Lori Vallow trial – live: Jury hears how Chad Daybell’s wife was shot at by masked man days before murder

Oliver O'Connell and Rachel Sharp
·16 min read

Week five of “doomsday cult mom” Lori Vallow’s trial is getting under way in Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho, where the mother-of-three is accused of killing her two youngest children and her new husband Chad Daybell’s first wife.

The 49-year-old is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy, and grand theft over the deaths of her daughter Tylee Ryan, 16, son Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 7, and Mr Daybell’s wife Tammy, 49.

Tylee and JJ were last seen alive in September 2019. In June 2020, their remains were found buried on the Daybell property. Tammy died one month after their disappearance in October 2019.

On Friday, jurors heard more details about Tammy’s sudden death – which was first ruled “natural causes” before her body was exhumed.

Disturbing 911 calls were played in court revealing how Tammy was shot at by a masked man just 10 days before her murder. On 9 October 2019, the mother-of-five had returned from the grocery store and was unloading items from her car when the man shot at her.

Jurors also heard testimony from Tammy’s sister Samantha Gwilliam and the 911 call Mr Daybell made to report his wife’s sudden death.

Key points

‘You ripped my heart out’, surviving son tells Lori Vallow

09:30 , Oliver O'Connell

On day six of testimony in the trial of “cult mom” Lori Vallow, the jury heard a recording of a phone call between the defendant and her eldest son from the early months of her incarceration.

Colby Ryan, Ms Vallow’s son from her second marriage, was called a witness for the prosecution. He is her only surviving child following the murders of daughter Tylee, 16, and adopted son JJ, 7, in September 2019.

In the emotional call between mother and son, Ms Vallow refused to switch on her camera, while Mr Ryan demanded to know whether Jesus had really told her to murder his siblings.

Read more:

Lori Vallow trial hears gut-wrenching prison call with surviving son Colby Ryan

Lori Vallow’s chilling response to question about missing daughter

08:30 , Oliver O'Connell

A former friend of Lori Vallow has revealed the “cult mom’s” chilling response after being confronted about her missing teen daughter.

Andrea Blanco reports.

Lori Vallow’s chilling response to question about missing Tylee revealed

Timeline of ‘doomsday cult mom’s’ mystery case

07:30 , Oliver O'Connell

More than three years after her children were last seen alive, “doomsday cult mom” Lori Vallow is finally on trial for their murders.

Rachel Sharp compiled this timeline of the case.

Timeline of the Lori Vallow Daybell case

Key revelations from Lori Vallow’s murder trial so far

04:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Rachel Sharp explains the most crucial moments so far in her high-profile trial.

Cult beliefs and charred remains: Key revelations from Lori Vallow’s murder trial

Chad Daybell says wife Tammy is ‘clearly dead’ in disturbing 911 call

Monday 1 May 2023 00:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Chad Daybell made a chilling 911 call saying that his wife Tammy was “clearly dead” after he had allegedly conspired with Lori Vallow to murder her so they could run off to Hawaii to get married.

The 911 call, from 19 October 2019, was played to jurors at Ms Vallow’s trial in Boise, Idaho, on Friday.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Chad Daybell says wife Tammy is ‘clearly dead’ in 911 call heard at Lori Vallow trial

All there is to know about the Lori Vallow Daybell ‘doomsday cult’ murder trial

Sunday 30 April 2023 20:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Rachel Sharp delves into the deeply disturbing tale of suspected murders, unexplained deaths and apocalyptic cult beliefs about killing zombies which surrounds Lori Vallow and her doomsday author husband Chad Daybell.

What we know about the Lori Vallow Daybell ‘doomsday cult’ murder trial

Trial hears devastating call between Lori Vallow and sister after children’s bodies discovered

Sunday 30 April 2023 16:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The trial of “doomsday cult mom” Lori Vallow has been played a devastating jailhouse call in which her sister accused her of throwing her murdered children “away like garbage.”

Graeme Massie reports.

Vallow trial hears devastating call with sister after discovery of children’s bodies

Bizarre moments from Lori Vallow’s murder trial

Sunday 30 April 2023 12:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Beyond the testimony, there have also been some bizarre happenings taking place inside the courtroom, Rachel Sharp reports.

Bizarre moments from Lori Vallow’s murder trial

Who are the key players in the Lori Vallow trial?

Sunday 30 April 2023 08:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Here are the key players in the sprawling case:

Who are the key players in Lori Vallow’s trial?

