BOISE, Idaho (Court TV) — Minutes after Lori Vallow Daybell‘s trial adjourned for the day on Thursday, her husband Chad Daybell had a status hearing in the same courtroom.
Chad is charged with the murders of JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan as well as conspiracy in the murder of his previous wife, Tammy Daybell. Chad was initially being tried alongside Lori, but the two cases were severed earlier this year.
(L) Chad Daybell sits during his preliminary hearing in St. Anthony, Idaho, on Tuesday, August 4, 2020. (John Roark/The Idaho Post-Register via AP, Pool, File)/ (R) Lori Vallow Daybell, center, sits between her attorneys for a hearing at the Fremont County Courthouse in St. Anthony, Idaho, on Aug. 16, 2022. (Tony Blakeslee/East Idaho News via AP, Pool, File)
While Chad’s attorneys appeared in person in front of Judge Steven Boyce, Chad himself appeared remotely via Zoom. He is currently being held at the Fremont County Jail, 4-5 hours away from Boise.
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Judge Boyce asked both the prosecution and defense how long they expect the trial to last. Prosecutors estimated the trial would take nine weeks and said they would be available and ready to start in the fall of 2023.
According to Chad’s attorney’s
- They expect the trial to extend as many as 12 weeks
- Are planning to call seven or eight expert witnesses
- Chad will need to listen to the entire audio of Lori’s trial
- They are still working on DNA issues in advance of the trial
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The defense requested a trial date in May 2024. Due to a conflict in May, the prosecutors proposed a June 2024 start date for the trial.
In an exclusive interview with Court TV’s Chanley Painter, Tammy Daybell’s aunt, Vicki Hoban, expressed disappointment with having to wait a year to see Chad go to trial.
“When they start talking about dates that are so far away for his trial, I just implore him: Tell the truth. Come forth, do the right thing. Don’t put us through another one of these. It’s not fair. Chad, do the right thing.”
Judge Boyce said he would take the hearing under advisement, and did not set a date for the trial.
