Police seem to be no closer to finding 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan than they were when this story began months ago.
Since that time, the story has gained international attention as it’s taken twists and turns involving a purported cult, dead spouses, delusions of divinity and preparing for the end of the world. Despite all the angles, and the ever-growing number of people related to the case, the facts remain essentially the same as when it was first announced.
The two children remain missing and the parents, Lori (Vallow) Daybell, and her new husband, Chad Daybell, refuse to disclose their whereabouts to police. Both have been named persons of interest in the disappearance of the children. Law enforcement is also investigating the deaths of the Daybells’ previous respective spouses, Charles Vallow and Tammy Daybell, though neither Chad nor Lori have been named suspects in those cases.
Written timeline of events
April 3, 2018 - Tylee Ryan's father, Joseph Ryan, dies. Death ruled heart attack.
December 2018 - Chad Daybell & Lori Vallow make first appearance on Preparing a People podcast.
February 2019 - Charles Vallow files for divorce from Lori, claiming she viewed herself as a god preparing for the second coming, and she would kill him if he got in her way.
February - April 2019 - Lori disappears for nearly two months, leaving her children with others.
June 2019 - Lori's niece demands a divorce from her husband, who says she shares similar beliefs to her aunt.
July 11, 2019 - Charles Vallow shot and killed by Lori's brother Alex Cox. Shooting initially ruled self-defense.
August 2019 - Lori moves to Rexburg, Idaho with kids
September 3, 2019 - Joshua "JJ" Vallow enrolled in school
September 23, 2019 - JJ last attended school
September 24, 2019 - Lori unenrolls JJ from school, saying she would be homeschooling him.
September 2019 - Tylee also seen in September, but it's unclear when and where (she had graduated early)
October 2, 2019 - Lori's niece's ex-husband was shot at, missing his head by inches. Shooter was driving a vehicle registered to Charles Vallow.
October 9, 2019 - Tammy Daybell, Chad's wife, called 911 and said a masked man shot at her with a paintball gun.
October 19, 2019 - Tammy Daybell dies, death is ruled natural
October 25, 2019 - Tylee, or someone using her phone, texts a friend
Late October / Early November 2019 - Chad Daybell & Lori Vallow get married
November 26, 2019 - Welfare check requested for JJ at the request of extended family - police are told he is in Arizona with family, but he is not
November 27, 2019 - Police return to serve a search warrant, finding the Daybell's gone
December 12, 2019 - Lori's brother, who had shot her ex-husband, dies mysteriously in Arizona
December 20, 2019 - Search for JJ and Tylee goes public
December 30, 2019 - LE says Lori knows where her children are but will not cooperate
January 25, 2020 - Chad & Lori are located in Hawaii, served with a notice that she must produce the children within 5 days
January 30, 2020 - Lori fails to produce JJ and Tylee
REXBURG — Police seem to be no closer to finding 7-year-old Joshua "JJ" Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan than they were when this story began months ago.
First witness called to the stand is Rexburg Det. Ray Hermosillo.
He says he was contacted on Nov. 1, 2019, by Fremont County Sheriff's Office saying there was possibly a Jeep in Rexburg that was involved in a homicide in Arizona. (Nate Eaton)
Clearly the kids think Chad had nothing to do with it. Getting the life insurance just months before her death was just coincidence. I wonder if he or she declared any health issues on her insurance?
Clearly the kids think Chad had nothing to do with it. Getting the life insurance just months before her death was just coincidence. I wonder if he or she declared any health issues on her insurance?
I don't know how they can stand behind him with all the evidence where a wedding ring was purchased beforehand, the children were BURIED in his yard, etc. Do they think Chad didn't know the kids were buried there? Talk about denial.
I don't know how they can stand behind him with all the evidence where a wedding ring was purchased beforehand, the children were BURIED in his yard, etc. Do they think Chad didn't know the kids were buried there? Talk about denial.
IKR. It happens alot. Facts are facts. Our dad couldn't do that. Our brother, Our son wasn't raise that way. Louise Bundy had to face it. I can't imagine.
IKR. It happens alot. Facts are facts. Our dad couldn't do that. Our brother, Our son wasn't raise that way. Louise Bundy had to face it. I can't imagine.
