Chad Daybell arrested; Idaho authorities say they found human remains

SALEM, Idaho — Chad Daybell, the stepfather of two missing Idaho children, has been arrested after a search turned up human remains at his home, according to the Fremont County (Idaho) Sheriff’s Department. 

Police in Rexburg, Idaho, give an update on the human remains found on Chad Daybell’s property https://t.co/DgWvDUwpPk

— Paul Nelson (@KSLPaul) June 10, 2020

#BOOKED: #ChadDaybell booked in #FremontCountySheriff’s Jail. he is “facing a felony charge with no bond.” Initial appearance tomorrow morning likely to be w/ Judge Eddins who was disqualified from #LoriVallow’s case b/c he is overseeing #JJVallow’ child protection case. @KSL5TV pic.twitter.com/mTEPl83lAo

— Garna Mejia KSL (@GarnaMejiaKSL) June 10, 2020

Authorities in Idaho say they found the human remains while executing a search warrant at Daybell’s Salem, Idaho home. 

#Breaking: Fremont County Sheriff’s Office tells me: “#ChadDaybell is in custody on a felony charge with no bond. Further updates will be provided tomorrow.” @KSL5TV

— Garna Mejia KSL (@GarnaMejiaKSL) June 10, 2020

“Detectives and investigators have recovered what’s believed to be human remains that have not been identified at this time,” Assistant Rexburg Police Chief Gary Hagen told reporters at a brief news conference Tuesday. 

Hagen did not speculate about whose remains they were, nor did he take any questions.  

At a second news conference later in the day, Hagen confirmed Daybell had been arrested and booked into jail. Online court records show he is being held on suspicion of destruction or concealment of evidence. Daybell’s first court appearance will be Wednesday morning. 

According to reports from East Idaho News, witnesses reported seeing officers pull Daybell him over about a mile from his home in Salem, Idaho, which is five miles outside of Rexburg, around 11:30 a.m. The witnesses told the news outlet that they saw Daybell placed in handcuffs and put into the back of a police car. 

Rexburg Police, the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI carried out the search at the home of Chad Daybell on Tuesday. Daybell is the husband of Lori Vallow, who was arrested in connection to the case of her missing children. 

#BREAKING Police confirm human remains have been found on Chad Daybell’s property. Not identified yet.

Daybell is the husband of Lori Vallow, who’s children have been missing since Sept. 2019. #LoriVallow @KSL5TV pic.twitter.com/HFpsDJ21iH

— Morgan Wolfe KSL (@MorganWolfeKSL) June 9, 2020

BREAKING: @RexburgPolice confirm that “investigators have recovered what appear to be human remains which have not been identified” after a search warrant was performed on Chad Daybell’s property. https://t.co/6VLldGgBTH

— KSL NewsRadio (@kslnewsradio) June 9, 2020

Hagen said earlier that the search warrant was related to the disappearance of 17-year-old Tylee Ryan and her 8-year-old brother, J.J. Vallow. Lori Vallow is currently in custody in Idaho on felony charges of desertion and nonsupport of dependent children. She also faces misdemeanor counts of resisting and obstructing an officer, solicitation of a crime and contempt. 

Hagen says the warrant is sealed and that details would “not [be] available to news media outlets or the public and is only for the purview of law enforcement working on this case.”

Chad Daybell’s first wife, Tammy, died in October at the couple’s Salem, Idaho home. Both he and Lori Vallow are being investigated in connection with that death.

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A timeline of missing Idaho Kids

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East Idaho News reports that investigators appear to be focusing on the backyard of Daybell’s property, where officials have raised a number of canopy tents. 

 

This is the second time a warrant has been served at the Daybell home in Idaho. During the first, in January, officials removed 43 items from the home.

J.J. and Tylee

J.J. Vallow and Tylee Ryan were last seen in September of 2019. Police began to investigate after suspicions arose in the death of Chad Daybell’s former wife.

In January, J.J. Vallow’s grandparents offered a $20,000 reward for any information relating to the whereabouts of both children.

After that, in March, the FBI asked anyone who may have visited Yellowstone National Park on September 8, 2019, to see if they had any photos of the children. 

If you have any information about the missing children, please contact the Rexburg police at 208-359-3000 or report it to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by calling 1 (800) 843-5678.

More information can also be found at www.findjjandtylee.com

Related coverage: 

• Lori Vallow Daybell’s bond reduces to $1 million in Idaho
• Mom of missing kids waives extradition; bail stays at $5M
• Step-father of missing Idaho kids speaks to ABC
• POLICE FOOTAGE Lori Vallow’s ex-husband worried about their missing children and his wife’s behavior
• FBI looking for help in case of missing Idaho kids
• Mom of 2 missing Idaho children arrested in Hawaii