East Idaho News
@eastidnews·585K subscribers·7.7K videos
Your questions answered about the Lori Daybell trial
Posted
March 27, 2023
Views
25,234
Likes
1,615
Comments
233
Engagement
7.32%
March 27, 2023
25,234
1,615
233
7.32%
Every word spoken in this episode is indexed. Type any phrase to jump straight to the moment it was said.
Type any word or phrase that may have been spoken. Click a result to seek the player to that exact moment.
Try a name, a topic, or a quoted line
6:44Now Playing#eastidahonews #daybell #questions
It’s a complex case involving multiple states, several law enforcement agencies, “voluminous” amounts of evidence and thousands of investigative hours. Now, after more than three years, the trial for Lori Vallow Daybell is finally scheduled to begin in Ada County on April 3.
Here are some frequently asked questions and answers to get you up to speed on the eastern Idaho case that had made headlines around the world.
Who is on trial and why?
Lori Vallow Daybell is on trial charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and grand theft.
She and her husband, Chad Daybell, along with her brother, Alex Cox, are accused of killing Lori’s children — 16-year-old Tylee Ryan and 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow — and Chad’s former wife, Tammy Daybell. Alex Cox died in Dec. 2019.
Lori and Chad were indicted by a Fremont County Grand Jury in May 2021 on the following charges:
Conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and grand theft by deception for the death of Tylee Ryan
First-degree murder for the death of Tylee Ryan
Conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and grand theft by deception for the death of JJ Vallow
First-degree murder for the death of JJ Vallow
Conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the death of Tammy Daybell, her husband’s former wife
Grand theft
You can read the indictment here.
When and where did these alleged crimes occur?
Investigators believe Tylee Ryan was killed Sept. 9, 2019. JJ Vallow died on or around Sept. 23, 2019 and Tammy Daybell died Oct. 19, 2019 in her Salem home. The remains of Tylee and JJ were found buried on Chad Daybell’s property on June 9, 2020.
If the alleged crimes happened in Fremont County, why is the trial being held in Ada County?
District Judge Steven Boyce granted a change of venue motion in Oct. 2021 and moved the trial to Ada County after John Prior, Chad’s attorney, argued pre-trial publicity would affect the ability to find a fair and impartial jury in Fremont County.
Chad and Lori’s trials were joined until March 2023, when Boyce severed the cases. The change of venue remains in effect for both trials.
Where can I watch the trial?
Boyce has banned media cameras from broadcasting or livestreaming the trial. Members of the public can watch proceedings in the courtroom and an overflow location at the Ada County Courthouse. It will also be transmitted to a room in the Madison County Courthouse.
How long is the trial expected to last?
The trial, including jury selection and deliberations, could last up to ten weeks but will likely be shorter.
How many people are on the jury and when will they be chosen?
Twelve people will serve on the jury and it’s likely there will be at least two alternate jurors. Potential jurors who receive notices in the mail will report to the Ada County Courthouse on March 27 and 28 to complete questionnaires. Jury selection will begin on April 3 and it could take up to a week for a jury to be finalized.
Who are Lori Daybell’s attorneys?
Lori Daybell has two court-appointed attorneys. Jim Archibald has been a public defender for over 30 years and has been assigned to 27 murder cases. John Thomas has been a defense attorney since 2005 and previously worked as a prosecutor in Bingham County. He was a lawyer for Christopher Tapp, a man who served 20 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted of killing Angie Dodge.
Who are the prosecutors?
There are three main prosecutors on the case. Madison County Prosecuting Attorney Rob Wood was elected in 2019 after serving as the county’s Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for ___ years. Fremont County Prosecuting Attorney Lindsey Blake was elected in 2021 after working as the Teton County Chief Deputy Prosecutor. Rachel Smith is a special prosecutor from Missouri with over 25 years of experience in homicide and death penalty cases.
Who is the judge in the case?
District Judge Steven Boyce presides over the case. Idaho Gov. Brad Little appointed him to the bench in May 2019. Boyce practiced law in eastern Idaho for 20 years.
Read the rest of the questions and answers at eastidahonews.com.
► Subscribe to East Idaho News
► Download our free app
► Like us on Facebook
► Follow us on Twitter
► Follow us on Instagram
► Get East Idaho News merch
► Subscribe to our free newsletter
Sentinel Indexing in Progress
Metadata and chapters are available. Claim extraction for this episode is pending.
All video content is delivered via YouTube embedded players in accordance with the YouTube Terms of Service. Sentinel provides research tools that promote discovery and accountability across political media.