A lot of testimony at the lengths detectives were taking in order to find JJ. (For those who don't follow this case closely, JJ was buried in Chad Daybell's back yard by this time).
A lot of testimony at the lengths detectives were taking in order to find JJ. (For those who don't follow this case closely, JJ was buried in Chad Daybell's back yard by this time).
Remember, Prior has never been a defense attorney in a death penalty case. The prosecution must be death certified and go through hoops to prosecute, but a defense attorney does not.
I will probably follow the trial by reading from East Idaho News website. This is a link to follow along via a transcript, if desired. The link is below and below that I have copied and pasted Prior's intro to the jury. Then Detective Hermosillo's testimony. Read them from the bottom up.
Excuse the typos – these are live updates from the courtroom CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE LIVE VIDEO FEED 1:20 p.m. The next photo shows pictures on the walls, the TV, papers on the counter. The next image is the Star Wars suitcase and some 72 hour kits under the stairs. 1:18 p.m. The photos are shown on the screen and to the jury. The first picture is the front porch area of apt. 175. The next photo shows the front room/kitchen area. A child’s suitcase is on the floor along with some other items. 1:17 p.m. Prior objects again after Wood asks more questions. Boyce overrules the objection with the exception of one photo and they are admitted. 1:16 p.m. Hermosillo says around 10 people were in the apartment at the time the photos were taken but doesn’t know who took the photos. Prior objects to having the pictures admitted. Wood wants to lay more foundation. 1:12 p.m. The exhibits are photos taken of Lori’s residence on Nov. 27, 2019. Prior asks what time the photos were taken. Hermosillo says between 10 a.m. – noon. Prior asks repeated questions about who took the pictures. Hermosillo doesn’t know who took the pictures. 1:10 p.m. Wood continues questioning Hermosillo about the search of Lori’s apartment. He asks to admit more exhibits. 1:07 p.m. Boyce back on the bench and the jurors are being brought back into the courtroom. 1:04 p.m. Boyce enters the courtroom and Wood asks for a sidebar to discuss an evidence issue. Det. Hermosillo remains on the stand. 1 p.m. We are back in the courtroom. Det. Hermosillo remains on the stand. Chad Daybell just walked in and is chatting with Prior at the defense table. Half of the right side of the gallery is now blocked off and the bailiff says the public is no longer allowed to sit there. 11:52 a.m. We are going to break for lunch. We will be back in one hour. 11:51 a.m. Hermosillo explains what was in the unit – photos, family items, etc. Wood asks for a brief sidebar. 11:49 a.m. There was no evidence that JJ Vallow had been in apt. 174 or 107. In apt. 175, a storage unit rental agreement contract was found. The name of Lori Ryan was on the contract and it was storage unit #C52. Police went to the storage unit. I visited in January and did a report on what was inside. You can find it here. 11:48 a.m. Apt. 107 was completely vacant. In apt. 174, police found a large amount of cash that they seized for safekeeping. In apt. 175, police found several different styles of weapons in the garage – handguns, rifles, guns of various calibers, army knives. They were seized for safekeeping. 11:47 a.m. Police found a child’s Star Wars suitcase mixed in with 72-hour kits and an old prescription bottle for JJ. There were also some scooters and a small child’s bike on the porch. Hermosillo seized the Risperidone prescription and the suitcase. Police then searched apt. 174. Everything was normal, but no signs of JJ. 11:46 a.m. The warrants were executed on Nov. 27, 2019. They searched apt. 175 first. “Everything looked ordinary. There were couches, papers on the table, there was food in the refrigerator and food in the pantry.” Hermosillo said it appeared people lived there, but there were no clothes on any of the hangers in the closet. JJ was not in the apartment. 11:43 a.m. Hermosillo says police attempted to locate Melanie Gibb, Lori’s friend. Lori told police that JJ was with Gibb in Arizona. Det. Pillar in Arizona went to Gibb’s residence and around 9 p.m., Rexburg police learned JJ was not there. Hermosillo contacted Ball, and they agreed to meet at prosecutor’s early the next morning to get search warrants on apts. 175 (Lori’s), 174 (Melani’s) and 107. 