Chad Daybell trial: Lori Vallow’s friend confronted with subpoena outside court in cult prophet case
Chad Daybell’s trial comes one year after Lori Vallow was convicted over the murders of Tylee Ryan, JJ Vallow and Tammy Daybell
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Melanie Gibb, the former friend of Lori Vallow, was served with a subpoena during a break in Chad Daybell’s triple murder trial in Boise, Idaho on Thursday.
Daybell’s defence attorney John Prior told her she had to accept to the papers. Ms Gibb was called by the prosecution to testify in the case a year after she testified at Vallow’s trial about the couple’s extreme religious beliefs.
Daybell, 55, is on trial for the murders of Vallow’s children, Tylee Ryan, 16, and JJ, seven, as well as his then-wife Tammy Daybell, who died suddenly in her sleep in October 2019. Weeks later, Daybell married Vallow.
Nine months after the children were last seen, they were found on Daybell’s property in Rexburg, Idaho.
Prosecutors say his “desire for sex, power, and money” led to their murders. Mr Prior, however, said his client was manipulated by Vallow.
Last year, Vallow was convicted in the three murders and sentenced to life in prison. Jurors heard how she, Mr Daybell and her late brother Alex Cox were fuelled, in part, by their bizarre cult beliefs.
If convicted, Mr Daybell faces either the death penalty or life in prison.
Fremont County Lt. Joe Powell Joe is testifying
The next witness for the state is Fremont County Lt. Powell Joe.
On 31 October 2019, Lt Powell got a call from law enforcement in Arizona inquiring about Tammy Daybell’s death.
The investigators asked for a copy of the death report.
Lieutenant testifies about surveillance on Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow
Lt Joe Powell testified about the surveillance he was conducting on Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow.
He was at Vallow’s apartment on Pioneer Road when he saw Daybell leaving on the morning of 1 November 2019.
He followed Daybell to Mountain America Credit Union and then lost him so went back to the apartment. They then followed Vallow to the post office in Sugar City, then to Walgreens and then followed both Vallow and Daybell as they left the apartment, went to a credit union in Idaho Falls and then to Hobby Lobby and Cafe Rio.
A photo was shown in court of Daybell and Vallow holding hands as they walked into Hobby Lobby. Another photo was of the couple eating inside Cafe Rio.
Court on lunch break
Court is on lunch break for an hour.
Proceedings will resume at 3pm ET.
Lt Joe Powell is still under oath and will return to the stand following break.
Watch: New video shows Chad Daybell telling daughter ‘I’m not coming back’
Tammy Daybell’s aunt wipes tears from eyes as autopsy photo is show in court
Vicki Hoban, the aunt of Tammy Daybell, is in the courtroom wiping her tears as an autopsy photo of Tammy is shown to the jury.
Larry and Kay Woodcock, the grandparents of slain 7-year-old JJ Vallow, are also in the courtroom today.
Lt Powell testifies that Tammy Daybell ‘appeared to be healthy’ so he got a warrant for exhumation
Lt Powell testified that he ran Tammy’s name through a law enforcement prescription program to find out if she was on any medicine.
She was on Tramadol, which is for pain, and Fluoxetine, an antidepressant.
Lt Powell says when dealing with unattended death cases, it’s typical to get medical records. He says Tammy’s past medical history is pretty normal other than depression.
“She appeared to be healthy so I got a warrant for exhumation,” Lt Powell says.
Defence questions Lt Powell about ‘digging Tammy out of the ground’
In cross-examination, Daybell’s defence attorney John Prior shows the court Tammy Daybell’s death certificate and asks if Lt Powell had looked at it. He says he did not.
“You went to a judge to have her dug out of the ground and you didn’t even once look at the certificate of death!?” Prior asks.
Lt Powell responds, “Nope.”
Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow were holding hands at Hobby Lobby 12 days after Tammy Daybell died
On redirect, Wixom asks Lt Powell if he was aware the kids were missing - which he replied yes. He then asks Lt Powell if he was aware Daybell and Vallow were together at the time of the exhumation. He said yes.
He was made aware of Tammy Daybell’s death on 19 October 2019.
Daybell and Vallow were spotted holding hands at Hobby Lobby 12 days later – on 1 November 2019.
Celebration of Life to be held for JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan
A Celebration of Life will be held on 27 April to honor Joshua “JJ” Vallow and Tylee Ryan.
JJ’s grandparents, Larry and Kay Woodcock, will be hosting the memorial at the Colonial Theater in Idaho Falls, according to EastIdahoNews.com.
“It’s going to be a celebration of two children whose lives were taken way too early,” Larry Woodcock told the outlet.
“We have so many wonderful friends here – friends that we’ll have for a lifetime – and we think it’s time to appreciate the lives of Tylee and JJ.”
The bodies of Tylee and JJ were found on Chad Daybell’s property in June 2020. Their remains were released to family at the end of last year.
Visitation hours will be from 11am-1pm MT followed by a service from 1 to 2pm.
The memorial will be streamed on EastIdahoNews.com.
Nicole Heideman - FBI Tactical Specialist - is next witness
Court is back in session following the afternoon break.
The prosecution calls Nicole Heideman, FBI Tactical Specialist, to the stand.
She also testified in Lori Vallow’s trial last year.
Ms Heideman will be the last witness of the day.
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