I have been silently following this case since end of January 2020...
I met Melanie Gibb for the first time the previous February (2019). It was a peculiar, unexpected interaction and the first time I ever heard the name Chad Daybell and the term "Preparing a People".
Out of sheer curiosity, after talking to Melanie, I spent a few hours watching YouTube videos of Chad and listening to podcasts on P.a.P.
Primarily because of the N.D.E. aspect of Chad's story I was intrigued, but I soon lost interest and have never spoken to her again.
In retrospect, what I heard was not too out of the ordinary for other LDS topics I had been exposed to prior - things like preparedness, people having dreams of the last days, scriptural references to Revelations, and the 2nd coming of Christ.
Chad seemed like a humble, soft-spoken, well-intentioned individual, similar to many men I know.
What I heard at that time seemed new, but all relatively harmless - no zombies or cults or levels of dark and light spirits or anything crazy.
Imagine my shock nearly a year later when those names showed up in the news and I put two and two together and realized I had met Melanie Gibb within a few days of one of her podcasts with Lori and Chad!
I now believe based on that interaction, that Melanie Gibb knows much much more about that new relationship between Lori and Chad and what their goals were.
I don't believe, as a very close friend, that she would accompany Lori to the police station and speak up about the situation, unless she knew more about what was happening in Lori's relationship with Charles.
I don't believe that Melanie G. could spend hours and hours preparing for podcasts, discussing theories and beliefs, then planning the topic and discussion, coordinating plans for next episodes, and not pick up on what was transpiring between the two people (Chad and Lori) that she was working so closely with.
So what are we hearing from Melanie Gibb?
I happen to know from that interaction with Melanie G. that there was a movement, a group of people that believed Rexburg was a significant place for gathering and preparing for end-of-days.
Rexburg, Rexburg, Rexburg, all over the news - who had ever even heard of Rexburg Idaho before recently?
I have driven through Rexburg a few times, I have a few relatives that have lived there.
This is a tiny college town of 28,000 people, 95% of them are LDS. 20,000 of these small-town inhabitants are students of BYU-I - and most very young.
We need to ask, why were Lori and Alex and Melani Boudreaux there?
I believe there are many people there in Rexburg that know more. Although it was probably a relatively small fringe group, there must be several if not many people that have seen and heard
and participated in the P.a.P. movement and would have seen and heard if Lori and Melani and Alex were part of it.
Many or all of these people are members of the LDS church and in my opinion, might now be questioning themselves if they are participating in "sins of omission" by withholding information about this case.
What about the charge to be conscious "law abiding citizens"? "Standing for truth"?
Do any of these people not realize that when the truth of this case comes out, they may be held criminally responsible for withholding evidence in this case?
If there is someone out there withholding information about or caring for JJ and Tylee somewhere, are they not potentially legally responsible and vulnerable in having to deal with the law?
I keep waiting for some of these questions to come up in interviews, so if any one has heard any more about any of these particulars, please share.
How about these direct questions:
"Why did Melani Boudreaux, a newly separated single mother of small children, move to Rexburg, Idaho?"
"Why did Lori Vallow, a newly widowed single mother of young children move to Rexburg?
"Why did Alex Cox move to Rexburg?"
(I have moved 20+ times in my adult life, and not once was there not a job, or an explainable reason to make the move. Not once did my parents and siblings and friends not know where and why we were moving.)
Did Lori and Alex and Melani B. attend church in Rexburg? Did church members help them move in? This is very common in the LDS church, if not completely expected.
I guarantee there were people there, in that small close-knit church community that saw the trucks, the furniture, the kids, and asked the questions of what the plans were. That is the culture, the norm.
There's the ward, the primary program for young kids like JJ, the youth or young-adult program for girls like Tylee. The Relief Society, women's organization for Lori and Melani B.
There is a built-in support network that makes a move like that, 13 hours from your home in AZ a little easier to navigate. Nearly every church member I have ever known has called on this network.
Those who know the culture of the LDS church members understand that there is a LOT more about Lori and Alex and Melani B. and JJ and Tylee, that people in that small town must know.
There is a LOT more that people are NOT coming forward to share in this case... or at least that is how it appearing. Even if it is the little bits of info that would help this case make some sense.
