Day four of the Lori Vallow Daybell Trial filled with testimony from witnesses for the prosecution

BOISE, Idaho — On Thursday, a full day of prosecution witnesses is expected in the trial against Lori Vallow Daybell, with prosecutors looking to connect the dots between Daybell and her alleged co-conspirators, Alex Cox and Chad Daybell.

On Wednesday, the jury heard the voices of Chad and Lori for the first time on a phone call played from the day authorities began searching Chad's property for remains.

"What do you want me to do? Pray?" Lori can be heard saying in the recording.

Prosecutors also question Lieutenant Powell of the Fremont County Sheriff's office why authorities decided to exhume the remains of Chad's first wife, Tammy Daybell.

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"She was healthy, her age. There was no sign of heart or blood pressure issues. And with her husband being with another lady so soon," Powell testified.

The defense maintains Lori's alibi that she was in Hawaii when Tammy died.

Lori faces multiple counts of murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

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Our partner Nate Eaton of East Idaho News is inside the courtroom and has reported a woman with a hat pulled over her face was escorted into the courtroom this morning by Rexburg police. Speculation is that it is Melanie Gibb, the friend of Lori Vallow Daybell who lives in Arizona.

WITNESS TESTIMONY

Melanie Gibb is called to the stand by the Prosecution.

WITNESS TESTIMONY

After establishing the friendship between Melanie and Lori, the questions pivoted to the relationship, as Gibb saw it, between Chad and Lori. When and how they met, their religious beliefs, and events in their relationship while Lori was still married to Charles Vallow and Chad married to Tammy Daybell.

Gibb testified that Lori and Chad both believed that you can come back to this world many times. Lori believed she and Chad had been married in a past life and were sealed by Jesus Christ.

Gibb's testimony continued to get into the details of Lori's belief that Chad and Lori were in charge of a group of 144,000 people who are waiting for the end of time.

Gibb also detailed the scale of Light and Dark that they used to assess people. "Light" people were said to be in contract with the Savior, and "Dark" people, they believed, were in contract with "Satan". The way people are tied to good and evil.

The testimony then shifted to discuss Charles. Gibb said that Chad had told Lori that Charles was taken over by an evil spirit in January 2019, and Lori believed him.

Gibb then described "castings". A casting began as a prayer and was used to cast evil spirits out of someone. Gibb participated in a casting with Lori in early 2019 to rid Charles of his evil spirit.

Multiple castings were performed for Charles Vallow, though Chad was only present at one of them.

Gibb testified that Lori also believed that Brandon Bordeaux and Tylee were dark and that JJ had become possessed.

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In July 2019, Lori's brother, Alex Cox, came to stay because Lori felt she needed protection from Charles. This was when an alleged argument ensued that led to Cox shooting Charles, claiming self-defense.

Gibb testifies she did not witness the shooting.

Gibb says Chad visited within a week or so after the death of Charles Vallow, and that Chad and Lori appeared to be very happy.

Gibb then discussed the cell phone communication between Chad and Lori, and that Lori had a phone just for Chad. She also confirmed that Lori had told her the two were intimate, even though they were both married.

After Charles' death, Lori told Gibb that JJ was becoming very difficult to handle, and that Lori was going to ask Kay Woodcock to take custody of JJ.

Gibb testified that the last time she saw Tylee was just before they moved to Idaho. Although on one occasion Gibb visited Idaho with her boyfriend, David Warwick, she only saw JJ, not Tylee.

Gibb testified that Chad had told Lori that JJ had become dark. And although Lori told her JJ's behavior and demeanor had changed, Gibb didn't notice any change, and that JJ was a typical young autistic seven-year-old.

Gibb testified that Chad and Lori were affectionate during the visit, but that Chad asked Warwick not to share information about their relationship with people.

The last time Gibb saw JJ was on September 22 when her brother, Alex Cox, took him upstairs in Lori's apartment. Gibb and Warwick had left the next day.

The prosecution circled back with Gibb about conversations she had with Lori about why Lori thought Charles was trying to kill her. Lori believed Charles wanted the money from a $1 million life insurance policy on Lori's life. Lori also told her that if Charles died, his sister Kay would receive the money from Charles' $1 million life insurance policy.

