BOISE, Idaho — An Idaho Judge sentenced Chad Daybell to death Saturday for murdering two children from the Valley and killing his first wife.
Judge Steven Boyce sentenced Chad Daybell to death for three counts of murder and three counts of conspiracy. Daybell was also sentenced to 15 years in prison each for two counts of insurance fraud.
The same Idaho jury that convicted Chad Daybell in the murders decided Saturday morning that he should be sentenced to death.
The jury started deliberating the death penalty Friday afternoon and continued Saturday morning, reaching a verdict just before 11 am in Idaho.
The so-called doomsday author was convicted in the deaths of his wife Lori Vallow's two children, 16-year-old Tylee Ryan and 7-year-old JJ Vallow. The jury also found him guilty in the murder of his first wife Tammy Daybell and other conspiracy and insurance fraud charges.
The jury delivered its guilty verdict Thursday afternoon after less than a day of deliberation.
Tammy Daybell died in the Daybell family home in October 2019. A few weeks later, Chad Daybell married Lori Vallow. At the time, her children were missing, until Tylee and JJ's bodies were found buried in Chad Daybell's backyard in 2020.
Investigators determined it was Chad Daybell and LoriVallow's dark religious beliefs that fueled the crimes and their desire to have a relationship without anyone getting in the way.
Lori Vallow was convicted in this case last year and sentenced to life in prison in Idaho.
"Today is sweet justice for us"
The prosecution team behind both Chad and Lori’s murder convictions spoke out for the first time Saturday after Chad Daybell was sentenced to death.
"These cases are hard," said Prosecutor Rob Wood. "They’re really hard to do. The victims were just such a motivating factor."
The victim's families, many who have been outspoken since the beginning of this case, also shared some thoughts.
"It’s a weird feeling," said Colby Ryan, Tylee and JJ's older brother. "You never wish harm on anybody, regardless of what they’ve done to you. But at the end of the day, it’s good he can’t hurt anybody else."
Colby told jurors Friday in a victim impact statement that he felt like he lost his mother along with his sister and brother.
"We have to live with the fact that we don’t have the people we love in our lives anymore," he said to reporters after the judge imposed Daybell's sentence. "But I want to honor them."
Chad Daybell turned down his last opportunity to address the court Saturday. He remained emotionless, like he's been throughout the trial.
Tammy's family spoke about Tammy's legacy and encouraged people to contribute a nonprofit they founded in her honor, the Tammy Douglas Daybell Foundation. The foundation aims to provide children with books and increase literacy.
"Her mom passed last year," said Tammy's aunt, Vicki Hoban. "Those were the last years of her life knowing her daughter had been murdered. Today is sweet justice for us."
JJ Vallow's grandparents, Kay and Larry Woodock, were the first to alert authorities that the children were missing.
Larry spoke how the victims family members forged a bittersweet bond through this process and how the Tammy's family, law enforcement and everyone who worked on the case had become family to them.
"Justice has been carried out for everybody involved in this," Woodcock said.
For JJ’s grandparents, the pursuit of justice will continue in Arizona.
Lori Vallow is facing additional conspiracy to commit murder charges out of Gilbert and Chandler. One of the cases she's charged in is the death of her former husband Charles Vallow, JJ’s father and Kay Woodcock’s brother.
Lori Vallow is currently being held at the Estrella jail and her next hearing is schedule for next week.
Alex Cox, Lori's brother, is believe to be a co-conspirator in these cases in Arizona and Idaho. He can't be charged because he died at his home in Gilbert in December 2019.
What's next for Chad Daybell?
Prosecutors couldn’t comment whether Chad Daybell would be moved Saturday. He'll eventually be booked in an Idaho prison. He'll be the ninth person currently on Idaho's death row.
12News reached out to Daybell's attorney Saturday afternoon and have not heard back yet.
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