Daybell Found Guilty in Murder Trial
Former Doomsday Author Faces Life in Prison
By Matt Johnson
Chad Daybell, the former Doomsday author, has been found guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the deaths of his ex-wife Tammy Daybell and Joshua "JJ" Vallow, 7. The verdict concludes Daybell's nearly two-month trial in the deaths of the two victims.
Daybell had pleaded not guilty to the charges, but the jury deliberated for less than two days before reaching a verdict. The guilty verdict carries a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The case against Daybell stemmed from the bizarre deaths of his ex-wife and JJ Vallow in 2019. Tammy Daybell died suddenly in October 2019, just two weeks after Chad Daybell married Lori Vallow, the mother of JJ Vallow. JJ Vallow disappeared in September 2019 and his body was later found buried in the backyard of Daybell's home in Idaho.
During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Daybell had planned and carried out the murders in order to collect life insurance benefits and inherit the victims' estates. The defense argued that Daybell was innocent and that the deaths were the result of natural causes or accidents.
The jury ultimately rejected the defense's arguments and found Daybell guilty on all charges. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 11, 2023.
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