Morgan Loew: the same color hair as JJ Vallow. Neither is Echo Itaaehau's daughter Vaisia, one of Tylee's best friends. The discovery of the children in Chad Daybell's backyard was the result of a complicated six-month investigation that unraveled a sordid tale of murder, greed and religious fanaticism a story that began with their mother, Lori Vallow, who, to her friend April Raymond, was a woman who once seemed incapable of harming her own children. Opening statements begin in trial of 'doomsday mom' Lori Vallow, accused of killing two children, Chad Daybell claimed to have had a vision, Lori Vallow's late husband seen on video telling police: 'She's threatened me, to murder me, kill me', learned that his wife was having an affair, probable cause affidavit filed against Lori Vallow, Melanie Gibb discusses her former friendship with Chad and Lori. It is horrifying! As part of that belief, she said people's bodies including, JJ, Tylee and Charles Vallow were possessed by evil spirits, turning them into "zombies," former friend April Raymond told "48 Hours.". But I love you with all my heart, and I have forever, and I will always love you. Margaret Travillion: It just didn't make any sense why would you tell us he committed suicide last week and he's been gone for two weeks and he was actually shot by your brother? Margaret Travillion | LIFE co-founder: I just started crying [cries]. Later that year, Tammy Daybell, the wife of Chad Daybell and the mother of his five children, died at the Daybell's home in Idaho of what officials initially said were natural causes but later said was suspicious. He also claimed he could read light and dark auras. The prosecution is arguing that Vallow Daybell wanted, as Fremont County Prosecuting Attorney Lindsey Blake said in her opening statement, "money, power and sex," and wouldn't let anything stand in her way. When Colby Ryan Lori Vallow's only living child entered the Boise, Idaho, courtroom where she is on trial, Vallow mouthed, "Oh my baby." Lori's attorney asked the judge if she could be excused from the courtroom while the graphic testimony was shared and images of their remains shown. JJ and Tylee Facebook. Colby Ryan, who testified that he had a happy childhood, started crying on the stand when prosecutors showed him photos of Tylee and JJ, and talked about how Tylee was receiving social security benefits because her biological father Joe Ryan died in 2018. And she was like, "Margaret, you're not gonna believe this. Chad and Lori led a group of friends in trying to cast out the supposed evil spirits by praying and doing energy work, prosecutors said. Here are some of the key people involved in the case: Lori Vallow Daybell, a 49-year-old Rexburg mother, accused of killing her two children, JJ and Tylee, and conspiring to kill her husband Chad Daybells then-wife. According to the police documents obtained by KSL, Charles Vallow learned that his wife was having an affair with Chad Daybell in June 2019, days before he was shot. JJs father, Charles Vallow, is actually Woodcocks brother: He adopted JJ as a baby because JJs biological parents including Woodcocks son were unable to care for the child. Morgan Loew: Everybody was hoping in the back of their minds that maybe there was a chance the kids were alive. Though he was born of Vallow Daybells second marriage, when his mother remarried Colby took Joe Ryans last name. Soon after they started digging, he said he was struck by a "strong odor" that he instantly recognized to be caused by bodily decomposition. Jonathan Vigliotti: What went on in your mind when, weeks after Tammy died, Chad and Lori get married? Their conversation was recorded on the officer's bodycam. Melani Pawlowski is the niece of Vallow Daybell. JJ Vallow's biological grandparents, Kay and Larry Woodcock, said that the last time they spoke to the 7-year-old was in August. But equally destructive to each other, Gibb told "Dateline." Margaret Travillion | LIFE co-founder: Our administrator came into my office. This story previously aired on October 3, 2020. Doha Madani is a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News. They were found dead in shallow graves on Chad Daybells property nine months later in June 2020. She married again in her early 20s, and had a son named Colby before divorcing. Joshua "JJ" Vallow and Tylee Ryan were found dead on the property of their step-father's home this week, police say, a horrific discovery that brought a tragic end to Charles Vallow, who is the adopted father and biological granduncle of Joshua, filed for divorce from Lori Vallow in February 2019, court records from Maricopa The only thing we we can know for sure is that At one point, whoever did this, dismembered her body and burned it. he never hesitated to resort to violence if he believed he was defending his sister. Some believe Chad Daybell was the driving force; others believe it was Lori. She told jurors that JJ was born with some disabilities and was diagnosed with autism. Gibb testified that she later heard from Vallow, who repeated the story she had told police about Joshuas being with Gibb. Trahans DNA was compared to JJs, while Lori Vallow Daybells DNA was compared to that of Tylee Ryan. Please enter valid email address to continue. We know that Lori was angry about that. JJs father, Charles Vallow, is actually Woodcocks brother: He adopted JJ as a baby because JJs biological parents including Woodcocks son were unable to care Morgan Loew: In 30 years, I've never covered a story quite like this. After almost 13 years of marriage, Charles Vallow filed for divorce. Witnesses have had differing accounts on whether Vallow Daybell knew about the life insurance change before he died. "She had so much guilt [] but her belief system was that one day she'd be able to be with her son again, and I think she took comfort in that.". Margaret Travillion: I just get so angry. Charles Vallow - Charles was JJ's adoptive father and Tylee's stepfather. Bordeaux had already spoken with authorities about Lori Vallow, alleging that a vehicle she had access to was involved in an attempt to kill him in October 2019, according to a probable cause affidavit filed against