Forensic pathologist testifies about J.J. and Tylee's remains

Suspected triple murderer Chad Daybell's trial read like a horror novel on Wednesday.

Witnesses discussed examining a dismembered child’s remains and uncovering the body of a young boy whose killer placed a plastic bag over his head. His body was in various stages of decomposition with his appendages duct taped together on Daybell’s Salem property.

Daybell faces life in prison or the death penalty for his alleged role in the death of his first wife, Tammy Daybell, and in the killings of J.J. Vallow, 7, and Tylee Ryan, 16, the children of his second wife Lori Vallow. Daybell has also been charged with insurance fraud for accepting $430,000 in life insurance payouts Chad received following Tammy’s Sept. 19, 2019, suspicious death at the couple’s Salem home.

Forensic Pathologist Dr. Garth Warren took to the stand on Wednesday where he described examining the children’s bodies. He spoke of taking 28 X-rays of Tylee’s remains. He had received three bags containing the girl’s remains.

“We looked for any kind of projectile weapon fragments,” he said.

Warren noted a significant amount of mud, dirt and rocks on Tylee’s remains. Warren and his staff separated all the debris during a week’s time.

“It took a lot of time. Some organs were still identified,” he said.

Madison County Prosecutor Rob Wood asked Warren which organs were found.

“The organs I identified (were) the heart, right and left lung, a portion of the liver, and one of the kidneys,” Warren said. “All of these tissues were shrinking. These aren’t intact organs that look like normal organs.”

They were also able to locate a portion of Tylee’s skull, both hipbones, both clavicles and her long bones and foot bones.

“Like the organs they weren’t intact and pristine,” Warren said. “They were partially burned away, blackened, brittle with extensive fire damage.”

“Were you able to provide toxicology testing?” Wood asked.

Warren said Tylee’s toxicology test came back positive for Ibuprofen, caffeine, low levels of carbon monoxide and a low hemoglobin level. “Were any of those items found to determine a cause of death of Tylee?” Wood asked.

“There was nothing in her toxicology report that I felt would explain her death,” Warren said. “The cause of death — homicide — was by unspecified means.”

Warren also oversaw J.J.’s autopsy. The boy’s body was received in a black body bag,

“J.J. was further enclosed within a black tarp held together with multiple strips of duct tape,” he said.

A subsequent photo shows the top of a head where a white plastic bag was used to cover J.J.’s head, Warren said.

“His face is wrapped with duct tape around the eyes and neck,” he said. “You can see the forearms, and his wrists are bound with duct tape. A blue and white blanket is laying on J.J. who was wearing red pajamas.”

In a subsequent photo Warren reported J.J.’s upper arms manifested evidence of decomposition with “skin slippage.” A photo of J.J.’s feet showed more skin slippage as well as “degloving” of his feet.

J.J.’s pajama top was soaked with decomposition fluid and mold was found on it.

“There’s a fair amount of dirt and debris around the duct tape and on (J.J.’s) face,” Warren said.

At one point a picture of J.J.’s right hand was seen. A photo of his right thumbnail indicated J.J. had experienced some type of force, he said.

Warren also noted that J.J.’s skin had a “very dark appearance to it.”

“To the naked eye, I thought this could represent bruising,” he said.

Another photo of J.J.’s neck showed scratch-like abrasions, Warren said.

“There is a collection of brown to dark brown to red scratch like abrasions some with dark red hemorrhages that involved the left side of the neck and the left side of the jaw,” he said.

Warren said in a potential homicide case, it's vital to document all injuries found on the victim.

“It’s important considering there’s a plastic bag over his head,” he said. “It may have been J.J. trying to get the bag off his head. I wasn’t there, but these are the possibilities.”