ADA COUNTY, Idaho — Lori Vallow intently watched her former friend Melanie Gibb on the witness stand Thursday, as Gibb told the jury Vallow genuinely believed the people in her life had turned to zombies and were "possessed."
Gibb and Vallow became fast friends in 2018 in Arizona after meeting at a church event. But once Vallow met Chad Daybell -- she changed, Gibb said. She would parrot Daybell's teachings and insert them into her own life.
Gibb was already concerned with Lori Vallow's behavior -- she was exhibiting beliefs that seemed out of the ordinary with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and telling people that Charles Vallow was possessed by a spirit named "Ned."
Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow, who are married, are both charged with the murders of Vallow's children, as well as the murder of Daybell's former wife, Tammy Daybell. The two are also charged with conspiracy to commit murder and grand theft in relation to the deaths. The opening statements in Vallow's trial began Monday.
The jury seemed surprised to hear Gibb mention what felt like the beginning of the end -- the shooting of Charles Vallow in Chandler, Arizona on July 11, 2019. Alex Cox, Lori Vallow's brother, shot Charles Vallow in the chest and claimed self-defense after the two got in an argument. Lori Vallow told Gibb when Charles Vallow was alive he was supposed to die in a car accident, but never did "because Satan interfered with the plan."
Gibb said Lori Vallow and Daybell had already been communicating nearly every day at this point. They were affectionate, flirtatious and engaged in a "secret" affair. Gibb also said Lori Vallow even had two or three phones, with one just dedicated for correspondence with Chad Daybell.
Lori Vallow told Gibb the "dark" people — those possessed by an evil spirit — were Charles Vallow, Brandon Boudreaux, Adam Cox, Lori Vallow's father, Tylee Ryan, Kay Woodcock and JJ Vallow, Gibb told the jury.
When Charles Vallow was killed, it was hard for his widow to take care of JJ Vallow, their adopted son, and "be with Chad" at the same time, Gibb said.
Lori Vallow later moved to Rexburg, Idaho in the middle of 2019 taking her two children -- JJ Vallow, 7, and Tylee Ryan, 16 -- with her. Rexburg was also where Chad Daybell resided with his wife, Tammy Daybell. Shortly after, Cox even moved to Rexburg, too.
Gibb came down to Rexburg to visit her friend, staying at Vallow's home. Tylee Ryan was nowhere to be found, so Gibb said she asked about her -- and Vallow replied "She's at BYU, I moved her in a dorm with some female friends."
That was when Gibb said Lori Vallow began making comments about her son, JJ Vallow.
"She said he would say things like, 'I love Satan' and climb up on the cabinets and refrigerator," Gibb said.
The last time Gibb saw JJ Vallow on the night of Sept. 22, 2019, he was being carried up the stairs asleep by Cox. Gibb said she actually stayed in the children's rooms that night -- neither were there. Gibb left for Arizona the next day.
In early November, Gibb gets a call from Chad Daybell, she said. He told her if Rexburg Police call her, to not answer the phone -- because Lori Vallow had actually told police her son was with Gibb in Arizona at a movie, 'Frozen 2'.
After a month, Gibb finally calls Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell to ask where JJ Vallow really was. The jury hears this phone call. Lori Vallow tells Gibb that her son is "happy and safe" and she knows where he is. Gibb asks why her friend isn't telling anyone where JJ Vallow is -- to which she responds, "If they don't know anything they don't have to say they know. I am just keeping him protected."
Gibb tells Lori Vallow over the phone call that she doesn't believe her behavior in all this is very "Christ-like."
"Your salvation is in trouble," Gibb tells her. "I believe you have been deceived by Satan, he has tricked you. Tammy dies, and then your husband died, and then he’s missing. It doesn’t sound like God’s plan to me. In my gut, it feels weird."
"You know me, Mel," Lori Vallow replies. "This doesn't sound like you. This sounds like you're being influenced by somebody dark."
Gibb later tells Fremont County Prosecutor Lindsey Blake that Lori Vallow would know where JJ Vallow was "because that's her son."
Arizona police testify
In an unexpected turn of events, the prosecution began introducing evidence from the murder of Charles Vallow into trial Thursday. This is rare, but the judge gave the jury more instructions -- only to consider this evidence as a reason for motive, and nothing else.
Det. Nathan Duncan with the Chandler Police Department told the jury he responded to the shooting of Charles Vallow that day. Cox had made the 911 call, said he shot Charles Vallow in self-defense and that he did CPR on him after he was on the ground.
“I have not responded to a shooting death” with so little blood, Duncan told the jury. He explained this is because if someone does CPR on a victim with a wound, it will pump the heart enough to start circulating some blood again which will seep out of the wound, he said. This was not the case.
Duncan eventually learned who Chad Daybell was because he had made a phone call to the mortuary where Charles Vallow was the night he died.
Daybell told the person on the other line his name was "Chad Daybal" from Iowa, and he was inquiring about the cost of cremation in order to send the remains to Louisiana, where Charles Vallow was from.
It was at that point the jury heard a 15-minute audio recording from Lori Vallow's iCloud account that Duncan had obtained. It was Daybell giving Cox a patriarchal blessing, something that only high power members of the LDS church are able to give due to their authority. Daybell did not have this authority, Duncan said.
Daybell is heard telling Cox he is a warrior, a hero, a protector of goddesses. He said Cox was "selected" to help protect his sister. Lori Vallow is heard in the background.
"I see you gathering little children in your arms, saving them from floodwaters," Daybell said. The jury looks back and forth, shocked.
"You will be looked upon as an angel on Earth, you will literally glow," Daybell told Cox, as someone cried in the background.
"You have nine angels assigned to you now," Daybell said. "I know you will stay faithful. You have a great mission."
Alex Cox later dies of natural causes two weeks after this blessing.
After the recording is finished, the jury looked stoic, shocked. It was at that time Judge Steven Boyce wrapped it up for the day. Duncan's testimony will continue Friday.
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