Opening arguments began in the Boise, Idaho, trial of Lori Vallow Daybell, who is charged with conspiracy, murder and grand theft in the deaths of her two children.
Prosecutor Lindsey Blake cast money as a significant motivating force in the killings of Mrs. Vallow Daybell’s two children, J.J. and Tylee. The state argued that the defendant was irritated by the amount of energy required by special-needs son J.J. and was jealous of the social security money that daughter Tylee was receiving after her father’s death.
“The defendant Lori Vallow Daybell used money, power and sex, or the promise of those things to get what she wanted. What she wanted, was money, power and sex,” Ms. Blake said in his opening statement. “It didn’t matter what obstacle she had to remove to get what she wanted.”
Prosecutors showed images of the two children’s bodies, which were discovered on Mrs. Vallow Daybell’s husband Chad Daybell’s property. Investigators say that both bodies were burned.
“Even the most veteran law enforcement officers that you’ll hear from were disturbed by the scene,” Ms. Blake said.
The defendant’s religious beliefs were also highlighted by the state.
Mrs. Vallow Daybell and her husband bonded over their shared apocalyptic religious views.
Several of her family members and friends said she believed that there were “dark and light” people and that she could identify who they were. She also repeatedly referred to her daughter as “dark.” Prosecutors said that after her children disappeared she did not talk about them and did not aid the search.
The state also revealed the cause of death for Mr. Daybell’s ex-wife, Tammy Daybell. Police initially believed that she had died of natural causes, yet when Mr. Daybell got married a short time after her death, they reopened the investigation and exhumed the body.
Prosecutors revealed that Mrs. Daybell died in a homicide from asphyxiation. They also charged that Mr. Daybell moved the body before first responders arrived.
Prosecutors also frequently brought up Mrs. Vallow Daybell’s deceased brother Alex Cox, her self-professed “protector” who was found dead in 2019 soon after the first Mrs. Daybell was exhumed. His death was ruled to be of natural causes.
Cox shot and killed Mrs. Vallow Daybell’s estranged husband Charles Vallow in self-defense and his cell phone was detected in the area of Tammy Daybell’s home the day that a masked gunman confronted her in her driveway, according to prosecutors.
That same day, they added, Mrs. Vallow Daybell said about Cox in a phone call with an unnamed individual that “he can’t do anything right.”
The prosecution seemed to paint Cox as a possible accomplice. Ms. Blake told the jury that a day before he died Cox told his wife: “I hope I’m not their fall guy.”
Defense Counsel R. James Archibald’s opening statement was short by comparison and focused on the specific charges to his client. He urged the jury to focus on the case at hand and not the media attention and controversy the case has garnered.
He also provided an alibi for Mrs. Vallow Daybell in the deaths of her two children, claiming she was in a separate apartment with friends when the children were killed in an apartment owned by Cox. It also claims that she was in Hawaii when Tammy Daybell was killed.
The defense also touched on the controversial religious beliefs of the defendant but downplayed its role in the charges.
“Thankfully in this country, we can worship how we choose,” Mr. Archibald said.
• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.
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