Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow are facing multiple felony charges related to the death of Tylee Ryan and Joshua “JJ” Vallow.
Daybell and Vallow are both charged with first degree murder, according to court documents. Vallow is additionally charged with grand theft and Daybell is charged with insurance fraud. Both Vallow and Daybell are also charged with conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree and grand theft by deception.
Related: The timeline in the disappearance and tragic deaths of JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan
Alex Cox, Vallow’s brother who died in 2019, is also listed on the conspiracy to commit first degree murder and grand theft by deception and conspiracy to commit first degree murder charges, according to the court documents.
Here is the full list of charges Daybell and Vallow are facing, according to a news release:
- Lori and Chad Daybell were indicted on the charge of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and grand theft by deception for the death of Tylee Ryan.
- Lori and Chad Daybell were indicted on the charge of first-degree murder for the death of Tylee Ryan.
- Lori and Chad Daybell were indicted on the charge of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and grand theft by deception for the death of JJ Vallow.
- Lori and Chad Daybell were indicted on the charge of first-degree murder for the death of JJ Vallow.
- Lori and Chad Daybell were indicted on the charge of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the death of Tammy Daybell.
- Chad Daybell was indicted on the charge of first-degree murder in the death of his wife Tammy Daybell.
- Lori Daybell was indicted on the charge of grand theft related to Social Security Survivor benefits over $1,000 allocated for the care of minors Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow that were appropriated after the children were missing and ultimately found deceased.
- Chad Daybell was indicted on the charge of insurance fraud related to a life insurance policy he had on Tammy Daybell for which he was the beneficiary and received funds after her death.
- Chad Daybell was indicted on the charge of insurance fraud related to another life insurance policy he had on Tammy Daybell for which he was the beneficiary and received funds after her death.
The new charges come days after a district judge declared Vallow as indigent, which means she has limited ability to pay for legal services. Idaho law allows a judge to declare someone as indigent and can determine this based on monthly income, whether a person is on public assistance or if they are serving a sentence in a correctional or mental health facility.
East Idaho News reports Daybell will have his initial court appearance on the new charges on Wednesday at 11 a.m. Vallow will appear at 11:30 a.m.
Dozens of agencies at the local, state and national level have been working on the case over the last year and a half. Prosecutors say they were just recently given permission to present their case to a grand jury because of ongoing COVID-19 safety restrictions imposed by the courts.
The most serious charges could carry life sentences or even the death penalty. Prosecutors must announce if they will pursue capital punishment within 60 days of the defendants' first entry of a plea.
Background information
Tylee Ryan and Joshua "JJ" Vallow went missing in the fall of 2019 in Madison County, Idaho. JJ Vallow's grandparents told Idaho authorities of the missing children, according to a news release sent to East Idaho News.
After searching for Vallow and Daybell, Vallow was arrested on February 20, 2020 in Hawaii, with two felony charges of conspiracy to commit destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence. She pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Daybell was taken into custody on June 9, 2020 after human remains were found on his property in Salem, Idaho. He was charged with two felony counts of conspiracy to commit destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence and two felony charges of destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence. Daybell also pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Police identified the remains on June 13 as Joshua Vallow and Tylee Ryan. East Idaho News reports Tylee’s body was dismembered and burned and JJ’s was wrapped in tight black plastic and secured with duct tape.
