Lori, Chad Daybell appear in Idaho court the day after murder charges were filed
Just a day after being charged with multiple counts of murder, incarcerated couple Chad and Lori Vallow Daybell appeared in Idaho court hearings before a judge Wednesday morning.
Neither entered pleas to the slew of new charges they are facing.
Chad appeared alongside his attorney, John Prior, for a hearing that started just after 11 a.m. via video conference. Judge Faren Eddins read Chad each of the eight charges he faces, including first-degree murder, which is punishable by the death penalty or up to life in prison.
Chad Daybell told the court that he received a copy of the indictment and understood the charges against him. The judge also mentioned that Chad, already in jail on $1 million bail on earlier charges, now would be held on a no-bail warrant.
The hearing lasted ony 10 minutes, ending just before 11:15 a.m. Chad Daybell’s next hearing is an arraignment scheduled for June 9.
Lori Daybell appeared briefly before the same judge in a video call with her attorney, Mark Means, at around 11:45 a.m. The initial appearance quickly was continued and will be rescheduled; a new date was not announced during the brief hearing.
Prosecutors on Tuesday announced an array of charges in connection to the deaths of Chad’s former wife, Tammy Daybell, and Lori’s children, Tylee Ryan and Joshua “JJ” Vallow. The announcement came on what would have been JJ Vallow’s ninth birthday.
Chad and Lori Daybell each face counts of conspiracy to commit murder and first-degree murder in the deaths of the children, and conspiracy to commit murder in the death of Tammy Daybell. Chad also faces a first-degree murder count in her death.
Chad Daybell also faces two counts of felony insurance fraud, as prosecutors allege he received funds from two life insurance policies he had on Tammy Daybell before her death.
Lori Daybell is also charged with one felony count of grand theft, as she allegedly received over $1,000 in Social Security Survivor benefits after Tylee and JJ were reported missing.
The bodies of Tylee and JJ were found last year on Chad’s property in East Idaho. Tylee’s body was dismembered and burned, according to court records. JJ’s body was found wrapped in black plastic and duct tape.
A grand jury in Fremont County convened in the past week before handing down the new indictments.
Prior to the murder charges being filed, Chad and Lori were arrested and charged with lesser crimes.
Chad was arrested June 2, 2020, on two felony counts of destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence, as well as two counts of conspiracy to destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence.
Lori was arrested on Feb. 20, 2020, in Hawaii before she was extradited back to Idaho to face charges. She was charged with two felony counts of conspiracy to commit destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence. Like Chad, she also was initially held on a $1 million bond amount. She is at the Madison County Jail.
