Chad Daybell trial live: New witness casts doubts on cult prophet’s son’s story about mom’s death
Chad Daybell’s trial began on April 1, about a year after Lori Vallow was convicted in the 2019 murders of Tylee Ryan, JJ Vallow, and Tammy Daybell
The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
A new rebuttal witness for the prosecution testified that Chad Daybell’s son Garth had told him how he found his dead mother Tammy Daybell, which is different from what Garth told the court at his father’s triple murder trial earlier this week.
Shortly after the defense rested on Thursday, Jason Abegelen, who worked with Garth at a haunted house, recalled that Garth told him how he found his mother dead in the bedroom and that his father was not there.
But Garth had testified that in the early morning hours of October 19, 2019, his father woke him up to help after finding the mother-of-five dead and halfway off the bed on the floor, tangled up in sheets.
Daybell, 55, is on trial for the death of Tammy, and the murders of Lori Vallow’s two children, Tylee Ryan, 16, and JJ Vallow, seven. Two weeks after Tammy’s death, Daybell and Vallow married on a beach in Hawaii.
It was only after the children were reported missing – and authorities began delving into the couple’s bizarre cult beliefs – that questions were asked about Tammy’s death and her body was exhumed for an autopsy. It was determined she had died of asphyxia and Daybell was charged with her murder, as well as the murders of Vallow’s children, who were found buried in Daybell’s Idaho backyard nine months after they went missing.
Prosecutors say Daybell and Vallow justified the three killings by creating an apocalyptic belief system, which was part of an elaborate scheme to eliminate any obstacles from their life.
But Daybell’s attorney claims he was manipulated by Vallow, who was convicted of the murders last year and received three life sentences.
Like Vallow, Daybell did not testify in his defense.
Closing arguments are expected to be next week and then the case will be in the hands of the jury.
If convicted, Daybell faces the death penalty or life in prison.
Chad Daybell trial: Testimony turns graphic as jury hears Lori Vallow’s name for his penis
Family, friends gather to honor Lori Vallow’s slain children Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow
Chad Daybell appears to choke up as 911 call from wife’s death played in ‘cult prophet’ murder trial
He’s accused of killing their mother but Chad Daybell’s children will take the stand in their father’s defence
Chad Daybell’s daughter Emma Murray is first witness for defence
Chad Daybell’s adult daughter Emma Murray is the first witness for the defence on Monday.
She exchanged smiles with Daybell as she took the stand.
Emma Murray testifies about mother Tammy Daybell’s health issues
Emma Murray, who is married to Joseph Murray, told the court she lives in her parents’ old house after making a financial arrangement with her father.
Emma says her mother’s health started declining within the last year of her life.
“She was always one to meet the demands of daily life without being exhausted and she started going to bed before dinner some nights. It would be like 5-6-7 o’clock at night and she would sleep in a lot,” she said.
Tammy Daybell ‘bruised easily’ and took colloidal silver, daughter says
The Daybell’s daughter Emma testifies that Tammy had anemia. She said she has sleep apnea and her grandfather does too so she wonders if Tammy as well.
She preferred herbal supplements and took the generic form of Prozac. She also bruised easily, like if she bumped her hip/
Emma says her mom took colloidal silver and Tammy would encourage others who were sick to take it.
Daughter says Tammy Daybell was an introvert
Emma testifies that Tammy was a bit of an introvert and that she didn’t really talk about health with her coworkers.
‘I was trying to be an amateur meteorologist’
Chad Daybell’s daughter Emma Murray said she was the one who googled wind conditions the day before Tylee died because they were planning an outdoor event.
“I was trying to be an amateur meteorologist,” she said, adding there wasn’t a login or anything and that she just jumped online.
Emma Murray says father was the creative one behind the book business – and her mother was on the business side
Attorney John Prior asked Emma about her parents’ roles in their book publishing company.
Daybell was the creative one behind the company and he would try and find authors to have their books published.
Her mother, on the other hand, did the finances and taxes for the company.
Daughter talks about father’s priesthood and ability to give blessings
Emma Murray testified that it’s common for people in her faith to give blessings as long as they are eligible and have the priesthood.
Any man who is an adult and makes promises to keep teachings of the church with the power to serve other people can receive the priesthood - it wasn’t unique to her father, she said.
She said after her father gave her the blessing when she was struggling, “I instantly felt better. I felt the individual that was trying to affect my body was gone.”
When Prior asks if after the spirit was cast out, she died. Emma says no, and adds: “The goal is so you have your own body back and can be in control of yourself.”
When Prior asks if she has ever heard the word zombies, Emma says just on TV and in movies.
‘I don't think autopsies should be done on anyone’
Emma Murray testified about the day her mother died and the family’s wishes on an autopsy being done.
When she arrived at her parents’ house, “Coroner Dye was inspecting my mom’s body and she asked us some questions about our wishes,” she said.
“She offered an autopsy and the area where we lived in, the body would have to be taken to Boise which is about five hours away. It would delay the funeral,” she added.
“I don’t think autopsies should be done on anyone. The idea of my mother’s body undergoing that was very distressing to me.”
Chad Daybell was ‘distressed’ when asked about family’s wishes on autopsy
Emma told the court that her father was very distressed during the ordeal. She said she told the coroner she did not want an autopsy and that her dad nodded.
When Prior asked if Daybell expressed whether or not he wanted an autopsy done, Emma said, “He never expressed an opinion,” adding that she he was more distressed than she had ever seen him “in my entire life.”
“I know the grief he felt was real.”
She testified that her father was truly grieving the loss of her mother even though he was having an affair with Lori Vallow at the time.
“He may not have had the same romantic relationship with my mother that he had in the past, but I knew he valued her as a person and seeing her die was very traumatic,” she said.
Tammy Daybell and daughter increased life insurance policies without consulting husbands
Emma Murray told the court on Monday that both she and her mother Tammy Daybell increased life insurance policies on themselves without consulting their husbands.
She explained that the insurance company came to the school where they both worked as teachers one day to speak about increasing life insurance.
“It was really cheap insurance and they encouraged us to purchase some so both my mother and I purchased some,” she said.
“We both signed to take out more life insurance on ourselves and did not consult with our husbands,” she added.
Emma said her mother took out the maximum, but she did not because she could not afford it.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.