11:40 a.m. “At that point, our only focus was to find JJ, and we were going to exhaust every means to do that.” Hermosillo went to the prosecutor’s office to get a warrant. While he was on the way, Det. Hope called and left a message. Lori Vallow called Hope back and they told her to open the door. Det. Stubbs and Det. Ball made contact with Lori that day. 11:38 a.m. Hermosillo asked his lieutenant, Ron Ball, to gather detectives and respond to the complex. Ball arrived with another detective, and they began knocking on doors. They went to Lori’s apartment and nobody answered. Hermosillo learned Melani Boudreaux (now Pawlowski), Lori’s niece, lived right next door to Lori. Nobody answered that door. 11:37 a.m. Hermosillo was not wearing a body camera. As a detective, most of the interviews are done at the department in a controlled environment with cameras. Patrol officers are assigned body cameras, but detectives are not. 11:36 a.m. Hermosillo knew Chad and Lori were married in Hawaii two weeks prior. Hermosillo asked Chad for Lori’s phone number. He said he didn’t have it. Det. Hope saw the two talking and walked back toward them. Hermosillo again asked Chad for Lori’s number and Chad gave it to him. Chad said he felt Hermosillo was accusing him of “something” and that’s why he didn’t give the number the first time. 11:35 a.m. As Hermosillo approached his car, Chad drove toward him in a black Chevy Equinox. Hermosillo stopped him to talk. He asked Chad when the last time he saw JJ Vallow. Chad said it was in October in apt. 107 with Lori Vallow. Chad told Hermosillo he had only met Lori a couple times and didn’t know her very well. 11:33 a.m. Hermosillo and Hope went to the apartment to find JJ Vallow. They knocked on apt. 107, and there was no answer. Hope knocked on neighbors’ doors. Hermosillo walked back to his vehicle to call for more detectives. He called for more “because of the deception from Alex. I wanted to figure out exactly what was going on, and we were going to start canvassing the area and knocking on doors.” 11:32 a.m. Hermosillo asked Alex for Lori’s cell phone number. Alex said he didn’t have it. Rexburg police knew Alex and Lori were siblings and extremely close. “When Alex told me he didn’t have his sister’s cell phone number, I assumed he was lying to me.” 11:30 a.m. Alex eventually said JJ was with his grandmother in Louisiana. “I informed Alex that it was unlikely JJ was with his grandmother Kay because she was the one who called in the welfare check,” Hermosillo says. He says Alex looked over at Chad, and they both looked at each other. “I asked Alex where I could find Lori Vallow,” Hermosillo says. Alex says Lori was in apt. 107 – the same complex but a few apartments down. 11:29 a.m. Hermosillo knew who Chad and Alex were. He says he got out of his vehicle and made contact with Alex. He asked if Lori was home. Alex said she was not home. Hermosillo asked if JJ was home. “At that point, Alex got surprised, frightened look on his face, looked over across the pickup at defendant Daybell. Daybell then looked back at Alex and initially neither one of them answered my question.” 11:27 a.m. Wood shows the photo of JJ to the jury and gallery. Hermosillo says on Nov. 25, 2019, he got a call from Gilbert Police Det. Pillar. He asked Hermosillo to do a welfare check on JJ the next morning. Hermosillo did the check on Nov. 26. He and Det. Dave Hope went to Vallow’s home. “As we approached, we noticed the defendant Chad Daybell and Alex Cox unloading a pickup near the garage area.” 11:26 a.m. Boyce is back on the bench. During testimony, many jurors are taking notes. Others haven’t written a thing. Some drink water, coffee, Diet Coke. 11:23 a.m. Hermosillo says they received a few photos of JJ from Gilbert Police and JJ’s grandmother, Kay Woodcock. Hermosillo says photos and video of JJ were found on Lori Vallow’s iCloud account. Wood admits exhibit four – a photo of JJ Vallow. Prior asks the source of the photo. Hermosillo says it came from Vallow’s iCloud. Prior asks to approach. White noise is played. 11:22 a.m. Exhibit three is Joshua Jackson Vallow’s birth certificate. 11:20 a.m. The second exhibit is an adoption decree for Canaan Trahan. Wood asks Hermosillo to read from the decree. It says the name of Canaan Trahan is being changed to Joshua Jackson Vallow. 