JJ had date rape drug in his system autopsy finds

Sunday 30 April 2023 04:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Lori Vallow’s seven-year-old son JJ Vallow had the date rape drug GHB in his system when he was smothered to death with plastic bags around his head, according to harrowing testimony from a pathologist.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Lori Vallow trial told JJ had date rape drug GHB in system as cause of death revealed

Who is Lori Vallow, the ‘doomsday cult mom’?

Sunday 30 April 2023 00:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Lori Vallow is a mother of three, a former game show contestant, a Mrs Texas Beauty Pageant contestant and a cult follower. But is she also a killer?

Rachel Sharp investigates.

Lori Vallow: Who is the ‘cult mom’ on trial for her children’s murders?

Court hears how killer tried to chop up Tylee’s body as her blood was found on pickaxe

Saturday 29 April 2023 20:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Lori Vallow’s daughter’s killer tried to chop up her body before burying her burned bones and organs on Chad Daybell’s property, according to disturbing courtroom testimony.

FBI Agent Douglas Halepaska, a forensic examiner in the firearms and tool marks division, testified at the doomsday cult mom’s murder trial on Thursday morning about the injuries found on 16-year-old Tylee Ryan’s skeletal remains.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Lori Vallow trial hears how killer tried to chop up Tylee’s body ‘with pickaxe’

Did Lori Vallow accidentally make a key confession?

Saturday 29 April 2023 16:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Lori Vallow’s high-profile trial took an unexpected turn this week when jurors heard a dramatic jailhouse phone call in which the “doomsday cult mom” appeared to make a key confession about her children’s murders.

The distressing call between the accused killer and her sister Summer Shiflet on 20 June 2020 was played in Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho, on Tuesday.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Did Lori Vallow make a key confession about children’s deaths in a jail call?

Lori Vallow’s cousin reveals haunting fear about murders of JJ and Tylee

Saturday 29 April 2023 12:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Lori Vallow’s estranged cousin has revealed one of her most haunting fears about the murders for which the so-called “cult mom” is currently on trial.

Megan Eyden, whose father is Ms Vallow’s uncle, spoke out about the bombshell case in an interview with NewsNation’s Ashleigh Banfield aired last Friday night.

Megan Sheets has the story.

Lori Vallow’s cousin reveals haunting fear about children’s murders

Jury hears emotional prison call with surviving son Colby Ryan

Saturday 29 April 2023 08:30 , Oliver O'Connell

On day six of testimony in the trial of “cult mom” Lori Vallow, the jury heard a recording of a phone call between the defendant and her eldest son from the early months of her incarceration.

Read more:

Lori Vallow trial hears gut-wrenching prison call with surviving son Colby Ryan

Lori Vallow confronted by best friend in secret recording

Saturday 29 April 2023 04:30 , Oliver O'Connell

A phone call between “cult mom” Lori Vallow and her former best friend was played in court during her ongoing trial for the murders of two of her children.

Prosecutors played a phone conversation between Mr Daybell, Ms Vallow and her then-best friend Melanie Gibb, who was on the stand testifying for the state. In the early December 2019 call, which she recorded secretly, Ms Gibb delved into the couple’s bizarre cult beliefs and later confronted them for asking her to lie to the police about JJ’s whereabouts.

Andrea Blanco has the story.

Lori Vallow confronted by best friend about JJ lies in secret recording

Why are Chad and Lori not standing trial together?

Saturday 29 April 2023 02:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Graig Graziosi explains.

Lori Vallow to be tried separately from husband Chad Daybell over children’s murders

Lori Vallow’s chilling response to question about missing daughter

Saturday 29 April 2023 00:30 , Oliver O'Connell

A former friend of Lori Vallow has revealed the “cult mom’s” chilling response after being confronted about her missing teen daughter.

Andrea Blanco has the story.

Lori Vallow’s chilling response to question about missing Tylee revealed

Timeline of ‘doomsday cult mom’s’ mystery case

Friday 28 April 2023 22:30 , Oliver O'Connell

More than three years after her children were last seen alive, “doomsday cult mom” Lori Vallow is finally on trial for their murders.

Rachel Sharp compiled a timeline of the key moments in the case.

Timeline of the Lori Vallow Daybell case

Chad Daybell claimed Lori Vallow didn’t have children

Friday 28 April 2023 20:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Chad Daybell claimed his new wife Lori Vallow didn’t have any children as authorities launched a massive search for her son and daughter that ended with the discovery of their bodies nine months later.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Chad Daybell claimed Lori Vallow didn’t have children as nine-month search launched

Court adjourns for the weekend

Friday 28 April 2023 20:06 , Oliver O'Connell

After a marathon run of 10 witnesses today, Judge Steven Boyce adjourns court for the weekend.

