Chad Daybell, the doomsday author from Idaho, was sentenced to death on Saturday. This sentence comes at the end of a lengthy five-year trial that involved the murders of his first wife and two of his second wife's children.
According to the Daily Beast, the Honorable Steven Boyce presided over the trial and announced the death penalty during the sentencing hearing on Saturday afternoon. The charges against Daybell included first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, grand theft, and insurance fraud. He was found guilty on Thursday.
Judge Boyce commented on the jury’s decision, stating, “The jury has made a finding that it would be appropriate to impose the death penalty.”
Daybell showed no emotion as the sentence was delivered. The judge also mentioned that additional sentencing for lesser charges, such as insurance fraud, would be finalized later in the day.
Prosecutors revealed that Daybell, known for his extreme apocalyptic beliefs, plotted the murders with his second wife, Lori Vallow. The victims were Vallow's two children: Joshua “JJ” Vallow, aged 7, and Tylee Ryan, aged 16. The children were killed in September 2019.
The shocking discovery of their remains in the couple’s backyard in June 2020 intensified the case. A grim month later, Daybell and Vallow allegedly planned the murder of Daybell’s first wife, Tammy Daybell. She was asphyxiated in her Idaho home, and within two weeks, Daybell and Vallow were married.
Vallow faced her own sentencing last year, receiving life in prison for her role in the crimes. Witnesses testified that the couple’s extreme religious views drove them to murder individuals they believed to be obstacles or “dark.”
Fremont County prosecutor Lindsay Blake testified about the manipulative nature of the couple. She highlighted Lori Vallow’s decision to bring her children closer to Chad Daybell despite knowing he considered them “dark.” The prosecutor explained, “Chad labeled her children dark. Their bodies were buried on his property, hidden from those looking for them. With them gone, he could be with Lori. Her time was completely free for him.”
Blake emphasized that money, power, and freedom were primary motivators for Daybell and Vallow. Their relationship thrived without what they saw as earthly constraints—namely, the presence of relatives. Blake noted, “They had money, power, sex, and no obstacles and, specifically, no earthly relatives, no encumbrances. However, they left a wake of destruction and tears for those that had trusted them.”
The case has drawn significant media attention due to the macabre nature of the murders and the strange beliefs of the perpetrators. Daybell’s writings and prophecies about the apocalypse had a niche following but spiraled into a tragic real-life saga.
Judge Boyce directed the court’s attention to the heinous nature of the crimes, reinforcing the jury’s rationale behind the death sentence. “The court is directed that the defendant would be sentenced to death on those counts,” the judge affirmed.
The story of Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow serves as a grim reminder of how deeply held delusions and conspiracies can lead to unthinkable acts. The conclusion of this trial marks a significant point in bringing justice for JJ, Tylee, and Tammy and providing closure for their grieving families and communities.
To summarize, Chad Daybell, Idaho doomsday author, was sentenced to death at the end of a five-year trial. This involved first-degree murders and conspiracies to commit the murder of his first wife and two children of his second wife. The ruling also brought additional sentencing for lesser counts. Witnesses highlighted their extreme beliefs as motivators for the murders, ultimately revealing how Daybell and Lori Vallow sought to eliminate perceived obstacles to their warped vision of a liberated life.
