BOISE, Idaho — Opening arguments in the trial of Chad Daybell are scheduled to begin on Wednesday, April 10.
View the live stream of the courtroom in the video player below.
3:34 pm: With nothing further to discuss for the day, Judge Boyce dismisses the session. Court is scheduled to begin tomorrow morning at 8:30 am.
3:31 pm: Judge Boyce dismisses the jurors for the day and plans to discuss an additional item after they have exited.
3:30 pm: As the excavation progressed, a small body wrapped in black plastic was uncovered.
3:28 pm: A black, round object was retrieved from the site, Hermosillo describes it as shaped like a human head. When an incision was made into the black plastic, it revealed brown human hair according to Hermosillo.
3:27 pm: As the excavation continued, it was revealed that there were white rocks under the dirt, and beneath these were wooden boards. When the boards were removed, there was visible discoloration in the soil.
3:25 pm: Hermosillo says that ERT members marked off the area under the tree and began to excavate, at which point the detective says he began to smell a foul odor.
3:18 pm: Hermosillo explains that Daybell asked to make a phone call when the detective arrived on his property. During his call, Hermosillo noticed that Daybell was looking over his right shoulder, which the detective found odd. Hermosillo shifted his gaze to see what Daybell was looking at so intently, which ended up being an area under a tree by the pond on Chad Daybell's property.
3:16 pm: Hermosillo now uses a laser pointer to identify different sections of Daybell's property as he describes the process of executing the warrant.
3:03 pm: Judge Boyce admits another exhibit from Wood following an overruled objection from Prior. The exhibit is a Google Earth image depicting Daybell's property in Fremont County.
3:00 pm: Wood now questions Hermosillo about the warrant executed by the detective at Chad Daybell's house on June 9, 2020.
2:54 pm: Judge Boyce is back in the courtroom following the brief recess. Detective Ray Hermosillo is back on the stand.
2:30 pm: Judge Boyce calls for an afternoon recess, the courtroom livestream should return shortly.
2:09 pm: Hermosillo explains that he was enlisted to assist in serving the court order, which Lori Vallow was served the next day. Lori Vallow never produced the children to the Rexburg Police Department.
2:07 pm: Hermosillo explains that he learned of Chad Daybell's whereabouts in January 2020 after eyewitnesses called the police department and said he was with Lori Vallow on Kauai.
2:00 pm: Hermosillo says that Lori and Chad never contacted Rexburg police regarding the missing children. The FBI, Chandler police, and Gilbert police were all brought into the search for the children as JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan were entered into the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
1:54 pm: Hermosillo confirms that JJ Vallow was not located during the Nov. 27 wellness check, and after detectives spoke with Colby Ryan (JJ and Tylee's brother), their search widened to include Tylee Ryan.
1:44 pm: Another photo shows what Hermosillo describes as a Halloween mask, along with duct tape and rope.
1:39 pm: The photos continue to be shown on the screen. Hermosillo describes a photo that shows rifle magazines, suppressors, ammunition, and other items that were stored in plastic bins on the property. Another photo depicts two rifles.
1:27 pm: Another photo depicts Alex Cox's room. Hermosillo explains that the photos show two white Tyvek suits laid out on the floor.
1:24 pm: Hermosillo continues as another photo is shown. Hermosillo says that the empty hangers set off some red flags. Hermosillo says it seemed that Lori Vallow grabbed her clothes and quickly took off.
1:23 pm: Another of the photos depicts several "72-hour-kits" near the child's Star Wars suitcase.
1:19 pm: Wood now asks Hermosillo about the photos, questioning the detective regarding what he observed on the scene that day. Hermosillo goes on to describe the details of the photos, including the child's suitcase which is visible in one of the photos.
1:16 pm: The exhibits are photos of Lori Vallow's residence, taken on Nov. 27, 2019. Prior asks questions about who took the photos, Hermosillo responds that he doesn't know who took the photos, but states that he was on the premises while they were being taken. Prior objects to having the photos admitted. Judge Boyce overrules the objection and admits the photos.
1:13 pm: Wood continues to question Hermosillo, asking for more exhibits to be admitted.
1:05 pm: Detective Hermosillo is back on the stand as court resumes following the recess.
11:52 am: The courtroom breaks for an afternoon recess, which should last around an hour.
11:47 am: Hermosillo notes that when they searched the house, they did not find JJ Vallow. They did see that all of the clothes were missing from the closets. Investigators also found a drug container that was prescribed to JJ Vallow.
11:45 am: Hermosillo explains that his goal at this point was to find JJ, causing him to go to the prosecutor's office to get a warrant.
11:40 am: Hermosillo says he asked for Lori's number again, this time from Chad who gave him the contact information but said he felt that Hermosillo was accusing him of something, which is why he didn't hand over the phone number earlier.
11:38 am: Hermosillo explains that he asked Chad Daybell when the last time he saw JJ Vallow was, to which Daybell responds by saying he had only met Lori a couple of times and didn't know her very well. According to Hermosillo, Daybell claimed to have seen JJ about a month earlier in October.
11: 36 am: Hermosillo continues, explaining that he was directed to a nearby apartment by Alex Cox to contact Lori, but when he knocked on the door there was no response.