Lori Vallow in 2020, before the childrens remains were found. On November 26, 2019, two months after JJ was last seen, Rexburg Police came knocking on Lori's door looking for the little boy. Cox told police he shot Charles Vallow, but Cox died before the re-investigation into the death and the grand jury. But no one acted on it and Vallow let his guard down. Soon after, Vallow Daybell and her children moved to Idaho. The two were estranged but still married when Vallow Daybells brother, Alex Cox, shot and killed Charles Vallow outside his Phoenix suburban home. One source described her as being "completely devastated" by the discovery. By December, police and the FBI were searching for 16-year-old Tylee and 7-year-old JJ. The boys biological parents couldnt care for him, so the The occasional money transfers continued too, though through a different phone app under his mothers name, he said. JJ's grandparents, Kay and Larry Woodcock, could barely contain their grief as they listened. According to the East Idaho News, JJ is the biological grandson of Charles Vallows sister Kay Woodcock. Morgan Loew: We know that shortly after Charles's death, Lori tried to claim that life insurance policy he had changed the beneficiary to his sister. Eventually the last conversation I had with Chad was in December, of 2019, Gwilliam told the jury. The police arrived and shot video of Cox on the curb outside the home. On January 31, 2019, Charles Vallow is seen on police bodycam video tell officers his wife had become "unhinged," and had threatened to murder him. He said in the divorce filing that his wife had threatened to murder him. "She threatened me, murder me, kill me," he told police in a conversation captured on video, "48 Hours" reported. Todd's parents, Kay and Larry Woodcock, Documents in the police investigation obtained by NBC affiliate KSL of Salt Lake City said a friend of the couple told authorities Chad Daybell claimed to have had a vision that Tammy would die on a trip and that when she didnt, he began to believe she had been taken over by a spirit and was a zombie.. And Lori thought/ that was a liability. Lori, Alex and Tylee were questioned at the police headquarters. Lori contacted JJ's specialist elementary school the following day, informing administrators that the young boy would not be returning and that she'd now be homeschooling him instead. They wanted to start over. Wiped out in late September 2019 roughly two weeks after the big sister he adored disappeared. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Let us know the location you'd like to browse. Lori Vallow went to the police department hours later, telling officers that she had caught her husband cheating and that she told him not to come home. Here are some of the important names to know as prosecutors and defense attorneys make their cases. Especially Tylee was a liability for what she knew. Like many expectant mothers, Miranda Kekauoha had a plan. The 54-year-old Idaho father is accused of murder in the death of Vallow Daybells two children along with his then-wife, Tammy Daybell. POLICE OFFICER [Bodycam video]: Hi, who are are you? May 29, 2021 / 10:42 PM To his sister. 2014: Charles and Lori adopted Joshua JJ Vallow, who is the biological grandson of Charless sister Kay Woodcock, and her husband Larry Woodcock.JJ had autism, and Loris attorney said his parents could not take care of him, so they agreed to adopt him. Trahans DNA was compared to JJs, while Lori Vallow Daybells DNA was compared to that of Tylee Ryan. Friends told police that in some cases they determined a person had become a zombie, fully controlled by the evil spirit. JJs father, Charles Vallow, is actually Woodcocks brother: He adopted JJ as a baby because JJs biological parents including Woodcocks son were unable to care for the child. And so, I'm not sure what hijacked that priority. That pet cemetery just behind a bush where investigators found the charred remains of Tylee Ryan. In 2012, the two adopted then 2-year-old Joshua, whose biological father was Vallow's nephew the son of his sister, Kay Woodcock. April Raymond: Part of her mission on Earth was to eliminate the darkness, the demonic the evil. You do it to keep them from yelling or talking. She ignored it and was arrested on the island of Kauai on child abandonment charges. They both had deception in them.. According to a probable cause affidavit filed against Daybell, Gibb told authorities she had visited the couple at their home between Sept. 19, 2019, and Sept. 23, 2019. But this time he was only there for 17 minutes. Alex told them Charles and Lori got into a fight. Kay Woodcock asked police in Rexburg, Idaho, to check on JJ in November but Vallow Daybell told police he was in Arizona with a family friend. REXBURG Court documents released Friday evening detail the horrific manner in which Joshua JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan were found in Chad Daybells backyard. In his brief obituary, he is called a loving father to sons Cole, Zach and Joshua Jaxon JJ Vallow. Prosecutors say he met Vallow Daybell at a conference in Utah in 2018. "48 Hours" reached out to Chad and Lori's attorneys to ask whether their clients had some involvement in the children's deaths. Both Lori Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell are charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the children's deaths. It appears the first problem was a 16-year-old girl: Tylee Ryan. Im not hiding, why would you think Im hiding? she responds. He is now in our pet cemetery. Echo Itaaehau [in tears]: I just can't bear the thought of Tylee being scared and JJ being scared or know or knowing what was happening and by who. Tylee was really protective over JJ. "There's no place, not one, that my love can't find you.". A smiling Lori Vallow on police bodycam video after learning her husband was dead. Add users and update your contact preferences, View account-related messages including emails & texts, View current & past bills, make payments, and more, Discover features, tips and basic how-to's to maximize the enjoyment of your Cox services, Cart for home internet, TV, phone or home security services.