Day 3: Chad Daybell’s children weren’t told their mother was exhumed, officer testifies

It’s the second week of Chad Daybell’s criminal trial.



The 55-year-old father is accused of murder and conspiring to commit murder in the deaths of two of his wife’s children, 7-year-old JJ Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan, and his then-wife Tammy Daybell. He’s also charged with two counts of insurance fraud.

Daybell pleaded not guilty to eight felonies in all.

The potential eight-week trial is expected to mirror the trial of his wife, Lori Vallow Daybell. Roughly 60 witnesses were called for her trial, including Rexburg Police Detective Ray Hermosillo. He was the lead investigator during the months-long search for Vallow Daybell’s children and the first witness called by the prosecution in Chad Daybell’s trial.



After over six hours of testimony stretched over two days, Hermosillo left the stand Thursday afternoon. The prosecution is expected to call its next witness Thursday morning.

3:25 p.m: FBI identified phone numbers used by the Daybells

Just before court adjourned Monday, FBI Tactical Specialist Nicole Heideman was called to the witness stand. Heideman, the fifth witness called by the prosecution, told the courtroom about several phone numbers linked to the Daybells, along with Vallow Daybell’s brother Alex Cox, who authorities have said also was tied to the killings.

Cox died in 2019 from natural causes.

Some of the phone numbers were connected to several Google accounts that were brought up during Vallow Daybell’s trial, which showed a text message trail between the Daybells. Both the Daybells and Cox had several phone numbers they used, and one of Chad Daybell’s numbers was in contact only with Vallow Daybell and Cox, Heideman said.

“Were these all numbers that were determined to be of interest in the investigation?” Fremont County Prosecutor Lindsey Blake asked Heideman, pointing to a few of the phone numbers identified by law enforcement.

“Yes,” she responded.

The court adjourned just after 3:20 p.m. and testimony from Heideman is expected to pick back up Tuesday.

2:20 p.m.: Authorities exhumed Tammy Daybell without telling children

Fremont County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Joseph Powell said Daybell’s criminal case is probably the most serious he’s ever been part of in 22 years in law enforcement.

During a combative cross-examination, Powell explained certain steps he took, and didn’t take, to exhume Tammy Daybell’s body. He said that based on Chad Daybell’s knowing Vallow Daybell and her brother, Alex Cox, along with medical records that showed she was being treated only for depression, he felt the need to re-examine her death.

John Prior, Chad Dayell’s attorney, pointed to records that showed Tammy Daybell was anemic, her mother had a history of cancer and thyroid issues, and that her father had heart issues.

Utah Chief Medical Examiner Erik Christensen said during Vallow Daybell’s trial that bruises found on Tammy Daybell’s body “occurred around the time of death.” He pointed to bruising on Tammy Daybell’s arms and chest, including her left upper chest, right bicep and right forearm.

But during cross-examination, Powell said Tammy Daybell was taking medication for the bruising before her death. Prior also pointed to the death certificate and interviews with Chad Daybell — who didn’t want an autopsy — and his children, who said that Tammy Daybell didn’t like the doctor and that she took natural remedies.

Powell admitted during the cross-examination that he didn’t look at Tammy Daybell’s death certificate or read the coroner’s report before asking a judge to exhume her body.

“You did it without telling the children that they’re digging their mother out of the ground. Is that right?” Prior asked, referring to the exhumation.

‘Yes,” Powell said.

1:30 p.m.: Police reopened the investigation into Tammy Daybell’s death

Powell, the fourth witness called by the prosecution, said during his testimony that he began looking into Tammy Daybell’s death after local law enforcement was contacted by authorities in Arizona who were looking into Vallow Daybell and her brother Alex Cox.

The Gilbert Police Department was searching for a grayish-green Jeep Wrangler in October 2019 after police said it was involved in the attempted shooting of Vallow Daybell’s niece’s ex-husband, Brandon Boudreaux. Police have since said that they believe Cox, who died in 2019, shot at Boudreaux attempting to kill him, and have now charged Vallow Daybell in connection to the shooting.

Powell said Chad Daybell’s connection to Vallow Daybell and her brother made him look further into Tammy Daybell’s death. Fremont County Coroner Brenda Dye testified during Vallow Daybell’s trial that Tammy Daybell died from pulmonary edema because of a seizure-like episode and that no autopsy was performed.

After looking into Tammy Daybell’s medical records, Powell said all they showed was that she was being treated for depression. “She appeared to be healthy,” he said, adding that he got a warrant to exhume the body. Tammy Daybell’s body was exhumed from a cemetery in Springville, Utah, where then-Utah Chief Medical Examiner Erik Christensen confirmed she died by asphyxiation (suffocation from lack of oxygen).

