BOISE, Idaho — Jurors on Friday found Lori Vallow Daybell guilty of murdering her children, 16-year-old Tylee Ryan and 7-year-old Joshua Jaxon “JJ” Vallow, and conspiring to murder her husband’s former wife, Tammy Daybell, in 2019.
Prosecutors ‘very pleased with the jury’s verdict’
Update 4:15 p.m. EDT May 12: In a statement obtained by CNN, prosecutors Rob Wood and Lindsey Black said they were “very pleased with the jury’s verdict.”
“We want to assure each of you that we remain committed to pursuing justice for Tylee Ryan, JJ Vallow and Tammy Daybell,” Prosecutors Rob Wood and Lindsey Blake said in a joint statement Friday.
“We also want to express sincere appreciation to the many members of law enforcement and the community who tirelessly worked together to hold Lori Vallow Daybell accountable.”
Chad Daybell is expected to face a jury next year after he pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the deaths of Tylee, JJ and Tammy Daybell, according to Court TV and KSL-TV.
Jury finds Vallow Daybell guilty of all charges
Update 3:10 p.m. EDT May 12: The jury found Vallow Daybell guilty on all six counts she faced, including two counts of first-degree murder, three counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and three counts of grand theft by deception.
Jurors deliberated for about seven hours before handing down their verdict on Friday. She faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Original report: Jurors reached a verdict Friday in the trial of Lori Vallow Daybell, the Idaho woman accused of killing her two children and conspiring to kill her husband’s former wife in 2019.
Jurors reached their verdict after hearing more than four weeks of testimony from 60 witnesses, according to KSL-TV. Vallow Daybell’s defense attorneys did not call any witnesses to the stand, the news station reported.
The jury got the case Thursday afternoon and deliberated for about seven hours before handing down a verdict, according to EastIdahoNews.com.
Vallow Daybell is charged with murder, conspiracy to murder and grand theft in connection with the deaths of her children, 16-year-old Tylee Ryan and 7-year-old Joshua Jaxon “JJ” Vallow, and her husband’s late wife, Tammy Daybell, KTVB reported. Tylee and JJ were found buried on property owned by Chad Daybell, Vallow Daybell’s husband, one year after they were last seen in 2019. Tammy Daybell died in the same year the children vanished.
In opening statements, prosecutors said that Vallow Daybell and her husband believed that God had tasked them with gathering his chosen 144,000 for the end times, and that Vallow Daybell told a friend that she wanted to focus her attention on that mission, according to KBOI and EastIdahoNews.com. Vallow Daybell’s attorney argued that his client had an alibi for the deaths of her children and her husband’s former wife.
Prosecutors told jurors that the case was about “sex, power and money.” They described Vallow Daybell as a money-hungry woman who was tired of parenting Tylee and JJ and wanted to live her life with Chad Daybell without any other “obstacles,” KBOI reported. They framed her as the person who plotted the killings, KSL-TV reported.
“She wants her children gone,” prosecutor Rob Wood said, according to KSL. “There is no doubt, she wants these children gone. She is encouraging their murder.”
Defense attorney R. James “Jim” Archibald argued in closing arguments that Vallow Daybell fell under the influence of Chad Daybell and that she was previously a good mother to JJ and Tylee, KSL-TV reported.
“No one here thinks Lori actually killed anyone. That’s why she’s charged with conspiracy, because they think someone else did the killing,” Archibald said, according to KSL. “If you find her not guilty, will that bring the kids back? Nope. What you need to be concerned of is following the law, and the lack of evidence.”
Vallow Daybell is also charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in connection with the 2019 death of her previous husband, Charles Vallow.