Asking why Lori just didn't divorce Charles, Lori told Gibb she didn't believe in divorce due to religious views.

Gibb testified that she next spoke with Chad in November 2019. It was during this call that Chad told her the Rexburg police would be calling because they were looking for JJ and told her not to answer the phone.

Listen to the call between Melanie Gibb, Chad, and Lori Vallow Daybell

Gibb testified she thought JJ was with his grandparents, but Chad told her that wasn't the case. Lori informed Gibb that she (Lori) had told police that JJ was watching "Frozen" with Gibb and asked her to take photos of random kids at the movie theater and send them to the police.

At first, Gibb avoided police phone calls but eventually spoke with them to tell them she did not have JJ and he had not been with her.

The prosecution entered a 20-minute phone call into evidence between Gibb and Chad and Lori when Gibb confronts them about JJ. Gibb had recorded the call.

Also in the taped conversation, Lori said she will do what the Lord tells her to do and that Kay Woodcock had threatened her. Then they talked about scriptures, and Gibb told Lori she was concerned Lori was being tricked by Satan. Lori struck back saying maybe it was Gibb that was being influenced by dark thoughts.

In the call ,Chad also claimed that his wife Tammy was not healthy and was getting weak, and that was why she died.

The call proceeds to get combative with accusations from both sides about who believes in what, and what is happening with JJ. The call ends abruptly.

The judge takes a morning recess.

The prosecution resumes questioning Melanie Gibb.

Gibb is testifying that Lori had said that Tammy Daybell had been suspicious of the affair (between Chad and Lori, and that she had turned dark approximately two weeks before her death.

Gibb testified that Lori was very happy to marry Chad and had never shown remorse or sadness, similar to the reaction from Lori after Charles died.

Gibb then discussed Lori's belief in zombie teachings and how Gibb didn't believe in them. Gibb shared her feelings with Cox, who sided with Lori telling Gibb he completely believed in them. They considered Charles, Tylee, JJ, and Tammy were zombies.

The state completed their questioning when Gibb finally testified that she asked Cox what happened to JJ and was told she didn't want to know.

The defense takes the floor for cross-examination.

Again, defense is clarifying when the was the last contact the witness had with the prosecution, Gibbs states that except within the last month, it had been years ago, and even then it was on a Zoom call. She admits to being "forgetful".

Gibbs testified that she had created a 7-page document with her testimony that was completed in 2020. The defenseThe state immediately reacts asking that the witness testimony be stricken, as he says the prosecution never provided the statements to the defense.

The judge is having a sidebar with the attorneys away from the jury. The judge determines the motion to strike is unfounded. Motion to strike the testimony is denied.

The defense moves on to clarify the relationship between Gibb and Lori, how they met, how often they attended Temple, together and the beliefs they shared.

The defense also inquires about her knowledge of children who are autistic. Gibb responds that she is very familiar with the condition, but not aware of JJ's routine.

The defense then moves on to question the practice of "casting" and what it means, remarking it sounds like some kind of witchcraft. Gibbs says it was more innocent and based on prayer, and that she had interpreted it to be more in line with the works of Jesus. Gibb confirms she does not fully believe in the assessments of people being Light and Dark.

The defense brings up the topic of zombies. Gibbs testified that it was a bizarre teaching, and Lori had also thought it was bizarre in how it was explained to her by Chad. She also testified that Chad told both Lori and Gibb that Tylee became a zombie when she was 12-13 years old, but they only knew it when she was 16.

Gibb testifies she never participated in any casting for JJ or Tylee.

Upon continued cross after lunch, the defense asked questions about what was meant by JJ being "possessed", Gibb said she took it to mean possessed by an evil spirit. The defense then asked for information about the shooting of Charles Vallow and about Gibb's relationship with Tylee, of which she testified that Tylee didn't like her very much.

The defense continues by asking Gibb if, since Kay Woodcock was to receive the money from Charles's life insurance policy, was there any financial incentive for Lori. Gibb says she doesn't know. The defense also inquires where Gibb heard Chad would lose his status in the church if he were to divorce Tammy, Gibb says that what Lori told her.

