Who is Chad Daybell and where is he now?
Daybell was accused of killing his ex-wife, as well as his current wife's two children in 2019
Daybell was accused of killing his ex-wife, as well as his current wife's two children in 2019
AFTER a two-month long trial, it took jurors less than nine hours over a two-day period to reach a unanimous decision on the self-proclaimed "Doomsday prophet's" fate.
On Saturday, June 1, 2024, Chad Daybell received the death penalty after being convicted for murdering his first wife and Vallow's two children.
Chad Daybell is a self-published author who wrote over two dozen books about near-death and doomsday events.
Some of his novels include The Great Gathering, Evading Babylon, and Days of Fury.
Daybell and his wife, Lori Vallow, were officially indicted on May 25, 2021, on first-degree murder charges over the disappearance of Vallow's two children, JJ and Tylee.
He was also indicted of first-degree murder in the death of his then-wife Tammy Daybell, who died under "suspicious circumstances" in 2019.
His late ex-wife was found dead inside their home on October 19, 2019, with an autopsy later finding she died of asphyxiation.
Vallow was arrested in Hawaii in February 2020 — five months after her children disappeared.
She was charged with child abandonment and obstructing the investigation and was later extradited to Idaho.
After failing to show proof of life for her children, she was taken into custody.
Vallow also has an adult son, Colby, who slammed her for not revealing the whereabouts of his siblings.
Both Daybell and Vallow reportedly believe themselves to be members of a doomsday cult.
After several delays, Vallow's trial began in April 2023, with a verdict being reached five weeks later.
The jury convicted her of all charges — Vallow was sentenced to life in prison in July of the same year.
On January 12, 2024, Daybell's lawyer, John Prior, filed a petition to no longer represent Daybell, according to documents seen by Fox affiliate .
Prior, who has represented Daybell since 2021, said the case was "extraordinarily complex" and that Daybell had exhausted all his payment options.
A hearing was held on January 18 to hear Prior's motion to withdraw, according to ABC affiliate .
Expressing concerns over the trial being potentially delayed by over a year if Prior left the case, a judge denied the petition, per additional reporting by .
Daybell remained incarcerated at Fremont County Jail until March 21, 2024, when he was transferred to Ada County Jail to await trial, which began on April 1.
Weeks later, on May 30, he was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Tammy Daybell and Lori Vallow's children, Joshua and Tylee.
On Saturday, June 1, 2024, Daybell was sentenced to death.
He reportedly sat still with his hands in his lap, and was emotionless when the verdict was read.
Joshua, 7, and Tylee, 17, vanished in September 2019.
Tylee was last seen heading into Yellowstone National Park with her mom, while JJ was last seen by school officials several days later.
A search was launched after relatives raised concerns about the children.
Both Daybell and Vallow claimed the children were staying with friends, according to investigators.
The children still had not been located by JJ's birthday in late May.
“Our feelings of extreme anguish and despondency were prevalent throughout the period approaching JJ’s 8th birthday,” grandparent Kay Woodcock wrote in a Facebook post.
“Our Rexburg family hosted a poignant vigil on Monday 5/25 in honor of our little man. ... We are comforted knowing their commitment is as strong as ours.”
Larry and Kay Woodcock announced a $20,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of the kids.
Cops also issued a moving tribute on JJ's birthday.
The "charred remains" of Vallow's children were then found wrapped in plastic bags and buried in a pet cemetery on Daybell's property.
Investigators made the grisly discovery at Daybell's home on June 9, 2020.