Medical examiner classified Tammy’s death as homicide by asphyxia

BOISE, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Wednesday May 1, 2024 was another busy day of testimony in the triple murder trial of Chad Daybell at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise.

Dr. Erik Christensen, who was the Utah State Medical Examiner before retiring, examined Tammy Daybell’s body after she was exhumed by court order.

Fremont County Prosecutor Lindsey Blake asks Christensen to describe Tammy’s cause of death. Christensen says asphyxia. Manner of death: homicide.

Christensen elaborated that to the medical examiner, homicide means another person was involved in the victim’s death. Asphyxia means the person was unable to get enough oxygen.

Alice Gilbert, who was a friend of Tammy’s, took the stand to talk about their friendship. She was also asked to testify about the day she was informed of Tammy’s death, and she found it odd that Chad Daybell did not want Alice to tell other church members about Tammy’s passing.

Alice was also shocked at how quickly the services had been planned.

Blake: Did Chad respond when you asked if he had already planned the Funeral, or if had and Tammy had talked about it before?

Alice Gilbert: He said no, but... I felt like... it had been planned.

Alice also testified about learning that after Tammy’s death, Chad had married Lori Vallow and that she learned that Lori’s children were the two that were reported missing from law enforcement.

Alice also testified that Chad had asked Alice and her husband if they would be willing to put up their house and property as bond after Lori had been arrested and was in jail, to which they did not.

Later Wednesday afternoon insurance broker Taylor Ballard was called to the stand and testified to the fact that she had handled the life insurance policies for the Daybell family.

She testified that Tammy’s life insurance amount had been upped to the maximum amount in August or September of 2019. After learning that Chad had remarried in November of 2019, she was concerned they had a fraudulent life insurance payout.

Ballard also testified that Lori’s name had come up and that she was asked about putting life insurance on her while she was in jail, but the names of Lori’s children, Tylee and J.J. were never discussed.

Court adjourned for the day at about 3:15 p.m. and will resume Thursday at 8:30 a.m. at the Ada County Courthouse.

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