Tammy Daybell's sister, friends and investigators testify about her health at the time of her death

BOISE, Idaho — The prosecution opened with Tammy Daybell's sister, Samantha GWilliam, resuming her testimony.

Sketch by Lisa Cheney

GWilliam testified that she believed Chad buried her sister quickly, preventing some family members being able to attend her funeral, though Chad told her he thought Tammy would want to avoid any fuss. She also thought it odd that Tammy was being buried in Utah, not Rexburg where her husband and children could visit.

She said that she and her husband found out about Chad marrying Lori two weeks after her sister's death, leading her to conduct an internet search on Chad's new wife. Chad had told her Lori's last name was Ryan, and that her husband had died of a heart attack. Gwilliam's research is where she learned about Charles Vallow and that Charles had been shot and killed by his brother-in-law.

She testified that she had also seen a statement from Kay Woodcock regarding JJ, prompting her to ask about children. Chad told her he and Lori were going to be "empty nesters" when asked if they had any children.

During cross-examination, the defense asked questions about Chad's book company and books he had authored about spirituality. Gwilliam confirmed that the books made him some money, but he supplemented income working at the cemetery. The book company ended up going bankrupt due to a distribution disagreement and books not selling. She also testified that her sister was very supportive of Chad, even though Gwilliam thought Tammy didn't believe what he wrote about was always true.

Gwilliam testified that she felt something was out of place, even though she did not suspect Chad, she had the feeling something was wrong.

When asked about the masked shooter who approached Tammy in her driveway on Oct. 9, 2019, Gwilliam said that Tammy told her she thought it was a teenager that had fired a paintball gun at her.

The prosecution had follow-up questions and Gwilliam said she asked how Chad and his new wife would support themselves, as Tammy had been the breadwinner. Chad mentioned something about a life insurance policy and told her his new wife had lots of money.

Gwilliam also confirms that all five of Chad's adult children are still alive, and was then excused from the stand.

NEXT WITNESS

The prosecution calls Sheriff's Deputy Colter Cannon from the Fremont County Sheriff's Office. Cannon had been the responding officer to the 9-1-1 calls reporting the shooting in the Daybell driveway on October 9, 2019.

Tammy told the officer the shooter was a man dressed in all black and was wearing a ski mask. Tammy told the officer that when she confronted him, the man fired two shots.

Tammy felt sure it was a paint gun, though no paint nor shell casings were found. Cannon testified that Chad and his son, Garth, appeared calm.

Cross-examination confirms no shell casings nor bullet holes were found, and the witness was excused.

Sketch by Lisa Cheney

NEXT WITNESS

The prosecution called Deputy Helena Kaaiakamanu, a dispatcher with the St. Anthony Police Department. She took the two 9-1-1 calls about the possible shooting at the Daybell's residence.

The first call was from Joseph Murray (Tammy's son-in-law that lived across the street and heard Tammy screaming). The second from the Daybell residence.

Tammy told her that the man in the driveway was holding the gun like a rifle when he fired the shots, but nothing appeared to come out of the gun. The man in the driveway never said anything.

The defense had no questions for cross-examination and Kaaiakamanu was excused.

NEXT WITNESS

The prosecution called Christina West, the dispatcher at Fremont County Sheriff's office. Working the morning of Oct. 19, 2019, West received the 9-1-1 call about a deceased person, Tammy Daybell.

West testified that the call was from the son, though Chad also participated in the call and was crying.

Upon cross-examination, the defense asks if Chad asked for an ambulance or the coroner. West doesn't recall him asking for either. The defense had no further questions and the witness was excused.

NEXT WITNESS

Officer Alyssa Greenhalgh currently with the Rexburg Police and had formerly worked for the Fremont County Sheriff's Office. Greenhalgh went to the Daybell house to respond to the 9-1-1 call reporting Tammy's death.

Greenhalgh said that Chad told her he had moved the body, as Tammy had fallen partially off the bed and he put her back on the bed and covered her with blankets.

She said she did not observe any signs of an intruder or disturbance at the house.

She detailed things Chad said about Tammy and any medical problems she may have had, and confirms that the son was also at the scene. Greenhalgh only took Tammy's pulse confirming there was none.

Many photographs of the scene are admitted into evidence, including one showing pink foam on Tammy's mouth and a bruise on her arm.

In cross-examination, the defense asks questions about Tammy's body falling off the bed, then being moved back. Greenhalgh also confirms she was not aware of anyone performing CPR on Tammy.

NEXT WITNESS

The prosecution then called Cammy Willmore, Fremont County Advanced EMT to the stand. Willmore testifies she was fairly new in the coroner's office at the time of Tammy's death, and that Tammy's was one of the first half-dozen unattended deaths she had responded to.

Willmore testified that Chad was visibly distraught at the scene.

