(NewsNation) — Opening statements were made Wednesday in the trial of Chad Daybell, the Idaho man accused of killing his first wife and stepchildren from his second marriage.
Daybell, a self-published doomsday fiction author, is facing charges of first-degree murder, insurance fraud and conspiracy to commit murder and grand theft in connection with the deaths of Tammy Daybell, 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan.
“Two dead children buried in the defendant Chad Daybell’s backyard in September 2018. The next month, his wife is found dead in their marital bed. Seventeen days after the death of his wife, Tammy Daybell, this defendant is photographed laughing and dancing on a beach in Hawaii at his wedding to Lori vallow,” the prosecution said in opening statements.
Daybell’s stepchildren disappeared in 2019, and their remains were later found on Daybell’s property in Rexburg. Daybell’s current wife and the children’s mother, Lori Vallow, was convicted last year of murder in their deaths, as well as conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the case of Tammy Daybell, Chad’s late wife.
She received multiple life sentences in July.
Investigators said Chad Daybell’s trial, which is expected to take more than two months, involves unusual claims that the victims were possessed by evil spirits — and more typical claims related to life insurance and social security benefits.
Prosecutors said the couple justified the three killings with doomsday beliefs, part of an elaborate scheme to eliminate any obstacles to their relationship and to obtain money from survivor benefits and life insurance. Vallow referred to her two youngest kids as zombies, one friend testified during her trial.
Unlike Vallow’s trial, the judge in Daybell’s trial is allowing the court proceedings to be livestreamed.
Jury selection in Chad Daybell’s trial ended Tuesday. The jury pool consists of 12 jurors and six alternates, made of 10 men and eight women from Ada County, WTVD reports.
At least two women were dismissed after saying they strongly believed Chad Daybell was guilty. A bulk of the prospective jurors were dismissed due to hardship, especially as the trial is expected to be at least 10 weeks long. Others said deciding whether Chad Daybell should get the death penalty is a decision they just can’t make.
One woman told the court she wouldn’t be able to withstand graphic evidence from the case and that she’d already been losing sleep just thinking she might serve on the panel.
Defense attorney John Pryor, who is representing Chad Daybell, said he wants to tell his side of the story, but it is unclear at this point whether that means his client will take the stand.
The defense’s opening statements indicated it would focus on Lori Vallow, painting her as a “beautiful vivacious woman, very sexual person and very manipulative. And she knows how to get what she wants.”
Chad Daybell faces three counts of first-degree murder, three counts of conspiracy to commit murder, grand theft and insurance fraud. He’s pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Prosecutors said they’ll seek the death penalty if he’s convicted.
NewsNation’s Nancy Loo and Alex Caprariello contributed to this report.