecution? I personally think the evidence presented in Lori's trial ties Chad to a plan to murder all three victims. And he happens to live where at least one person was murdered, at least one was mutilated, and two were buried. I imagine we will learn more about Chads phone locations and perhaps more communication between him and Tammy (aside from the raccoon text day). But IMO, Chad could have been convicted on all counts just based on the evidence at Lori's trial.

MOO

Wouldn't new information highly incriminating for Chad have been mentioned in the opening statement?

 

[Nikynoo]

Tricia, i think when the poster said “Co-counsel for the defense?” She was suggesting that attorney who filed the motion wanted to inject himself into the trial by helping Prior?

It has come out since, it had to do with cameras in the courtroom. In any case, it likely won’t be heard until after the trial so it is a moot point.

Interesting, I didn’t know this. However, I’m wondering why Ratliff was copied into the Judges notice for a hearing next week? Or have I totally misunderstood?

https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/isc.coi/CR22-21-1623/2024/041124-Notice-of-Hearing.pdf

ETA link to Notice of Hearing and amend attorney surname.

 

[Nikynoo]

Chad sounds totally defeated on that recording. If he was innocent he wouldn't need to worry. Also, if he realized in that moment that he had been set up by Lori and Alex, he would have reacted differently. He must have known before that the children weren't alive. Lori had zero contact with them and Alex was dead.

Exactly. He knew they were dead AND buried in his back yard.

 

[Ruminations]

I have no idea, and JP is all over the place with his planting suggestions. Why suggest AC wanted to shoot CD while insisting it was a paintball gun and not an AR-15? Unless he is trying to plant doubt with every detail.

Perhaps it is all a ruse (psych!) and he does not intend to call her. I would imagine that she knows more than the things she has discussed publicly on HTC. We will find out soon enough.

She did say on HTC that there are things she is not at liberty to talk about. And she did say she was relieved when Alex died. But she didn't *seem* to have direct knowledge about the crimes. My impression was she had second hand information about evidence. But someone else would be the actual witness and share the evidence.

And when Lori went to trial, HD's hints panned out. For example, she knew about Chad attempting to raise funds for Lori's family court bail through the grapevine, which she hinted at without deets on HTC, but she did not spill all. Rexburg witnesses gave that firsthand experience as evidence.

BTW, the children were buried in Chad's back yard, directly visible from key windows, when he was telling AVOW fans and others tales of a custody battle, and trying to get neighbors to put up their livelihoods for Lori.

Even if lust were his motivation, it's gonna be a haul to convince a jury that Chad didn't see Alex butchering (sorry), burning and burying Tylee while Chad himself was also home by his own report, doing his own burning and burying.

Even if lust were his motivation, it's going to be hard to convince a jury that anyone other than him prepared the tidy grave for JJ, with roots cut, stones and boards at the ready, being that Alex was in and out in under 20 minutes.

There is simply no way Chad was unknowing, while begging for bail for Lori.

MOO

 

[Ruminations]

SBM. Would there have been more discovery and more testing after Lori's trial? JP based his motion to sever the cases on the request to do more DNA testing, which he later abandoned.
IMO the prosecution used all they had in Lori's trial. They brought up Chad's bad acts, because he was part of the conspiracy. I don't know what evidence would apply only to Chad that we don't know yet.
ETA: Perhaps witnesses like AB will testify about their interaction with Chad. She made bold claims about Lori. That could be interesting. OTOH, if she has some incriminating info against him, why didn't she bring it up at Lori's trial?

Yeah. If there is evidence we don't know about, of course the defense does know about it. Maybe it us what the high- profile expert is especially hired for.

Because of the evidence released in Lori's trial, DNA does not particularly harm Chad IIRC.

MOO

 

[aafromaa]

Has the Defense released a witness list and I missed it? If so, can someone provide a link?

I keep seeing posts about JP going to call certain experts and the Daybell children and HD but I don’t recall seeing a witness list.

I know he said at one of the pre-trial hearings he would be calling in 7 experts from out of state who would fly to Boise in May. I know during his opening statement he named 4 experts.

