Lori Daybell’s Idaho case on hold after competency decision. She may face Arizona charges
Just days after being indicted by a grand jury on murder and other charges in Idaho, Lori Daybell’s case is on hold.
Daybell was declared not competent to stand trial, according to an order filed Thursday morning in a Fremont County court. Daybell now needs restorative treatment and must be returned to competency before her case can move forward.
In March, the court filed an order under seal to evaluate Daybell’s competency, and this reflects the findings of that evaluation. The order notes that prosecutors are contesting the outcome, and a hearing will be needed.
While her Idaho case is on pause, Daybell could face charges in Arizona soon.
According to 12News, a TV station in Phoenix, police in Chandler, Arizona, submitted potential criminal charges to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office last month, including a potential charge of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder for Daybell. This stems from the death of Daybell’s former husband, Charles Vallow, who was shot and killed on July 11, 2019, by Daybell’s brother, Alex Cox.
Cox — who died in December 2019 due to natural causes, according to a medical examiner’s report — claimed that the shooting was in self-defense.
Prosecutors on Tuesday announced an array of charges against Lori and Chad Daybell in 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 9th 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 Tammy’s death. The two also face theft and insurance fraud charges.
Lori was arrested on Feb. 20, 2020, in Hawaii before she was extradited back to Idaho while the children still were listed as missing, and she had failed to disclose their whereabouts or produce them. She later was charged with two felony counts of conspiracy to commit destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence after the children’s bodies were found on Chad’s property. Since her arrest, she has been in the custody of the Madison County Jail.
Chad was originally arrested on 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. He is being held without bail at the Fremont County Jail.
This story was originally published May 27, 2021 at 12:38 PM.