11:18 a.m. Wood asks to admit three exhibits. The first is Canaan Todd Trahan birth certificate. Place of birth: Lake Charles, Louisiana. 11:16 a.m. Hermosillo says Gilbert Police asked Rexburg to do a welfare check on JJ Vallow. They were provided with a brief description and where JJ should be – 565 Pioneer Road – where he lived with his mother Lori Vallow. 11:13 a.m. After the Jeep was seized, Gilbert Police detectives and crime analysts flew to Rexburg. They served a warrant and were looking for the infotainment system that contained the GPS locations. They came on Nov. 18, 2019 and asked Hermosillo if they had seen any children. Rexburg police said they had not. 11:12 a.m. Hermosillo says he never saw children with Lori or Chad. At that time, Hermosillo did not know who JJ or Tylee were and Rexburg police were not asked to look for the kids at that time. 11:10 a.m. Boyce is back on the bench. Wood is showing two photos of the Jeep to the jurors. It’s a gray Jeep that was registered to Charles Vallow but Tylee Ryan drove it. The next photo shows the back of the Jeep with a Texas license plate. 11:06 a.m. Prior asks Hermosillo if he went through the Jeep or took photos himself. Hermosillo says he went through the Jeep personally. Prior has no further questions. Boyce asks for a quick sidebar. White noise is played. 11:04 a.m. Four photos are admitted into evidence. Prior has some questions about the evidence. Chad scoots the microphone over so Prior can be heard. 11:02 a.m. Hermosillo says Chad and Lori were observed a few times at the location. His primary job was to look for a Jeep. Wood asks to admit an exhibit for Hermosillo to look at. 11:01 a.m. Hermosillo contacted Gilbert, Arizona, Police and they asked him to seize the Jeep if it could be found. Gilbert asked Rexburg to conduct intermittent surveillance on the residence. Hermosillo says they surveillance between Nov. 1 to 4 at 565 Pioneer Road in Rexburg. 11 a.m. Hermosillo has been a detective with Rexburg police for about five years. He was in law enforcement for 18 years before becoming a detective. Rob Wood is questioning Hermosillo. He says he was contacted on Nov. 1, 2019, by Fremont County Sheriff’s Office saying there was possibly a Jeep in Rexburg that was involved in a homicide in Arizona. 10:56 a.m. First witness called to the stand is Rexburg Police Det. Ray Hermosillo.
Ray Hermosillo | File photo 10:53 a.m. Boyce now holding a sidebar with attorneys to discuss scheduling. 10:52 a.m. Prior tells the jury to listen to the arguments and not make their decision until the very end. “I’m going to ask you folks to return a verdict of not guilty. Thank you, folks.” Prior’s opening statement was around 19 minutes. 10:50 a.m. Prior says the jury will hear from Patrick Eller, a data forensic examiner. Prior says the jury will hear testimony that Alex Cox visited the Daybell property multiple times, and Eller will present information and data to support it. Dr. Eric Bartelink will also testify, Prior says. He is a forensic pathologist. 10:49 a.m. Prior says the jury will hear testimony from three to four of Chad’s children. “They’re going to talk about their mother’s health struggle. They’re going to talk about their mother’s use of various medical treatments she would use – oils she would put on her leg, medicine and different herbs she would take, and that their mother was suffering from a number of maladies, and she would refuse to see a doctor.” 10:48 a.m. Prior says Hampikian will talk about “several” hairs found on the plastic of JJ Vallow. “He’s also going to say there was no DNA evidence, no hair sample of Chad Daybell on Tylee Ryan or on JJ Vallow.” Prior says the jury will also hear from Dr. Raven, a forensic pathologist, who will talk about the circumstances surrounding Tammy Daybell. He says she will say there is no indication this was a homicide or any other cause of death. 10:46 a.m. Prior talks about the burial locations of JJ and Tylee. Prior plans to bring forward four experts including Dr. Greg Hampikian – a DNA expert. Hampikian got Amanda Knox exonerated in Italy because of DNA evidence, Prior says. “He is the guy. He’s going to talk a little bit about the DNA evidence that was found on the scene.” 