But that was in November, so after the fact. Correct me if I am wrong but she is charged with:
Count 1: Conspiracy to commit murder and grand theft by deception (victim Tylee Ryan)
Count 2: First degree murder (victim Tylee Ryan)
Count 3: Conspiracy to commit murder and grand theft by deception (victim JJ Vallow)
Count 4: First degree murder (victim JJ Vallow)
Count 5: Conspiracy to commit first degree murder (victim Tammy Daybell)
Count 6: First degree murder (victim Tammy Daybell)
Count 7: Grand theft
Count 8: Insurance fraud
Count 9: Insurance fraud
Source: original indictment posted at
READ: Here is the indictment document for murder against Chad and Lori Daybell - East Idaho News
We have heard zero evidence in 3+ years that Lori participated in the actual murders so that eliminates counts 2, 4, and 6. Counts 8 and 9 seem to be only against Chad. Count 7 I think is a slam dunk against Lori and we heard evidence for that today. It is a serious charge with a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
Now, the conspiracy counts are problematic. These require "overt acts." But most of the overt acts the State is using to support the conspiracy charges were done by Alex or Chad. The overt acts Lori is alleged to have done are moving to Idaho, not notifying Social Security, and espousing religious beliefs "for the purpose of justifying homocide of X." Since the "cult's" beliefs, basically Chad's existed long before Lori met him it's pretty hard to swallow that overt act. And we have heard no evidence that they adopted beliefs for the purpose of justifying murder. Lying to police is also included as an overt act by Lori. But again, after the fact.
I am well aware that each conspirator can be held responsible for the overt acts of another but using that to prove a conspiracy in the first place seems like circular reasoning. Might be legal but as juror I don't think I would buy that kind of twisted logic.
We are left with simply being part of the whacko religious cult as the only real evidence of a murder conspiracy.
Trust me, I want her to be convicted. But I'm just not seeing the evidence so far.