Opening arguments started within the Boise, Idaho, trial of Lori Vallow Daybell, who’s charged with conspiracy, homicide and grand theft within the deaths of her two kids.
Prosecutor Lindsey Blake forged cash as a major motivating drive within the killings of Mrs. Vallow Daybell’s two kids, J.J. and Tylee. The state argued that the defendant was irritated by the quantity of power required by special-needs son J.J. and was jealous of the social safety cash that daughter Tylee was receiving after her father’s loss of life.
“The defendant Lori Vallow Daybell used money, power and sex, or the promise of those things to get what she wanted. What she wanted, was money, power and sex,” Ms. Blake mentioned in his opening assertion. “It didn’t matter what obstacle she had to remove to get what she wanted.”
Prosecutors confirmed photographs of the 2 kids’s our bodies, which had been found on Mrs. Vallow Daybell’s husband Chad Daybell’s property. Investigators say that each our bodies had been burned.
“Even the most veteran law enforcement officers that you’ll hear from were disturbed by the scene,” Ms. Blake mentioned.
The defendant’s non secular beliefs had been additionally highlighted by the state.
Mrs. Vallow Daybell and her husband bonded over their shared apocalyptic non secular views.
Several of her relations and pals mentioned she believed that there have been “dark and light” folks and that she might establish who they had been. She additionally repeatedly referred to her daughter as “dark.” Prosecutors mentioned that after her kids disappeared she didn’t speak about them and didn’t assist the search.
The state additionally revealed the reason for loss of life for Mr. Daybell’s ex-wife, Tammy Daybell. Police initially believed that she had died of pure causes, but when Mr. Daybell received married a short while after her loss of life, they reopened the investigation and exhumed the physique.
Prosecutors revealed that Mrs. Daybell died in a murder from asphyxiation. They additionally charged that Mr. Daybell moved the physique earlier than first responders arrived.
Prosecutors additionally often introduced up Mrs. Vallow Daybell’s deceased brother Alex Cox, her self-professed “protector” who was discovered useless in 2019 quickly after the primary Mrs. Daybell was exhumed. His loss of life was dominated to be of pure causes.
Cox shot and killed Mrs. Vallow Daybell’s estranged husband Charles Vallow in self-defense and his cellular phone was detected within the space of Tammy Daybell’s residence the day {that a} masked gunman confronted her in her driveway, in line with prosecutors.
That similar day, they added, Mrs. Vallow Daybell mentioned about Cox in a cellphone name with an unnamed person who “he can’t do anything right.”
The prosecution appeared to color Cox as a attainable confederate. Ms. Blake informed the jury {that a} day earlier than he died Cox informed his spouse: “I hope I’m not their fall guy.”
Defense Counsel R. James Archibald’s opening assertion was quick by comparability and centered on the precise fees to his shopper. He urged the jury to deal with the case at hand and never the media consideration and controversy the case has garnered.
He additionally supplied an alibi for Mrs. Vallow Daybell within the deaths of her two kids, claiming she was in a separate condominium with pals when the kids had been killed in an condominium owned by Cox. It additionally claims that she was in Hawaii when Tammy Daybell was killed.
The protection additionally touched on the controversial non secular beliefs of the defendant however downplayed its position within the fees.
“Thankfully in this country, we can worship how we choose,” Mr. Archibald mentioned.
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