Is it unusual that there were 3 apartments all available within a couple of weeks of each other in the same complex in Rexburg? How big is this condo complex? (how many units?)
Who actually rented Alex and Lori and Melani B. the units? Were they rented with no proof of income? Or no question of jobs? How long were the leases for?
Why did Lori rent a 3 bedroom apartment if she had no plan to have her kids there? Did she move in all of her furniture, with a perceived intention to live there long-term?
Why did Alex rent a 3 bedroom apartment for himself if he was not yet married, had no kids? If he was a truck driver, planning on coming and going with a girlfriend/fiance' in AZ,
why wouldn't he just periodically stay with his sister, or his "best friend" niece?
Did Alex move furniture in, with a perceived intention to live there long-term?
Was Zulema ever planning to join him in Rexburg? Did Zulema have a home in AZ? Did Zulema have a job in Rexburg? Why did her son not know she was married, or her boyfriend's last name?
If Melani B. had not met Ian Pawlowski yet, why did she move to Rexburg? Why and when did she leave her children alone with her husband, Brandon? And for how long?
Why didn't she show up at the hearing for her custody for her kids? Why did she leave all the children's belongings on the curb when she moved?
Were there children's belongings in any of the apartments when the authorities raided and searched them?
Did any one of the 3 of them have a job there in Rexburg? How did they plan to be sustained financially there?
It's clear that Alex seemed to be doing a lot of flying and driving back and forth from AZ to ID, and if he was still working, driving truck, this next question is not as relevant...
Lori and Melani B., two self-proclaimed and family verified dedicated, busy single moms, moved far away with no jobs, and no kids to care for - when they both actually moved and were actually residing day-to-day in Rexburg:
On those days in September (once Tylee & JJ were gone), and in October, and when she returned from honeymooning in November, what was Lori Vallow doing all day, every day?
On those days in October, November, December and so on, what was Melani B. doing all day, every day?
Were they both just sitting in those big empty apartments all day?
Someone must have interacted with them, someone must have seen them coming and going. What were they "Preparing"?
If you were Melani B., the "Nanny" of little Tylee, who said she helped raise her - wouldn't you have a little more care and concern of what she was doing? Where she was going?
Feel or show a little emotion of not having heard of or from her in 8 months, especially if you really don't have any idea of where she really is?
In the middle of an epidemic, even if you've been told she's safe, do you trust where and with whom? Her mother is in jail, unable to reach them, do you try to find out then?
IF Tylee and JJ are alive, what kind of mother is Lori to leave her children, especially a special needs child, without continuous expressed love, affection, and care, not to mention comfort and supervision for 8 months?
Any mother that I have known would be an absolute basket case to put their kids through this type of ordeal.
Does anyone else think it is strange that there is literally NO exhibited emotion from either of them?
In the face of an unprecedented world-wide epidemic that has all of the rest of us parents on high alert and feeling EXTRA protective of our kids, how does a dedicated, loving mother do that?
I'll admit, it's great to finally hear something from the extended families (Lori's Mom and Sis) ..... they seem "normal" enough, mostly like any mom and daughter that I have met anywhere else,
but still there is so much that leaves so many questions.....
Ask yourself if this lack of emotion seems strange as well- remember, the facts here - as Lori's Mother (and Sister for that matter):
- Your son-in-law of 10+ years was murdered by your beloved son
- Your beloved son dies suddenly after marrying his new bride of a few weeks
- Your beloved daughter is in jail being accused of felonies, and accused of potential involvement in one or more murders
- Your beloved grand-daughter of 17 years and beloved grandson of 7 years have been missing for 8 months, after just losing their father to murder by their uncle
Their lack of emotion and involvement and reality seems really off too - that is a lot of heavy heavy stuff to deal with. Speaking of zombies - does this seem unnatural, in every bit of news coverage we have seen?
I find it strange that when Summer (Lori's sister) was asked if she talked to Lori about the whereabouts of the kids, she says:
"No. I’ve talked to her a couple of times, um the first time I talked to her, everything is recorded, and I know she can’t tell me, and I don’t want to put her in a position that’s gonna make anything worse for her..."