Also in his opening statements he said something along the lines of you will hear testimony about this or that and included 3,4, or 5 of the Daybell children who would testify…but he didn’t actually say he would be calling them, did he? - how do we know one or more of them aren’t on the prosecution's list and he was just referring to some of the things he would be asking them?

I didn’t hear anything about him calling HD or referring to her testimony but again I could have missed it. Did she perhaps say on a podcast that she had been subpoenaed by the defense or something?

Has a Defense witness list been released or where are my fellow WSers getting the info on various people that JP has put on his list or will be calling?

TIA

 

[scapa]

Forgive me, my precious Websleuths cohorts, but I am way behind on the Chad Daybell trial. I have just finished listening to the opening statements in CD's case. Here are my 2 cents' worth:

In his opening statement, Prosecutor Rob Wood should have stated that, in addition to Chad's career as a self-published doomsday fiction author, he was, first and foremost, a grave digger. I am hopeful that Rob Wood will receive a shot of Adrenalin for closing arguments.

In contrast to Prosecutor Rob Wood's opening statement, I felt that John Prior's opening statement was far superior (although I am aware that [John] Prior, has "priors"). Don't know all the details though, but it has been said that where there's smoke, there's fire (and probably court records, as well).

Agree.

It's a terrific zinger, with great symbolic power for a jury -- and, they might assume, implies a familiarity with the dead and their churchyard disposition, that might have made CD a less squeamish partner in their murderous dark-spirit enterprises.

The prophet with convenient visions meets the loony cheerleader with a hard-luck story and a trail of husbands and a yen to dance (spiritually, of course) by the big blue sea.

And then the next husband dies. And two children disappear. And a wife fulfills her earthly duty and dies in the night so her goodly spendthrift husband can at last find his Partner of Many Lives.

All this, from the guy who (back then) had only one foot in the grave with his collection of "true stories of gravedigging." Yes, members of the jury -- he wrote a memoir about it. And he now claims he did not recognize the signs of burial in his own backyard?

Guilty, once, twice and thrice, Gravedigger Chad.

 

[indicolite22]

Yeah. If there is evidence we don't know about, of course the defense does know about it. Maybe it us what the high- profile expert is especially hired for.

Because of the evidence released in Lori's trial, DNA does not particularly harm Chad IIRC.

MOO

JP explained in his opening statement what each of the experts will testify about:

• expert 1 (dr. Greg Hampikian) - JJ's and Tylee's remains: several other hairs found on the plastic bag where a single Lori's hair was found; no Chad's DNA found on the remains
• expert 2 (dr. Raven) - Tammy's COD considered inconclusive
• expert 3 (Patrick Eller) - more Alex's phone pings: likely suggesting that placing Alex together with Chad in his back yard was not reliable
• expert 4 (Eric Bartelink) - Tylee's remains: discussion about tools, parts of the body were missing - perhaps suggesting that the body was burned elsewhere

ETA: If Chad wasn't with Alex in the back yard when Tylee was buried, how come that Chad didn't notice a fresh grave in the pet cemetery, large enough to be seen on the satellite image?
If Tylee was burned elsewhere, how come that fragments of remains were found in Chad's fire pit? How did Tylee's DNA get on Chad tools?

 

[Howl]

It was shallow; I wonder if the plan was to rebury JJ.

I always considered this a possibility; I can think of no other reason to encase JJ in plastic. A small body could be easily disposed of on the millions of acres of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest easily accessed a few miles from Rexburg.

 

[mickey2942]

I always considered this a possibility; I can think of no other reason to encase JJ in plastic. A small body could be easily disposed of on the millions of acres of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest easily accessed a few miles from Rexburg.

Yes. I still can't believe, with all of the space available in Idaho. That the bodies were buried in CD's backyard.

 

[887sMtreme]

I always considered this a possibility; I can think of no other reason to encase JJ in plastic. A small body could be easily disposed of on the millions of acres of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest easily accessed a few miles from Rexburg.

The manner in which JJ’s body was treated (specifically the binding and suffocation) had something to do with the Vallow-Daybell “demon possession” belief system; i.e., their version of needing to kill a vampire with a silver dagger. Not sure how that played out with Tylee, but I recall something about fire being a factor. My stomach is turning over as I write this.

 

[Ruminations]

Has the Defense released a witness list and I missed it? If so, can someone provide a link?