Gibb then admits to initially lying to police about JJ, saying "I had him but I don't have him anymore", and that Lori came to pick him up. She now says that was not the truth.

Gibb also testified she contacted the Gilbert AZ Police and said she would send the recording of the telephone conversation to them. When asked why she recorded the call, Gibb acknowledged she was concerned about JJ.

Additional questions arose regarding Gibb's knowledge of Lori's whereabouts when Tammy died, and questions about religious knowledge and beliefs.

Finally, questioning focused on conversations that Gibbs had with Alex Cox. Gibbs confirmed that Cox told her that she didn't want to know where the children were. Cox also told Gibb that Chad had given him a patriarchal blessing that Cox was honored to have. Gibb also later spoke with Cox's wife, who conveyed that Alex had said the kids could not be found.

The defense had no further questions for Melanie Gibb.

Upon redirect, the prosecution asks if Gibb ever noticed anything out of the ordinary in Tylee's behavior. Gibbs said nothing out of the ordinary for a teen.

Prosecution also inquired about a trip Gibb took to Hawaii in February 2019 to visit Lori. Gibb testified that Lori was in regular contact with Chad on the telephone. Tammy and Charles were both alive during this time.

Gibb testified that Lori contacted her a few days after Charles died, and she was concerned Chad and Lori would try to accuse her of something. This is what motivated her to record the call with them.

Gibb said that previously she had always felt Lori was very convincing, but by this time, she believed that Lori was teaching her things for Lori's personal gain and no longer believed in her.

Gibb confirmed that she observed a pattern with Lori when someone would question Lori or think something suspicious, Lori would deem them dark or refer to them as a zombie. Gibb then testified that Lori referred to Tylee, JJ and Charles as zombies, and Lori believed that Tammy was possessed. She also testified that Cox was designated as the protector for Lori.

The state has no further questions, and the defense does not ask for a re-cross. Melanie Gibb is dismissed.

NEW WITNESS

The next witness called by the state is Chandler, AZ Police Detective Nathan Duncan, who works in the robbery and homicide unit. Duncan was the detective that responded to the call the morning Cox reported he had shot his brother-in-law, Charles Vallow, in self-defense.

The prosecution admits documents detailing the call and officer response.

Questioning of Duncan continues detailing the scene, investigative techniques and process as it involves the Medical Examiner's office. Charles Vallow was confirmed dead at the scene.

Duncan testified that he was surprised about the lack of blood spatter at the scene. He says this was odd since Cox had reported he had given Charles CPR, and usually more blood is present when a victim experiences chest compressions in life-saving measures performed due to a gunshot wound.

The detective discussed the gunshot wound location and scenarios based on the story police were told by Cox. The shooting was considered a homicide, as police can still classify the death a homicide when it is a result of self-defense.

Duncan testified the police learned the cause of the initial argument was something on Charles's cell phone. Lori had taken it from the scene but later returned it to the police. The investigators later learned information regarding Charles becoming a dark spirit and accusations of infidelity.

The prosecution asked for information retrieved from Charles's cell phone to be admitted into evidence in the form of a PowerPoint presentation. The defense objects as they have not seen the presentation. The prosecution argues that the messages and content from the phone have all been made available to the defense. The judge has concerns the defense has not had the time to review the document and asks for a sidebar with attorneys.

The judge rules that defense will be given the night to look over the document and prosecution will delay admitting into evidence until tomorrow.

The prosecution continues asking the detective about the recording of a call placed from Chad to the Valley of the Sun Mortuary in Chandler asking about the costs of cremation and sending of remains to Louisiana for a relative. In the call, Chad gave his name but with a different spelling and lied about where he was from. The call had been placed the day after Charles was killed.

The prosecution next questioned Duncan about the blessing Chad gave to Alex Cox. Technically, Chad was not of the level required by the Church to administer the blessing. The prosecution admits the recording of the blessing into evidence and plays it for the courtroom.

Our partner Nate Eaton from East Idaho News was describing the blessing:

As the blessing continues, Chad is notably crying. At the end of the blessing, one can hear Lori's voice saying "Amen" on the recording. Prosecution asks if there is a time-stamp on the recording, it is Nov. 24, 2019.

Court is now adjourned for the day.