The trial resumes on Monday morning at 8.30am MT.

Friday 28 April 2023 20:01 , Oliver O'Connell

Ms Miller tells the court that they leaned there was going to be no funeral but people at her school and in the community wanted to honour Tammy.

“My principal planned a memorial, printed off the programs and basically put it together,” Ms Miller says.

New witness: Shanna Miller

Friday 28 April 2023 20:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The next witness is Shanna Miller who worked with her at the school.

Ms Miller says she took a high fitness class with Tammy and her daughter twice a week and in the weeks before Tammy’s death she appeared very healthy.

On the day before Tammy died, Ms Miller saw Tammy checking kids into the lunch line. She recalls: “She was happy, jovial. She would smile at the kids and compliment them.”

Tammy did not complain about being sick and was not coughing, she adds.

“On Friday I see her at school. Things are great and the next morning, I hear that she’s passed.”

New witness: Kelsey Harris, clogging teacher

Friday 28 April 2023 19:56 , Oliver O'Connell

The next witness is Kelsey Harris who was Tammy Daybell’s clogging teacher and worked with her at the school.

Ms Harris says Tammy was in the clogging class from the end of August 2019 until the time of her death.

Clogging is a fast-paced activity, Ms Harris says, and in her observation, Tammy never fell behind or quit early because of exhaustion.

The two of them also attended a high-intensity fitness class together in late September 2019 and Tammy kept up and did not appear limited in any way.

“That class is very high intensity. We’re doing squats, jumping jacks, burpees, a lot of up and down.”

New witness: Spencer Cook, technology director for the Sugar Salem School District

Friday 28 April 2023 19:48 , Oliver O'Connell

The next witness is Spencer Cook, the technology director for the Sugar Salem School District.

He was contacted by the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office for help checking Tammy’s email account from 29 June 2019.

Mr Cook says she received 36 emails that week.

“There were several deleted off her account. I think there were six emails that were saved,” he tells the court.

Mr Cook says Tammy was active with her email and knew computers well. Employees were expected to check their email accounts during the summer months.

In the archive system, Mr Cook says one email was received from Charles Vallow that was in Tammy’s deleted folder — Charles told Lori that he was going to email Tammy and tell her about the affair with Chad.

Charles’ email address was blocked in Tammy’s email. It was the only “blocked” email address.

Friday 28 April 2023 19:36 , Oliver O'Connell

After a brief cross-examination, Ms Dye is released.

She says at the time of Tammy’s death she believed Chad’s version of events.

Friday 28 April 2023 19:34 , Oliver O'Connell

Ms Dye says that after the autopsy ruled the death as asphyxiation she will amend the cause of death on Tammy’s death certificate.

Court resumes

Friday 28 April 2023 19:33 , Oliver O'Connell

Court is back in session with coroner Brenda Dye back on the stand.

She is asked about the foam or sputum that was around Tammy Daybell’s mouth.

“If she had actually fallen out of bed, would you expect to see the foam dripping somewhere else or a different direction?” Attorney Lindsey Blake asks.

Dye replies yes.

Chad Daybell says wife Tammy is ‘clearly dead’ in disturbing 911 call

Friday 28 April 2023 19:07 , Oliver O'Connell

Chad Daybell made a chilling 911 call saying that his wife Tammy was “clearly dead” after he had allegedly conspired with Lori Vallow to murder her so they could run off to Hawaii to get married.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Chad Daybell says wife Tammy is ‘clearly dead’ in 911 call heard at Lori Vallow trial

Friday 28 April 2023 18:38 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Boyce calls a second break.

Court will end early today at 1.30pm MT.

Friday 28 April 2023 18:36 , Oliver O'Connell

Ms Dye consulted with the family and detectives and completed a death certificate saying Tammy had died of natural causes.

She did eventually attend the autopsy performed in Utah by the medical examiner.

Friday 28 April 2023 18:35 , Oliver O'Connell

Chad said Tammy went to the doctor and had a sprain on her wrist and said she was prescribed Tramadol.

He said she had taken all the medicine and there was no bill pottle in the house.

Ms Dye says she consulted with the detectives and the morgue about whether to do an autopsy and says she found nothing suspicious about the scene.

However, she did ask Chad how Tammy could fall out of bed if she was deceased.