“It would also be quite unusual for women of her age to develop seizures,” Christensen said during his testimony at Vallow Daybell’s trial.

11:30 a.m.: Daybell’s attorney questions detective

Law enforcement has previously said that when police began to locate the children’s bodies on the Salem, Idaho, property of Daybell, he fled the area by speeding away in his vehicle. But John Prior, Daybell’s attorney, said testimony by Rexburg Detective Eric Wheeler showed the speed limit on that road was 50 mph and suggested that Daybell was on his way to his attorney.

Police quickly stopped Daybell and detained him.

Wheeler, the third witness called by the prosecution, said that once Daybell was in the patrol vehicle, he looked around the property several times and seemed nervous. But Prior asked whether Daybell instead was just curious seeing as there were 30-plus law enforcement officers on his property.

“You don’t think someone would be curious about what’s going on on your property?” Prior asked.

10 a.m.: Video following Daybell’s arrest played in court

Former Fremont County Sheriff’s Sgt. Vince Kaaiakamanu, who now works for the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, briefly testified and sat on the witness stand while the prosecution played a June 2020 recorded jail call between Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow Daybell.

This occurred on the day that authorities located the remains of the children, JJ and Tylee, on his property in Salem. In the phone call, Daybell informed Vallow Daybell, who had already been arrested by police, that law enforcement was searching his house.

“Are they seizing stuff again?” Vallow Daybell asked.

“They’re searching,” Daybell responded.

Daybell later attempted to leave the area and was arrested and booked into the Fremont County Jail. Kaaiakamanu said Daybell drove away while law enforcement discovered JJ’s body.

But, Daybell’s attorney John Prior during cross-examination questioned whether Kaaiakamanu knew why Daybell left the area and asked if there could be another reason why Daybell left aside from the discovery of JJ’s body.

“I‘m not aware why he drove off,” Kaaiakamanu said.

In footage recorded from the back of a patrol vehicle, Daybell spent about 10 minutes going over finances with his adult daughter, Emma Murray, and handed her his wallet. He reassured her that there was enough money in his accounts, and they discussed longer-term options like refinancing his home and putting her on the mortgage.

“I love you so much,” Murray said crying.

“I love you,” Daybell said, getting a little emotional. He then told her to “cooperate” with law enforcement as much as she wanted to.

“It’ll work out,” Daybell said. “It’s all in the Lord’s hands.”

Toward the end of the portion of the video played in court, Murray told her father police located a body, which would later be identified as JJ, on the property. Daybell then mumbled something and shook his head slightly.

“I can see in your face, that surprised you,” Murray said.

At one point in the video, after Murray left, Daybell, seated in the back of the patrol vehicle, turned around and looked behind his left shoulder. Wheeler said Daybell was looking at the fire pit, which is where Tylee’s remains were found.

8:40 a.m.: Judge rules against allowing Arizona evidence

Seventh District Judge Steven Boyce upheld a ruling prohibiting the defense from speaking about an incident involving Vallow Daybell’s brother, Alex Cox.

Just before the 18-person jury — 12 jurors and six alternates — was brought back in, Daybell’s attorney asked Boyce to reconsider letting the jury hear evidence that Cox threatened to kill Vallow Daybell’s third husband, Joseph Ryan, in 2007. Cox shocked Ryan with a stun gun, according to police, and pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, FOX 10 Phoenix reported.

Investigators said they believe Cox, who died from natural causes in 2019, also killed or conspired to kill Tylee, JJ and Tammy Daybell. He’s also accused of attempting to kill his niece’s husband and shooting and killing Vallow Daybell’s fourth husband, Charles Vallow.

John Prior, Chad Daybell’s attorney, said Cox acted as Vallow Daybell’s “protector.”

“It’s absolutely relevant that Alex Cox in his previous behavior, his modus operandi, was to act on his own and to lash out and do things on his own,” Prior said. “I couldn’t think of something that’s more relevant in that regard.”

Boyce disagreed and said that admitting evidence of the 2007 incident was “more prejudice than probative.”

“This is too far outside the scope of the charges, too far outside of the scope of the alleged conspiracy,” Boyce said.

Chad Daybell murder trial in Boise begins. Here’s what to know about the case

The Idaho Statesman will have a reporter covering the trial at the Ada County Courthouse providing live, daily updates at idahostatesman.com. You can also follow criminal justice reporter Alex Brizee on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @alex_brizee or breaking news reporter Sally Krutzig at @sallykrutzig.