Chad Daybell trial live: Jurors hear ‘sex, money, power’ led cult leader to kill in echo of Lori Vallow case

Judge Steven Boyce has extended the gag order he issued in the Chad Daybell case.

It has been issued to remain in effect until the trial is concluded.

The gag order prohibits “any party to this case, including the prosecuting attorney, defense attorney, and any attorney representing a witness, victim, or victim’s family” from making writen or oral statements about the case until April 15 or after opening statements.

However, the prosecution – Fremont County Prosecuting Attorney Lindsey Blake and Madison County Prosecuting Attorney Rob Wood asked the judge on Monday to extend the motion until the end of the trial.

Ddefence attorney John Prior agreed.

All the attorneys said a gag order would “benefit the administration of a fair trial” due to media coverage.

“Investigators, law enforcement personnel, and agents for the prosecuting attorney or defense attorney, and essential court staff directly involved in the trial in this case, are prohibited from making extra judicial statements (written or oral) concerning this case between 28 March 28, 2024 and the conclusion of the trial in this case,” Judge Boyce wrote.

In opening statements, Chad Daybell’s defence attorney John Prior said his client lived a normal, faith-focused life before he met Lori Vallow.

He described Vallow as a “beautiful, vivacious person” who drew Daybell into an extramarital relationship.

“What’s important are facts and evidence,” Mr Prior told the jury. “Don’t be distracted by speculation, don’t be distracted by guesses or suspicions or hunches. It all comes down to facts and evidence.”

Mr Prior also said he would present several experts in DNA, forensics and medicine who would testify that it’s impossible to determine what caused Tammy’s death and that none of Daybell’s DNA was found with the children’s bodies.

During opening statements on Wednesday in Boise, Idaho, the prosecution said Daybell crafted an alternate reality so that he could fulfill “his desire for sex, money and power.”

That desire is what led to the murders of his wife Tammy Daybell, and Lori Vallow’s two children Tylee and JJ, prosecutor Rob Wood said.

Mr Wood said Daybell described both children as being possessed before they disappeared, and that he repeatedly predicted to friends that Tammy would soon die.

“When he had a chance at what he considered his rightful destiny, he made sure no person and no law would stand in his way,” he said.

The bodies of the children were eventually found buried in Daybell’s yard. Tylee Ryan’s remains had been dismembered and burned, and JJ’s remains were bound.

Prosecutors say the couple justified the three killings by creating a detailed and apocalyptic belief system, part of an elaborate scheme to eliminate any obstacles to their relationship and to obtain money from survivor benefits and life insurance.

Mr Wood told jurors that the evidence in the case will show that Daybell and Vallow manipulated her brother Alex Cox into doing their bidding by promising him spiritual rewards.

Chad Daybell told police his wife Tammy Daybell had died suddenly in her sleep after battling an illness, but an autopsy later revealed she died of asphyxiation and he was charged with her murder.

Now, five years later, his adult children will take the stand at his triple murder trial in his defence to testify about their mother’s ongoing health issues, the home remedies she would try, and her refusal to see a doctor, defence attorney John Prior said during opening statements on Wednesday morning in Boise, Idaho.

The prosecution says Daybell’s desire for ‘sex, money and power is what led to the disturbing murders of Tammy, and the two children of his second wife Lori Vallow, who was convicted last year.

A photo of JJ sitting on a couch in red pyjamas that was taken from Vallow’s iCloud account was shown in court.

The photo was taken in September 2019, the detective said.

It’s believed to be the last known photo of JJ before he was killed.

Detective Hermosillo is describing an Instagram photo of JJ, Tylee and Alex Cox that was shown to the court.

Based on metadata, the detective says the photo was taken in September 2019 at Yellowstone National Park. It’s believed the photo was taken days before the children were killed.

The detective said he never saw another photo of Tylee.

Hermosillo is also talking about the order that was issued for Lori Vallow to produce her missing children.

He says he flew to Hawaii in January 2020 to deliver the mandate. While there, two search warrants were executed. But there was no sign of children.

Detective Hermosillo said police tried to contact Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell on their cell phones but they were turned off.

Hermosillo says neither one of them contacted Rexburg police about the missing children.

The prosecution is laying out a complex timeline for the jury using Detective Hermosillo’s testimony.

Chad Daybell’s defence attorney has challenged the witness multiple times.

Detective testifies that there was no evidence of JJ in either apartment 174 or 107.

In apartment 175, everything seemed to be in place, except the lack of clothing on the hangers.

“The thing that caught our attention was that there were no clothes – no clothes on the hangers.”

“It’s like somebody just grabbed the clothes and left,” he said.

Police found a child’s Star Wars suitcase as well as an old prescription bottle for JJ.

They also found a storage unit rental agreement contract under the name of Lori Ryan.

JJ was nowhere to be found.