Hmmmm ... ok, maybe that might make sense since Lori has been in jail, from Feb 20th until now .....
But what about the time-frame from when you first learned Lori had suddenly remarried a stranger in early November until the time that Lori was arrested on Feb 20th? (3 months)
These are your niece and nephew that have recently lost their murdered father. This is your only living sister who is going through a divorce that has been on and off again for months, and her husband of 10+ years was suddenly killed by your brother.
She has no life insurance money to speak of, no job that is mentioned, is making a pretty big move ALONE to a city 13 hours away from the support of her AZ family to live in Idaho ALONE?
When the news was just breaking and Lori was still out free.... you, as a sister, (or her mother for that matter) didn't ask that question in those 3 months? Fly up to lend a hand to your sister in a time of upheaval?
When the missing kids were all over the news? Did Mom Cox ask? Did brother Adam ask? Anyone else out there that cared about Lori Vallow and her 2 young kids, did they ask?
How do you make sense of the fact that Lori and Chad left ALL of their kids and grandkids through the holidays? Was there a Thanksgiving? A Christmas? A New Years?
Is that a little odd? These are big holidays with lots of family and activities and church-held traditions.
Did Grandma Cox or any aunts and uncles send gifts to JJ and Tylee for Christmas? Was it not somewhat normal to send or share photos over the holidays?
Now there's Chad's family:
The fact that Chad had a son on a 2 year mission in a far away country, he has 4 other children, some grandchildren, and no plan to be around them during the holidays?
What of comfort in the two weeks after their mom died - taking care of her belongings, the household, was the publishing business completely defunct and without care?
It's the first Christmas these kids have spent without their beloved dedicated mother in their whole lives. He left them to deal with the loss of their mother and no Christmas dinner and gifts and motherly care?
They have to experience the now the loss of their father, to a new wife they have never met, or even heard of, (even though he had been doing podcasts with her a year earlier) during the holidays, in that kind of trauma?
Who does this?! I don't care if they are adults, or married, that is some heavy heavy stuff to deal with!!
The Chad Daybell I saw and heard on podcasts and YouTube interviews in February 2019 was talking about family connection and did not see like someone who would do that.
What happened?!
The psychological trauma of all of this to all of these kids, insecurity, the embarrassment and humiliation, fear, shock, unanswered questions, and now made 10x worse because of the media - you just don't get away from that!
What about the pain and trauma to Chad and Lori's parents? And siblings? Where is the care and concern and love here? It is not the stuff of families are forever that I have heard of.
To claim they are both loving and responsible parents and they chose to and still appear to be choosing to put their families through this nightmare, it is just unfathomable.
If someone is threatening them or the kids of bodily or mortal harm, have the authorities deal with them.
If someone undesirable is seeking custody of your precious children, deal with that issue.
Why drag your whole entire family through lies and deceit and secrecy and create a whole other kind of threat and custody issue, that there may be no returning from?
IF there were threats from Kay and family, produce THAT evidence. If there were threats from Charles before his death, produce THAT evidence.
If there were jobs and "normal" reasons for moving to Rexburg, bring THAT in the open.
Where is the TRUTH? Where are Tylee and JJ?
This is an extensive list of some potential questions and some potential motives and considerations that seem to need to be asked.
I post here in hopes that maybe someone else will come forward with some observations, or in case some of the news media or LE will read and consider bringing this to the forefront in the upcoming trials.
The fact that the case is moved to JULY, when 2 children are still missing, is so crazy.
Honestly, I continue to hold hope that somehow there is a possible reasonable explanation that will all make sense and that the kids will be found, that these good families can try to move forward out of the trauma.
To Lori and Chad, and anyone else involved - if you began this quest with good intentions of upholding goodness, exclaiming the truth of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and ushering in any kind of goodness for mankind going forward... you could even now begin your mission of preparing a people for the cause. This might be done by dispelling the lies, showing up, setting examples, standing for truth and righteousness, being accountable to your stewardship, offering restitution and reconciliation, fulfilling the God-given roles of parenthood, being an honorable faithful husbands and wives to those you have committed and covenanted to - for the TRUTH will set you free!
