Judge removes himself from Lori Daybell case, and one of her attorneys also departs

REXBURG — Lori Vallow Daybell’s court case will see a new magistrate judge and a change in her legal team after a hearing held by phone Friday afternoon.

Earlier this week, defense attorney Mark Means filed paperwork asking that Judge Farren Eddins no longer preside over the case. A reason was not listed. Eddins approved the motion and removed himself from the case Friday. Now court administration will assign a new judge.

The move came after Eddins — who reduced Daybell’s bail from $5 million to $1 million two weeks ago — approved the preliminary hearing to be held May 7-8 instead of the previously scheduled March 18-19 at the Madison County Courthouse. In court documents filed earlier this week, Means and Madison County Prosecuting Attorney Rob Wood had requested that the proceedings be moved back.

During the preliminary hearing, Wood will need to prove that there is enough evidence on the felony charges for the case to proceed to District Court.

On the phone at Friday’s hearing were Means and defense attorney Brian Webb. During the call, Webb said that he planned to withdraw as one of Daybell’s attorneys. It remains unclear whether Edwina Elcox, who works at the same law firm as Webb, also will step away.

Daybell remains in the Madison County Jail and was not present at the hearing. She is charged with two counts of felony child abandonment, misdemeanor resisting and obstructing an officer, solicitation of a crime, and contempt of court. The charges are related to the disappearance of Vallow Daybell’s children, 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan, who have not been seen since September.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the children is asked to contact the Rexburg Police Department at (208) 359-3000, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) at (800) THE-LOST.