He said he must have pulled the top sheet when he rolled over in his sleep releasing her because she liked to sleep on the edge of the bed.

Because of the rigor mortis, Ms Dye put the time of death at between 12.30am and 2am — some four to five and half hours earlier.

Friday 28 April 2023 18:31 , Oliver O'Connell

Ms Dye says there was blood-tinged sputum coming from Tammy’s mouth.

Before this call, Dye had responded to 20 deaths. None of them had been death by asphyxiation.

As an EMT, Ms Dye had seen the sputum before. She noticed a kitchen hand towel that Chad had used to wipe her face with the towel.

Ms Dye also used the towel to wipe away the sputum but it kept coming out of Tammy’s mouth.

About Tammy’s health, Chad said told Ms Dye: He said that she had been feeling really off lately - like she wasn't in her body.”

He again said she had very low blood pressure, wouldn’t go to the doctor, and that she had been having fainting spells.

When Ms Dye noticed the sputum, Chad said that Tammy had leg convulsions and said she had seizures — information that was not volunteered until more questions were asked.

New witness: Brenda Dye, coroner

Friday 28 April 2023 18:27 , Oliver O'Connell

Brenda Dye, the Fremont County Coroner, is the next witness.

Just before 6 am on 19 October 2019, Ms Dye was called to the scene. She had called Ms Willmore to respond because she lived closer to the Daybell house.

“The reporting party was very distressed and upset so I had the deputy coroner go so she could meet me on scene.”

Ms Dye says Chad was “clearly distraught, upset, crying that his wife was deceased.”

She says she didn’t observe anything that caused concerns. Before going back to see Tammy’s body, Dye spoke with Ms Willmore and Officer Greenhalgh in the kitchen of the home.

Chad’s story was the same as he had told the others.

Friday 28 April 2023 18:22 , Oliver O'Connell

Brenda Dye, the coroner, arrived and took over. As they discussed an autopsy, Chad said he did not want one. Ms Wilmore was concerned by the foam and Tammy’s relatively young age.

Friday 28 April 2023 18:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Ms Wilmore asked if Tammy had been unwell and he told her that she had been ill for a month.

She asked to see Tammy’s medications which consisted of herbs and natural-type medicines but nothing abnormal.

Chad also told her Tammy had been light-headed.

Friday 28 April 2023 18:06 , Oliver O'Connell

Chad told her that Tammy had got sick around midnight and had vomited in the bathroom before coming back to bed.

As she was experiencing menopause, she would sleep with her legs out from under the covers. Later, he heard her fall out of bed.

Ms Wilmore testifies: “He said he got up and she was out of the bed with her head and body down with one leg twisted in the blankets. She was cold and not breathing at the time.”

She says when she walked in, Tammy had “quite a bit of foam” coming out of her mouth, which she says “was odd”.

When Ms Willmore touched Tammy, she realised Tammy had been dead for a while because she was so cold and her body was stiff. She estimates that it had been a few hours.

“She was 49 so this was unusual because she’s not that old. I was looking for things on her neck, bruising, scratches, those kind of things,” Ms Willmore says.

Ms Wilmore speculated that the foam may have been caused by congestive heart failure but was not sure.

“It caused me enough concern that I got my phone and looked up poisoning. I also looked up foam just because I thought it was weird and I had not seen that before.”

New witness: Cammy Wilmore, EMT

Friday 28 April 2023 17:57 , Oliver O'Connell

The next witness is Cammy Wilmore, a Fremont County EMT with 14 years of experience and 40 years as a medical assistant. She was also the deputy coroner for the county and would go on calls when the coroner is absent.

Prior to the death of Tammy Daybell she has only responded to five unattended deaths.

She describes Chad’s demeanour: “He was distressed, distraught, appropriately so, saying he found his wife dead.”

Friday 28 April 2023 17:54 , Oliver O'Connell

As a follow-up question from the prosecution, it is established that Tammy appeared to have been dead for longer than the 10-20 minutes between the call and her arrival at the scene.

Tammy’s body was cold to the touch but Officer Greenhalgh could not determine if rigor mortis was setting in.

Friday 28 April 2023 17:51 , Oliver O'Connell

Jim Archibald cross-examines Officer Greenhalgh, asking what time she responded to the Daybell home.

She says it was around 6am.

“Bodies don’t move if they are deceased. For her to fall off the bed, she would have been alive at that point,” Jim Archibald says before asking if CPR had been performed on Tammy between 5:40am and 6am.

She responds, “To my knowledge, it was not performed.”