Willmore reports that when she arrived, Tammy's body was cold and she was not breathing. Chad told her that Tammy had a coughing spell during the night, around midnight.

Willmore testifies that she observed that quite a bit of pink foam coming from Tammy's mouth that seemed odd.

When she touched the body, it was evident she was cold and stiff and most likely dead for several hours. She also observed bruises on Tammy's forearm, but didn't think they were new.

Willmore thought that the foam could have been caused by congestive heart failure. But she used her phone to look up poisoning, as she still thought it was weird and had never seen that before.

Chad told Willmore that Tammy had not been feeling well lately and was having fainting spells.

Once the coroner, Brenda Dye, arrived, Willmore deferred to her.

Willmore testifies that due to Tammy's age and the foam observed around her mouth, she and Dye offered to perform an autopsy. Chad said he didn't want one.

The prosecution asked if, at the time, she had ever heard of JJ Vallow, Tylee Ryan, Alex Cox or Lori Vallow. Willmore said she had not.

No questions from the defense, witness excused.

NEXT WITNESS

The prosecution called Brenda Dye, Fremont County Coroner to the stand. Upon review of her credentials, Dye states that she was elected as coroner in 2018, and took office in January 2019. This was her first time serving as a county coroner.

Dye testified she received the call about the unattended deceased death of Tammy, and as the callers seemed to be quite distraught, had asked Willmore to go to the scene because she lived closer and could get there faster. Dye met her as soon as possible at the scene.

She said she remembers that Chad was quite distraught.

Dye said that nothing was apparent at the scene that caused her concern. She testified that Chad told her about Tammy's coughing fit and that she had been sick before going back to bed. When Dye had asked about Tammy's health, Chad said Tammy had been feeling off lately. Chad described the fainting episodes, including one at Temple where Tammy had passed out on the floor. He told Dye that Tammy had very low blood pressure but wouldn't go to the doctor and preferred to treat everything naturally.

When Dye noticed the pink foam coming from Tammy's mouth, Chad said Tammy had leg convulsions and she had seizures. This information was not volunteered until he was asked questions.

Due to the lividity observed on her back, Dye had determined Tammy had been on her back when she died.

She testified that she consulted with detectives about whether or not to do an autopsy. She said again, that there was nothing suspicious about the scene, although confused about falling out of bed.

Dye felt it was odd that Tammy had fallen out of bed if she was already deceased. Chad explained that when he pulled the top sheet, it must have uncovered Tammy and caused her to fall on the floor.

Time of death was estimated between 12:30am-2:00am based on rigor mortis and lividity.

At the morgue, after consulting with detectives, and since Chad didn't want one, she decided not to do the autopsy.

Based on information received from Chad and one of his daughters, Dye determined Tammy's death was due to pulmonary edema (too much fluid in the lungs), reporting the death was from natural causes.

Dye then testified that she attended the autopsy performed by a medical examiner in Utah after Tammy's body was exhumed. The Utah medical examiner determined the cause of death as asphyxiation and the manner of death was by homicide. Dye says she has no reason to dispute those findings, and intends to modify Tammy's death certificate.

The defense then started cross-examination. Asking about modifying the death certificate, Dye testifies that due to what was learned in the medical examiner's autopsy she attended, she will be changing the death certificate.

Dye also testified that Chad's daughter was very vocal about not wanting an autopsy performed on her mother during the initial visit, as she didn't want that done to her mom's body.

The defense has no further questions. The prosecution has no re-direct and Dye is excused.

NEXT WITNESS

The state calls Spencer Cook, who is the technology director for the Sugar Salem School District, the school district in which Tammy Daybell had worked as a librarian.

The questioning is about e-mails that Tammy received, and that the district stores in its archive.

Cook testifies about messages saved and deleted in Tammy's account from the summer of 2019, and confirms that one was in her deleted folder from Charles Vallow, and that the e-mail address belonging to Vallow had been blocked in her account.

The defense has no questions for cross-examination, and the witness is excused.

NEXT WITNESS

The prosecution called Kelsey Harris to the stand. Harris was the teacher in a dancing class that Tammy attended regularly in Sugar City starting in early September until her death. Harris also attended a high fitness class with Tammy where they worked out next to each other.

Harris testified that Tammy was in good health and was always able to keep up with the class without any limitations on her ability.

No further questions for this witness and Harris is excused.

NEXT WITNESS

The state brings Shanna Miller to the stand.

Miller took a high fitness class with Tammy and her daughter twice a week, and testified that in the week prior to her death, Tammy had appeared to be very healthy. Specifically, it was a Zumba class that Tammy attended with her daughter between the fall of 2018 and the time she died.

Miller's testimony is complete and she is excused.

Court has concluded early for the day, and will resume on Monday.