10:45 a.m. Prior says Chad had no background and then Ms. Texas Lori Vallow – “a very sexual person” – came into his life. “After that, eventually yes, there was a murder and there was a burial,” Prior says. He says the backyard of Chad’s property is a 4.5 acre farm. 10:43 a.m. Prior says Chad and Lori had an inappropriate relationship while their former spouses were still alive. Prior tells the jury that Alex Cox shot and killed Charles. Prior says the jury they will see Chad Daybell had nothing to do with the execution of Charles Vallow or the shooting of Brandon Boudreaux. 10:42 a.m. Prior says Alex Cox approached Joseph Ryan and shot him with a Taser in 2007 – years before Lori knew Chad. “It set the pattern for what we are dealing with with Alex Cox. Whenever there was a problem with Lori Vallow, Alex Cox ran to the rescue.” 10:41 a.m. Prior mentions Lori’s second short-lived married. He says Alex Cox, her brother, would do anything to assist his sister – without question. “If Alex Cox perceived there was a problem, Alex Cox reacted.” Prior says jury will hear testimony that Lori’s third marriage to Joseph Ryan was tumultuous. 10:40 a.m. Prior says after the seminar, there was a 1-2 month break where Chad and Lori had no contact. Prior says Chad had a speeding ticket in 2005 but no other background. “But Lori Vallow was a different story. Lori Vallow was someone who, right out of high school, married her first husband. That marriage was very short-lived – VERY short-lived.” 10:38 a.m. Prior says in late October 2018, Chad was invited to speak at an event. While he was trying to sell his books, “this beautifully stunning woman named Lori Vallow comes up and she starts giving him a lot of attention. She pursued him. She encouraged him. She went so far as to go behind the booth and help him in selling his books.” 10:37 a.m. Prior tells jury Chad wrote books about religious experiences. “He writes about his premonitions, he writes about good and evil, what it means to be good and what it means to be evil, he writes about dark and light. He writes about death and the coming of the end of things and when his Savior in his mind is going to come back.” Prior says all the books were based on fiction. 10:35 a.m. Prior says Chad served his mission in New Jersey, returned home, and he then dated Tammy for six months. They then got married and had five children. They moved to Idaho and ran a publishing company that was predominantly run by Tammy. 10:34 a.m. “What’s important are facts and evidence,” Prior says. He tells jurors not be distracted by speculation, guesses, assumptions or hunches. Prior says Chad Daybell went on a mission to talk to people about his religious beliefs.
I will probably follow the trial by reading from East Idaho News website. This is a link to follow along via a transcript, if desired. This is often how I like to follow a trial. The link is below and below that I have copied and pasted Prior's intro to the jury. Then Detective Hermosillo's testimony. Read from from the bottom up.
Excuse the typos – these are live updates from the courtroom CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE LIVE VIDEO FEED 1:20 p.m. The next photo shows pictures on the walls, the TV, papers on the counter. The next image is the Star Wars suitcase and some 72 hour kits under the stairs. 1:18 p.m. The photos are shown on the screen and to the jury. The first picture is the front porch area of apt. 175. The next photo shows the front room/kitchen area. A child’s suitcase is on the floor along with some other items. 1:17 p.m. Prior objects again after Wood asks more questions. Boyce overrules the objection with the exception of one photo and they are admitted. 1:16 p.m. Hermosillo says around 10 people were in the apartment at the time the photos were taken but doesn’t know who took the photos. Prior objects to having the pictures admitted. Wood wants to lay more foundation. 1:12 p.m. The exhibits are photos taken of Lori’s residence on Nov. 27, 2019. Prior asks what time the photos were taken. Hermosillo says between 10 a.m. – noon. Prior asks repeated questions about who took the pictures. Hermosillo doesn’t know who took the pictures. 1:10 p.m. Wood continues questioning Hermosillo about the search of Lori’s apartment. He asks to admit more exhibits. 1:07 p.m. Boyce back on the bench and the jurors are being brought back into the courtroom. 1:04 p.m. Boyce enters the courtroom and Wood asks for a sidebar to discuss an evidence issue. Det. Hermosillo remains on the stand. 