IDAHO, USA — It could be another six months before Lori Vallow Daybell's criminal case keeps moving in court.
Vallow Daybell, who along with her latest husband Chad Daybell, are charged with the first-degree murder of her children, Tylee and JJ. Her case for those charges has been on pause since May due to mental health concerns.
On Wednesday, an Idaho judge ruled her case will be continued for an additional 180 days as she undergoes mental health treatment. The defendant was ordered to undergo mental health evaluation after she was found "not competent" for trial back in May. At that time, a judge ruled she should be under mental health review by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare for 90 days, in line with Idaho law.
Last month, her attorney requested an extension for this treatment, a motion the judge ultimately granted. The lawyer told the court he felt she was "still not competent to proceed" after reviewing her medical files. A hearing can be requested if her team thinks she might be able to proceed sooner than the additional 180-day continuance.
Lori's husband, Chad Daybell, also had a hearing Wednesday. He appeared in court, which was livestreamed on the judge's YouTube channel. Lori was not present for the hearing, but her two attorneys were on the call.
In Chad's hearing, a judge ruled that Chad's trial should be pushed back from its start date, which was originally scheduled to begin in November 2021. A new date has not yet been determined, but the parties will be expected to come up with a new start date after a hearing next month.
Both Chad and Lori Vallow Daybell, are facing multiple charges connected to multiple deaths. The couple is both charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy in the death of Lori's children, Tylee and JJ. Chad is also charged with the first-degree murder of his first wife, Tammy Daybell.
Chad Daybell's been in jail since June 2020 after investigators found Tylee and JJ buried in his backyard in Idaho. In August, prosecutors announced they’d be seeking the death penalty in his case. Chad Daybell pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Lori Vallow Daybell was arrested in February 2020 and has been in custody in Idaho since March 2020.
In addition to the Idaho charges, she’s also facing a conspiracy to commit murder charge here in Arizona in the death of her former husband, Charles Vallow.
She’ll be allowed to continue her case once she’s deemed competent for trial.
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