BOISE, Idaho — Just 23 hours after Chad Daybell was found guilty of murdering his first wife and two of his current wife Lori Vallow's children, Vallow's only surviving child spoke before the jury ahead of Daybell's sentencing, which includes a possible sentence of the death penalty.
A 12-person jury reached a guilty verdict on Thursday, May 30, 2024. Daybell was found guilty of all nine charges brought against him in the triple murder case.
In addition to the first-degree murders of 49-year-old Tammy Daybell, 7-year-old Joshua "JJ" Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan, Daybell was found guilty on two counts of conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit grand theft by deception and three counts of insurance fraud.
As Daybell returned to the courtroom Friday, May 31 to await his fate, he, along with the jury and the public, heard "victim impact statements" from people the presiding judge deemed to be most impacted by the crimes. They are heard after a criminal conviction and before sentencing. The jury is permitted to consider these statements when deliberating.
JJ and Tylee's older brother, 28-year-old Colby Ryan, was one of eight people to give his statement ahead of Daybell's sentencing.
With Ryan seated just yards away from his siblings' murderer, he shared with sobbing jurors and onlookers, the irreversible pain brought upon him by Chad Daybell.
"I stand here today motherless, fatherless, sisterless and brotherless," Ryan said. "I lost everything I’ve ever known. I lost the ability to share my children with them [JJ and Tylee] ...or have my children know them and be loved by them.”
"But more importantly," Ryan continued. "Tylee and JJ lost their lives. Tylee will never be able to travel like she always wanted to or have a family of her own. JJ will never be able to share his light and love."
Ryan previously testified against Daybell in the course of the trial. He told prosecutors he grew worried about his little sister after she, JJ and his mother, Lori Vallow, moved from Arizona in August of 2019. In his testimony, Ryan said it wasn't until December of 2019 that he became aware of his mother's involvement with Daybell.
He believes Daybell negatively influenced his mom and was the driving force behind her intensifying religious beliefs.
Lori Vallow was convicted in a separate trial in May 2023 for conspiracy to commit murder and first-degree murder of JJ and Tylee. She was also found guilty of grand theft and conspiracy to murder Tammy Daybell.
Ryan was approved by the presiding judge to provide a victim impact statement ahead of his mother's sentencing. He was expected to appear in person, but instead opted to give his statement in the form of a written letter and read aloud.
Vallow was sentenced to life in prison in July of 2023.
Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow were charged after JJ and Tylee's remains were found on Daybell’s property on June 9, 2020. Tylee's remains were found in charred, burnt pieces. JJ was found suffocated and bound in duct tape.
"The only course forward is to trust in Christ knowing that he has them in his arms and wait for the day that we all meet again," Ryan said.
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