BOISE, Idaho — The trial of Lori Vallow Daybell started today with opening statements from both the prosecution and the defense.
The defendant was looking at the judge while the charges were being read and quickly glanced over at the jurors before looking down.
After Judge Steven Boyce read some procedural instructions and thanked the jurors for their service, Fremont County prosecutor Lindsey Blake, along with Madison County prosecutors Rob Wood and Rachel Smith, began.
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OPENING STATEMENTS
Lindsay Blake began opening statements on behalf of the state.
Stating this case is all about money, power and sex, the three things Lori Vallow Daybell used to get what she wanted, regardless of who was in the way. Blake stated how each of the victims had something that Vallow Daybell wanted, and all are now deceased.
Prosecution continued with examples of evidence they plan to introduce, and showed photos of autopsies and remains found and the condition they were in.
They brought up the religious beliefs that were practiced by Vallow Daybell, discussed the timeline of when she met Chad Daybell, the relationship between Vallow Daybell and her brother Alex Cox, and the deaths of Tammy Daybell and Alex Cox.
Then Jim Archibald, attorney for the defense, began his opening remarks. He first introduced his co-council, John Thomas, and their investigator Brandon Hobbs.
He then introduced Lori Vallow Daybell, who she is, where she was born and grew up, how many children she had, and relayed how so many people are drawn to her because of her personality and bright smile.
Archibald described Vallow Daybell as a responsible mother who had an interest in religion, especially the end of times.
He then focused on the aspects of the case against Vallow Daybell. That there are differing opinions on how and when JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan died and reminded the jurors that the burden of proof lies with the prosecution. And that Vallow Daybell never has to prove her innocence, but the state must prove the crime beyond a reasonable doubt.
He offered the alibi of Vallow Daybell, that JJ died in the apartment of Alex Cox with Melanie Gibb and David Warwick, while she was in her Rexburg apartment. Furthering that she was in Hawaii at the time of Tammy Daybell’s death.
Archibald cautioned the jurors to remain focused on what Lori did, not what Chad or Alex did, and it will be up to them to determine if there was a conspiracy.
WITNESS TESTIMONY
With Opening statements concluded, the state called its first witness, Kay Woodcock.
Woodcock is the biological grandmother of JJ Vallow, who had been legally adopted by Woodcock’s brother Charles when he was married to the defendant.
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Prosecutors established the relationship with JJ’s birth certificate and final adoption decree and admitted both into evidence.
Woodcock then went on to testify about why JJ had been adopted, the family relationships, and the demise of the relationship between Charles and Lori.
Testimony revealed that JJ had been born to Woodcock’s son but was immediately taken into state’s custody because he was found to have drugs in his system at birth. Woodcock and her husband Larry were named legal guardians. However, they felt that Charles and Lori had a better lifestyle for raising a child with special needs. A condition of the adoption was for that Larry and Kay remain involved in JJ’s life.
Woodcock testified that the grandparents visited JJ approximately every three months from Louisiana. Charles and Lori had moved from Arizona to Hawaii, though the families maintained regular contact and appeared to get along well.
In March 2019, Charles Vallow moved to Houston, Texas with JJ. Lori had left him at that time and no one knew where she was. Woodcock actually had JJ come and stay with them Louisiana for a few weeks, allowing Charles to work while establishing life without Lori.
It was during this time, Woodcock said, that she got involved with her brother’s business and gained access to his e-mails and banking information. Charles, who had a $1 million life insurance policy, had also changed the beneficiary to remove Lori to leave the money to his sister, Kay.
Lori returned to Charles in Texas in April 2019, and the couple moved yet again to Chandler, AZ in June 2019. Prior to the move to Chandler, JJ celebrated his birthday with his grandparents in Louisiana the weekend of May 17. This was the last time Kay and Larry Woodcock saw their grandson. Her brother Charles was killed in July 2019 by Alex Cox, the brother of Lori Vallow.
Woodcock testified that she had made arrangements to bring JJ back to Louisiana to attend Charles’s memorial service but was never able to reach Lori to solidify the plans. Lori did not attend Charles's service, nor did JJ.
Woodcock testified that she had contact with JJ three more times before he died. Once on Facetime after the death of Charles, and the last two times were very brief, both being calls of under one minute, the final one being in August 2019.
She also discussed that they hired a private investigator because they were concerned for JJ’s well-being, and with encouragement from the FBI, they issue a reward for any information on JJ and to reach out to the media.
Testimony continued outlining how Woodcock learned of Lori’s November 2019 marriage to Chad Daybell through items being purchased in her deceased brother’s Amazon account. She also confirmed that she became aware of the bodies of JJ and Tylee being found in Chad’s backyard in June 2020.
Under cross-examination by the defense, Woodcock was asked more questions about how long she and her husband Larry cared for JJ and about the adoption arrangements. Woodcock continued to talk about the demise of the relationship between Charles and Lori and comments that “She (Lori) never reached out to JJ, she never reached out to Charles,” during the almost two months that Lori was estranged from her husband.
Cross-examination concluded with questions about a printer and scanner and how Woodcock came across information in her brother’s devices. This completed Woodcock's testimony.
Next the state called Brandon Boudreaux, who was previously married to Lori Vallow Daybell’s niece Melani Pawlowski. He was questioned by prosecutor Rachel Smith.
Prosecution established the relationship Boudreaux had with the defendant and the victims Tylee and JJ. He testified that while he was married to Melani, their families were quite close and their children became close with Lori’s.
He testified that his wife, who had never been very active religiously, started to become very passionate about going to church, and began attending regular meetings, called Firesides (not sponsored by the church). "She was coming home with different ideas about what she was going to do to be a faithful member of the church."
Melani attended these meetings with Lori, though it was made clear to Boudreaux that she was not interested in him joining her. As her devotion to the church grew, she also started believing that the world was going to end soon.
Boudreaux testified about how his marriage to Melani was deteriorating, the Melani made the claim that she didn’t feel safe with him at the house and had accused him of being homosexual.
As Boudreaux and his wife entered into divorce proceedings, he rented a house for himself. On Oct 2, 2019, he was driving home when someone shot at him in front of his house. At this revelation, the defense objected, stating this information was not relevant and asked for a sidebar with the judge.
The prosecution argued that Boudreaux being shot at is part of a “common scheme and plan. The defendant with the co-defendant conspired and planned to kill multiple individuals in her world.” Smith also presented that it was Bourdeaux being shot at that got the involvement and interest of law enforcement. The objection was overruled.
After giving the details surrounding what he remembered of the shooting, Boudreaux began having concerns about who was responsible. He remembered a bunch of e-mails Charles sent him before he died about the religious groups Melani was involved with. He went back to check these e-mails, and most had come from a man named Chad Daybell.
He gave this information to law enforcement and then did an internet search on Chad Daybell. The obituary for Tammy Daybell, mentioning Chad, appeared. Further conversations with police led him to realize that no one had seen Tylee or JJ for some time.
In June 2020, Boudreaux was asked by police to identify the remains of JJ, as it was believed that the Woodcocks were too overwhelmed to do it themselves.
The defense began cross-examination focusing on the internet searches Boudreaux conducted. He was also questioned about why his sexuality had come into question by his wife, which was because of a video a friend had posted of him at bar called The Pink Pony in Alabama.
Then the focus turned to the shooting outside of his home, about the vehicle and what he saw. Finally, Thomas inquired why he had been asked to identify the remains of JJ Vallow. “I think I was as close to JJ as Larry and Kay. We were all family.”
No further questions for Boudreaux, who without opposition, was asked to be released from his subpoena as he does not live in Idaho.
Court was dismissed for the day.
