Opening arguments for Chad Daybell’s capital murder trial begin Wednesday

BOISE, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Opening arguments in the capital murder trial of Chad Daybell begin on Wednesday in an Ada County Courtroom.

Jury selection for the death penalty case wrapped up last Friday, April 5, and preemptory challenges were held on Monday. Tuesday is the day that Daybell’s defense attorney John Prior, and state prosecutors Lindsey Blake and Rob Wood prepare their opening arguments.

Chad Daybell, who is a self-proclaimed religious author, wrote about the coming of Christ and the end days to Church of Latter-Day Saint’s followers. He claimed he could see light and dark souls.

His beliefs will be at the center of the trial in the first-degree murders of his former wife Tammy Daybell in October of 2019, and his current wife’s two children 7-year-old J.J. Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan, whose bodies were found on Chad Daybell’s property in June of 2020.

Lori Vallow Daybell, Chad’s current wife, was tried and found guilty of the murders last year; and was sentenced by Idaho 7th Judicial District Judge Steven Boyce of multiple life sentences without the possibility of parole.

Chad, however, faces the death penalty on three charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, as well as grand theft and insurance fraud. His trial is expected to last eight to 10 weeks.

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