11:34 am: Hermosillo says he then asked for Lori's phone number, which Alex Cox said he did not have. Hermosillo felt deceived by this, knowing that Alex was close to Lori, and called for more detectives to come to the scene.
11:29 am: Wood now asks Hermosillo about the November 26 wellness check for JJ Vallow. Hermosillo explains that Chad Daybell and Alex Cox were unloading a truck on the property when he asked them about the whereabouts of Lori and JJ Vallow. Hermosillo noted that Alex got a frightened look on his face following the question, and Daybell eventually responded that JJ Vallow was with his grandma, which Hermosillo said was unlikely because she was the one who called in the wellness check.
11:24 am: Hermosillo discusses pictures of JJ Vallow, explaining that they were found on Lori Vallow's iCloud account during his investigation. This prompts Prior to ask to approach.
11:21 am: Wood asks for three exhibits to be admitted and shown to Hermosillo. The first is a birth certificate for Canaan Todd Trahan, the second is an adoption decree for Canaan Trahan which indicates a name change from Canaan Todd to Joshua Jackson (JJ) Vallow, and exhibit 3 is the birth certificate for Joshua Jackson Vallow.
11:18 am: Hermosillo explains that he was then asked to do a welfare check on JJ Vallow. The detective was given a brief description of the child and told he should be living with his mother, Lori Vallow.
11:13 am: Hermosillo is asked if he knew of the children involved in the case at that time, or if he ever saw them with Lori or Chad. Hermosillo responds that he did not know about the children and did not see them with Lori or Chad.
11:11 am: Hermosillo is shown photos by Wood, both are of the Jeep. Wood asks if the photos depict the Jeep he was asked to seize, which Hermosillo confirms.
11:08 am: Hermosillo explains that he was asked by the Gilbert Police to seize the jeep and conduct surveillance on the residence where it was found. Prior asks Hermosillo if he personally went through the jeep, to which the detective clarifies that he did. Prior has no further questions.
11:03 am: Wood questions Hermosillo first. Hermosillo says he was contacted about a Jeep in Rexburg that was possibly involved in a homicide in Arizona on November 1, 2019.
10:59 am: The first witness takes the stand, he is Rexburg Detective Ray Hermosillo.
10:53 am: Prior finishes his opening statements as Judge Boyce calls for a sidebar to discuss the trial timeline.
10:52 am: Prior tells the jurors that they will hear testimony that suggests Alex Cox was at Chad Daybell's house on several occasions.
10:49 am: Prior explains that he plans to bring forward a DNA expert and a forensic pathologist to discuss the evidence which, according to Prior, shows no signs of Daybell.
10:44 am: Prior explains that Alex Cox shot Lori Vallow's third husband, Joseph Ryan, with a taser in 2007, years before Vallow met Daybell. Prior continues, stating that Cox would run to the rescue whenever Lori Vallow was in trouble.
10:41 am: Prior details Lori Vallow's marital history, explaining that her marriages were tumultuous and short-lived.
10:40 am: Prior emphasizes that Lori Vallow gave Daybell a lot of attention, pursuing and encouraging him in his book sales and business following their meeting in October of 2018.
10:37 am: Prior begins his opening statements with a reminder to the jury that the facts and evidence, not speculation, are what's important in the case. Prior details Daybell's experience on his mission, which he served in New Jersey, and the books Daybell wrote about his religious experiences.
10:31 am: The jury is back in the courtroom following a brief morning recess. Now, Daybell's attorney John Prior prepares to deliver his opening statements.
10:02 am: Judge Boyce initiates the morning recess as Wood concludes his opening statements.
10:00 am: Wood explains the alleged timeline of events, including when Chad and Lori met, when Charles Vallow was killed, When the children were killed, the marriage of Chad and Lori, and when the bodies were found on Chad Daybell's property.
9:47 am: Wood continues, explaining that Daybell and Vallow viewed any opposition to their ideology as dark spirits or zombies.
9:44 am: Following brief technical issues, Wood introduces chapter 2 of his presentation which highlights the impression left by Lori Vallow on Daybell.
9:43 am: During the presentation, Wood states that "his desire for sex, money, and power led to the deaths of his wife and two innocent children."
9:41 am: The clerk finishes reading the indictment. Now, attorney Rob Wood stands before the jury, walking them through a PowerPoint presentation and delivering the prosecution's opening statements.
9:32 am: With jury instruction now complete, a clerk reads the amended indictment to the jurors.
9:28 am: Jurors are told to not discuss the case with anyone and to refrain from any media discussing the trial.
9:23 am: Judge Boyce explains the role of the jurors in the trial process, emphasizing that he will not express any opinion on witnesses and whether they are to be believed or not. Boyce continues, explaining to the jury that they must determine Chad Daybell's guilt based only on information presented in the court.
9:15 am: The jurors, attorneys and Judge Boyce have entered the courtroom. The session opens with a reminder from Judge Boyce to jurors that Chad Daybell had pleaded not guilty to the charges he faces. The jurors are sworn in and the trial schedule is set from 8:30 am to 3:30 am on weekdays.
