BOISE, Idaho — In the sixth week of court in the Lori Vallow Daybell Trial, scores of text messages between Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell were presented by an FBI agent who investigated the case. The texts were full of sensual innuendos and explicit descriptions of a budding romance between Chad Daybell and Vallow Daybell and, in stark contrast to the flowery language, the texts were full of malevolent plans to “eliminate” the “zombies” in Tylee Ryan, JJ Vallow, and Tammy Daybell.
Vallow Daybell is charged with seven felonies. She and her husband Chad Daybell are accused of murdering her two children, JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan. Vallow Daybell is also accused of conspiring to murder Daybell’s late wife, Tammy Daybell.
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Vallow Daybell has pleaded not guilty. Chad Daybell’s trial will be held separately and at a later date.
The prosecution had FBI agent, Doug Hart, read several text exchanges – asking questions for clarification occasionally.
The texts between the two often contained spiritual analyses of “death percentages” for Tylee, JJ, and Tammy. Lori would often ask Chad for the death percentage on a particular person and he would send her the percentage. Hart testified that the closer an individual was to zero, the closer they were to their death.
May 8, 2023 Court sketch of Lori whispering to John Thomas
On July 29, 2019, Chad sent the following text to Lori: “One question: Do you want me to cause pain yet to those two 3s you’re riding with?”
Vallow Daybell replies with the following: “Probably hold off on them till we arrive. They will be mistake (miserable) to deal with. But I’ll text you if they start acting up and we can zap them.” Lori sends another message correcting the word mistake to miserable.
Chad Daybell responds: “Sounds great. Yes, if they are going to act up we ll (we’ll) at least give them a reason to scream. I love cherish treasure and adore you. The wonderful memories just keep coming back. You are mesmerizing. Raphael is one lucky guy.”
Hart said he included this text exchange because it refers to causing children pain. Hart identifies the “two 3s” Chad refers to as Lori’s kids. Hart explained Raphael was a name for Chad.
A lot of the texts include names for the “demons” that Lori and Chad believed were taking over the bodies of other people including Hiplos and later Viola for Tammy Daybell, Ned for Charles Vallow, Rhonda for Kay Woodcock, Hillary for Tylee, and Blake for JJ.
On July 30, 2019, Chad sent the following text to Lori, “I got the inspiration to go back to my original death percentages that helped us track Charles, Ned, etc. Tammy is very close. Her percentage has fallen steadily since hiplos left. It is encouraging!”
Lori: "What is the percentage now? What about jjs too?"
Chad: "Tammy is at 3. JJ is at 2. Both are being heavily shielded to stop intruders."
Lori: "2 and 3 percent? Not zero?"
Chad: "I will explain when I talk."
Lori: "ok…still feeling hot for you."#LoriVallowTrial
— KSL 5 TV (@KSL5TV) May 8, 2023
“2 and 3 %, based off the context of the text, is very close (to death)” Hart said. “…it speaks about those deaths and that they are close to taking place.”
By Aug. 10, 2019, Lori asks Chad to check JJ’s death percentage and Chad responds that JJ is at zero.
The court was shown the following exchange.
Vallow Daybell to Chad Daybell, “Do you think there is a perfectly orchestrated plan to take the children? And we just have to wait for it to be carried out? I feel lost. Like I should be doing something ot (sic) help”
Chad Daybell replies: “There is a plan being orchestrated for the children. I was shown last night how it fit together, but it has been taken from my mind of course.”
Vallow Daybell: “What should I be doing?”
Chad Daybell: “You are doing everything right my love. The lord told me she is right on rack. He said to keep resolving the terrestrial issue so you are unencumbered and free.”
Chad Daybell even goes so far as to call his relatives “obstacles” while on a family trip.
“I feel so alone too,” text from Chad reads. “We are surrounded by terrestrial relatives that are simply obstacles. Im so sick of it!”
9/3/19:
Alex Cox to Lori: "…I am proud of you. No more Zs" (Z means zombie)
Lori: "we r trying to get to the bottom of what we need to do eliminate them completely. I’m sure you will be told also."
Alex: "excellent"#LoriVallowTrial
— KSL NewsRadio (@kslnewsradio) May 8, 2023
Texts between Vallow Daybell and Alex Cox were also displayed. One exchange on Sept. 3, 2019, mentions the effort to “eliminate them completely,” referring to zombies.
Alex Cox to Vallow Daybell: “Wifi is in Whatcha doing”
Vallow Daybell replies: “Working on Zs. (Zombies) What did you decide on username and password?
Alex Cox: “network name is anti-laman. PW is 2manykids”
Vallow Daybell: “funny!”
Alex Cox: “and I can change it to whatever u (sic) want if you wanna change it. I am proud of you. No more Zs”
Vallow Daybell: “We r trying to get to the bottom of what we need to do eliminate them completely. I’m sure you will be told also.”
Hart testified that Lori and her kids moved to Rexburg in Sept. 2019. Investigation shows that the kids were killed. Then, the texts show them talking about a “real date,” which may be a reference to Tammy’s death.
Messages between Lori and Chad are shown again.
On 10/03:
Chad sent a message to Lori saying that he has big news about Tammy.
— KSL NewsRadio (@kslnewsradio) May 8, 2023
The day following Tammy Daybell’s death, there are multiple romantic texts exchanged between Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell. However, not one message mentions Tammy Daybell or grieving over her death.
Vallow Daybell texts Chad Daybell that she is sad.
Chad Daybell responds: “I know exactly how you feel. Im feeling sad, but it isnt for the reason everyone thinks!”
The defense asked Hart if there were “a lot of normal texts” between Chad Daybell and Vallow Daybell. Hart confirmed there were.
“Isn’t it true that Lori, for all intents and purposes, was a pretty good mother?” Defense attorney John Thomas asked.
“With the exception of what happened to her children, yes,” Hart replied.
The defense also focused on how Chad had communicated with many women about spiritual things.
On redirect, Rachel Smith with the prosecution, referring to the women Chad Daybell would frequently talk to asked, “How many women had their children dead and buried in Chad’s backyard?”
“None,” Hart replied.
Court will resume Tuesday morning.
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