I keep seeing posts about JP going to call certain experts and the Daybell children and HD but I don’t recall seeing a witness list.

I know he said at one of the pre-trial hearings he would be calling in 7 experts from out of state who would fly to Boise in May. I know during his opening statement he named 4 experts.

Also in his opening statements he said something along the lines of you will hear testimony about this or that and included 3,4, or 5 of the Daybell children who would testify…but he didn’t actually say he would be calling them, did he? - how do we know one or more of them aren’t on the prosecution's list and he was just referring to some of the things he would be asking them?

I didn’t hear anything about him calling HD or referring to her testimony but again I could have missed it. Did she perhaps say on a podcast that she had been subpoenaed by the defense or something?

Has a Defense witness list been released or where are my fellow WSers getting the info on various people that JP has put on his list or will be calling?

TIA

No list is released. Prior has just stated that he will call some witnesses before the gag order and during his opening statements.

Ohhh, to see that list!

MOO

 

[aafromaa]

No list is released. Prior has just stated that he will call some witnesses before the gag order and during his opening statements.

Ohhh, to see that list!

MOO

All I saw was about a 2 minute report that included clips of an interview - the reporter said he sat down with JP but they were standing outside. Is there a full interview? And do you have a link?

 

[LinasK]

I wonder if there is DNA evidence to refute that we haven't seen yet.

I don't imagine that Chad dropping DNA in his own home would prove much, unless it's somewhere like under Tammy's fingernails.

The DNA evidence at this point doesn't feel needed for conviction to me, so I don't see how helpful refuting it could be.

I am nervous about the possibility that an expert could cause doubt that Tammy was in fact murdered.

MOO

I think the pink foam coming out of her mouth IIRC, indicates that she was poisoned. No one is going to commit suicide by poisoning themselves.

 

[Trebor5591]

Here’s a link…

Tammy Daybell may have been restrained when she died, Utah medical examiner says

Witnesses in the Lori Vallow Daybell murder trial testified Monday that hair attached to an adhesive was from Daybell and Tammy Daybell may have been restrained when she died.

www.ksl.com

excellent link, quite comprehensive, thank you!

 

[LinasK]

excellent link, quite comprehensive, thank you!

Okay, well then if it was asphyxiation instead of poisoining, it's still murder, not a natural death or suicide. Chad was home at the time of her death, he wasn't eliminated as a suspect. And he has motive. So motive and opportunity right there.

 

[MySharoanah]

Even if lust were his motivation, it's gonna be a haul to convince a jury that Chad didn't see Alex butchering (sorry), burning and burying Tylee while Chad himself was also home by his own report, doing his own burning and burying.

Um, yes!

 

[Cedars]

Yes. I still can't believe, with all of the space available in Idaho. That the bodies were buried in CD's backyard.

IMO it was the drive-up convenience, access to all the tools, and being able to keep a close eye on the site and continue the process of concealing it. Probably was out there seeding grass, or frequently having bonefires...

His own private cemetery.

JMO

 

[aafromaa]

IMO it was the drive-up convenience, access to all the tools, and being able to keep a close eye on the site and continue the process of concealing it. Probably was out there seeding grass, or frequently having bonefires...

His own private cemetery.

JMO

Neighbors reported seeing several bonfires in the spring before the remains were found. I’m not sure what is considered “spring” in Idaho but this would have been sometime after CD returned from Hawaii after LVD was extradited 3/5/20 and before remains were found on 6/9/20 and long after AC was dead so they can’t blame him for those bonfires. Remember that they didn’t stick around long after TD’s death so this would have been CD’s first opportunity to try to finish destroying what remained of Tylee. Not sure why he didn’t also try to do something with JJ’s remains but it’s possible that some wildlife had disturbed the site or something and he thought he needed to do more to hide it.

 

[887sMtreme]

Does anyone know if Chad dug graves by hand or used a backhoe?
It appears from my searches, it is now most common to use a backhoe and just perfect it with a shovel.
(I hope that my search history is never examined! lol)
Does anyone know if Chad had a backhoe on his property?

We saw no backhoe tracks in the aerial shots of his property before LE descended on it with their equipment. Also, I remember no indication that he owned that kind of machinery.