1 p.m. We are back in the courtroom. Det. Hermosillo remains on the stand. Chad Daybell just walked in and is chatting with Prior at the defense table. Half of the right side of the gallery is now blocked off and the bailiff says the public is no longer allowed to sit there. 11:52 a.m. We are going to break for lunch. We will be back in one hour. 11:51 a.m. Hermosillo explains what was in the unit – photos, family items, etc. Wood asks for a brief sidebar. 11:49 a.m. There was no evidence that JJ Vallow had been in apt. 174 or 107. In apt. 175, a storage unit rental agreement contract was found. The name of Lori Ryan was on the contract and it was storage unit #C52. Police went to the storage unit. I visited in January and did a report on what was inside. You can find it here. 11:48 a.m. Apt. 107 was completely vacant. In apt. 174, police found a large amount of cash that they seized for safekeeping. In apt. 175, police found several different styles of weapons in the garage – handguns, rifles, guns of various calibers, army knives. They were seized for safekeeping. 11:47 a.m. Police found a child’s Star Wars suitcase mixed in with 72-hour kits and an old prescription bottle for JJ. There were also some scooters and a small child’s bike on the porch. Hermosillo seized the Risperidone prescription and the suitcase. Police then searched apt. 174. Everything was normal, but no signs of JJ. 11:46 a.m. The warrants were executed on Nov. 27, 2019. They searched apt. 175 first. “Everything looked ordinary. There were couches, papers on the table, there was food in the refrigerator and food in the pantry.” Hermosillo said it appeared people lived there, but there were no clothes on any of the hangers in the closet. JJ was not in the apartment. 11:43 a.m. Hermosillo says police attempted to locate Melanie Gibb, Lori’s friend. Lori told police that JJ was with Gibb in Arizona. Det. Pillar in Arizona went to Gibb’s residence and around 9 p.m., Rexburg police learned JJ was not there. Hermosillo contacted Ball, and they agreed to meet at prosecutor’s early the next morning to get search warrants on apts. 175 (Lori’s), 174 (Melani’s) and 107. 11:40 a.m. “At that point, our only focus was to find JJ, and we were going to exhaust every means to do that.” Hermosillo went to the prosecutor’s office to get a warrant. While he was on the way, Det. Hope called and left a message. Lori Vallow called Hope back and they told her to open the door. Det. Stubbs and Det. Ball made contact with Lori that day. 11:38 a.m. Hermosillo asked his lieutenant, Ron Ball, to gather detectives and respond to the complex. Ball arrived with another detective, and they began knocking on doors. They went to Lori’s apartment and nobody answered. Hermosillo learned Melani Boudreaux (now Pawlowski), Lori’s niece, lived right next door to Lori. Nobody answered that door. 11:37 a.m. Hermosillo was not wearing a body camera. As a detective, most of the interviews are done at the department in a controlled environment with cameras. Patrol officers are assigned body cameras, but detectives are not. 11:36 a.m. Hermosillo knew Chad and Lori were married in Hawaii two weeks prior. Hermosillo asked Chad for Lori’s phone number. He said he didn’t have it. Det. Hope saw the two talking and walked back toward them. Hermosillo again asked Chad for Lori’s number and Chad gave it to him. Chad said he felt Hermosillo was accusing him of “something” and that’s why he didn’t give the number the first time. 11:35 a.m. As Hermosillo approached his car, Chad drove toward him in a black Chevy Equinox. Hermosillo stopped him to talk. He asked Chad when the last time he saw JJ Vallow. Chad said it was in October in apt. 107 with Lori Vallow. Chad told Hermosillo he had only met Lori a couple times and didn’t know her very well. 11:33 a.m. Hermosillo and Hope went to the apartment to find JJ Vallow. They knocked on apt. 107, and there was no answer. Hope knocked on neighbors’ doors. Hermosillo walked back to his vehicle to call for more detectives. He called for more “because of the deception from Alex. I wanted to figure out exactly what was going on, and we were going to start canvassing the area and knocking on doors.” 