Key testimony so far from witnesses in Chad Daybell trial

BOISE — The 18 jurors, 12 of which will decide the fate of Chad Daybell in his murder trial, have heard testimony from prosecution witnesses over 13 days.

Chad Daybell is charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Lori Vallow Daybell’s children — 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan — and his former wife, Tammy Daybell. He is also charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder of each of the victims, grand theft and two counts of insurance fraud.

Each of the deaths occurred on separate dates in September and October of 2019. The police investigation that led to the charges began in November of 2019 and was extensive — and has led to a lot of information available for attorneys and witnesses to discuss during the trial.

Tammy Daybell’s body was exhumed and an autopsy was performed in December of 2019, and the children’s bodies were found buried in Chad Daybell’s backyard in June of 2020.

Funeral director had concerns

Steven Schultz, a funeral director and friend of Chad and Tammy Daybell, said he immediately had concerns about her death after going to the Daybell home in Salem, Idaho, to transport her body to Utah County. He cited Chad Daybell’s rush to hold a funeral, his insistence that no autopsy be performed and his extreme religious beliefs as reasons for his concern. Schultz said while driving Tammy Daybell’s body to Springville for the funeral, he asked Tammy Daybell’s brother-in-law if he thought it might be murder.

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