11:32 a.m. Hermosillo asked Alex for Lori’s cell phone number. Alex said he didn’t have it. Rexburg police knew Alex and Lori were siblings and extremely close. “When Alex told me he didn’t have his sister’s cell phone number, I assumed he was lying to me.” 11:30 a.m. Alex eventually said JJ was with his grandmother in Louisiana. “I informed Alex that it was unlikely JJ was with his grandmother Kay because she was the one who called in the welfare check,” Hermosillo says. He says Alex looked over at Chad, and they both looked at each other. “I asked Alex where I could find Lori Vallow,” Hermosillo says. Alex says Lori was in apt. 107 – the same complex but a few apartments down. 11:29 a.m. Hermosillo knew who Chad and Alex were. He says he got out of his vehicle and made contact with Alex. He asked if Lori was home. Alex said she was not home. Hermosillo asked if JJ was home. “At that point, Alex got surprised, frightened look on his face, looked over across the pickup at defendant Daybell. Daybell then looked back at Alex and initially neither one of them answered my question.” 11:27 a.m. Wood shows the photo of JJ to the jury and gallery. Hermosillo says on Nov. 25, 2019, he got a call from Gilbert Police Det. Pillar. He asked Hermosillo to do a welfare check on JJ the next morning. Hermosillo did the check on Nov. 26. He and Det. Dave Hope went to Vallow’s home. “As we approached, we noticed the defendant Chad Daybell and Alex Cox unloading a pickup near the garage area.” 11:26 a.m. Boyce is back on the bench. During testimony, many jurors are taking notes. Others haven’t written a thing. Some drink water, coffee, Diet Coke. 11:23 a.m. Hermosillo says they received a few photos of JJ from Gilbert Police and JJ’s grandmother, Kay Woodcock. Hermosillo says photos and video of JJ were found on Lori Vallow’s iCloud account. Wood admits exhibit four – a photo of JJ Vallow. Prior asks the source of the photo. Hermosillo says it came from Vallow’s iCloud. Prior asks to approach. White noise is played. 11:22 a.m. Exhibit three is Joshua Jackson Vallow’s birth certificate. 11:20 a.m. The second exhibit is an adoption decree for Canaan Trahan. Wood asks Hermosillo to read from the decree. It says the name of Canaan Trahan is being changed to Joshua Jackson Vallow. 11:18 a.m. Wood asks to admit three exhibits. The first is Canaan Todd Trahan birth certificate. Place of birth: Lake Charles, Louisiana. 11:16 a.m. Hermosillo says Gilbert Police asked Rexburg to do a welfare check on JJ Vallow. They were provided with a brief description and where JJ should be – 565 Pioneer Road – where he lived with his mother Lori Vallow. 11:13 a.m. After the Jeep was seized, Gilbert Police detectives and crime analysts flew to Rexburg. They served a warrant and were looking for the infotainment system that contained the GPS locations. They came on Nov. 18, 2019 and asked Hermosillo if they had seen any children. Rexburg police said they had not. 11:12 a.m. Hermosillo says he never saw children with Lori or Chad. At that time, Hermosillo did not know who JJ or Tylee were and Rexburg police were not asked to look for the kids at that time. 11:10 a.m. Boyce is back on the bench. Wood is showing two photos of the Jeep to the jurors. It’s a gray Jeep that was registered to Charles Vallow but Tylee Ryan drove it. The next photo shows the back of the Jeep with a Texas license plate. 11:06 a.m. Prior asks Hermosillo if he went through the Jeep or took photos himself. Hermosillo says he went through the Jeep personally. Prior has no further questions. Boyce asks for a quick sidebar. White noise is played. 11:04 a.m. Four photos are admitted into evidence. Prior has some questions about the evidence. Chad scoots the microphone over so Prior can be heard. 11:02 a.m. Hermosillo says Chad and Lori were observed a few times at the location. His primary job was to look for a Jeep. Wood asks to admit an exhibit for Hermosillo to look at. 11:01 a.m. Hermosillo contacted Gilbert, Arizona, Police and they asked him to seize the Jeep if it could be found. Gilbert asked Rexburg to conduct intermittent surveillance on the residence. Hermosillo says they surveillance between Nov. 1 to 4 at 565 Pioneer Road in Rexburg. 11 a.m. Hermosillo has been a detective with Rexburg police for about five years. He was in law enforcement for 18 years before becoming a detective. Rob Wood is questioning Hermosillo. He says he was contacted on Nov. 1, 2019, by Fremont County Sheriff’s Office saying there was possibly a Jeep in Rexburg that was involved in a homicide in Arizona. 10:56 a.m. First witness called to the stand is Rexburg Police Det. Ray Hermosillo.
Ray Hermosillo | File photo 10:53 a.m. Boyce now holding a sidebar with attorneys to discuss scheduling. 10:52 a.m. Prior tells the jury to listen to the arguments and not make their decision until the very end. “I’m going to ask you folks to return a verdict of not guilty. Thank you, folks.” Prior’s opening statement was around 19 minutes. 10:50 a.m. Prior says the jury will hear from Patrick Eller, a data forensic examiner. Prior says the jury will hear testimony that Alex Cox visited the Daybell property multiple times, and Eller will present information and data to support it. Dr. Eric Bartelink will also testify, Prior says. He is a forensic pathologist. 10:49 a.m. Prior says the jury will hear testimony from three to four of Chad’s children. “They’re going to talk about their mother’s health struggle. They’re going to talk about their mother’s use of various medical treatments she would use – oils she would put on her leg, medicine and different herbs she would take, and that their mother was suffering from a number of maladies, and she would refuse to see a doctor.” 10:48 a.m. Prior says Hampikian will talk about “several” hairs found on the plastic of JJ Vallow. “He’s also going to say there was no DNA evidence, no hair sample of Chad Daybell on Tylee Ryan or on JJ Vallow.” Prior says the jury will also hear from Dr. Raven, a forensic pathologist, who will talk about the circumstances surrounding Tammy Daybell. He says she will say there is no indication this was a homicide or any other cause of death. 10:46 a.m. Prior talks about the burial locations of JJ and Tylee. Prior plans to bring forward four experts including Dr. Greg Hampikian – a DNA expert. Hampikian got Amanda Knox exonerated in Italy because of DNA evidence, Prior says. “He is the guy. He’s going to talk a little bit about the DNA evidence that was found on the scene.” 10:45 a.m. Prior says Chad had no background and then Ms. Texas Lori Vallow – “a very sexual person” – came into his life. “After that, eventually yes, there was a murder and there was a burial,” Prior says. He says the backyard of Chad’s property is a 4.5 acre farm. 10:43 a.m. Prior says Chad and Lori had an inappropriate relationship while their former spouses were still alive. Prior tells the jury that Alex Cox shot and killed Charles. Prior says the jury they will see Chad Daybell had nothing to do with the execution of Charles Vallow or the shooting of Brandon Boudreaux. 10:42 a.m. Prior says Alex Cox approached Joseph Ryan and shot him with a Taser in 2007 – years before Lori knew Chad. “It set the pattern for what we are dealing with with Alex Cox. Whenever there was a problem with Lori Vallow, Alex Cox ran to the rescue.” 10:41 a.m. Prior mentions Lori’s second short-lived married. He says Alex Cox, her brother, would do anything to assist his sister – without question. “If Alex Cox perceived there was a problem, Alex Cox reacted.” Prior says jury will hear testimony that Lori’s third marriage to Joseph Ryan was tumultuous. 10:40 a.m. Prior says after the seminar, there was a 1-2 month break where Chad and Lori had no contact. Prior says Chad had a speeding ticket in 2005 but no other background. “But Lori Vallow was a different story. Lori Vallow was someone who, right out of high school, married her first husband. That marriage was very short-lived – VERY short-lived.” 10:38 a.m. Prior says in late October 2018, Chad was invited to speak at an event. While he was trying to sell his books, “this beautifully stunning woman named Lori Vallow comes up and she starts giving him a lot of attention. She pursued him. She encouraged him. She went so far as to go behind the booth and help him in selling his books.” 10:37 a.m. Prior tells jury Chad wrote books about religious experiences. “He writes about his premonitions, he writes about good and evil, what it means to be good and what it means to be evil, he writes about dark and light. He writes about death and the coming of the end of things and when his Savior in his mind is going to come back.” Prior says all the books were based on fiction. 10:35 a.m. Prior says Chad served his mission in New Jersey, returned home, and he then dated Tammy for six months. They then got married and had five children. They moved to Idaho and ran a publishing company that was predominantly run by Tammy. 10:34 a.m. “What’s important are facts and evidence,” Prior says. He tells jurors not be distracted by speculation, guesses, assumptions or hunches. Prior says Chad Daybell went on a mission to talk to people about his religious beliefs.
Remember, Prior has never been a defense attorney in a death penalty case. The prosecution must be death certified and go through hoops to prosecute, but a defense attorney does not.
I thought they had to have a death penalty certified on the defense as well. Especially since Prior is now court appointed, isn't he? I'm open to being wrong.
A lot of testimony at the lengths detectives were taking in order to find JJ. (For those who don't follow this case closely, JJ was buried in Chad Daybell's back yard by this time).
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