Idaho man in ‘Doomsday’ killings is sentenced to death

An Idaho judge Saturday sentenced a man to death, two days after he was found guilty of first-degree murder and other charges in the 2019 killings of his first wife and two of his current wife's children, capping a case that drew scrutiny because of the couple's "doomsday" religious beliefs.

The decision came after jurors took more than a day to deliberate during the special sentencing proceeding in the case against the man, Chad Daybell, 55, in Ada County District Court in Boise.

Earlier Saturday, the jury had recommended the death penalty before the judge ordered a short recess to make a final sentencing decision.

As the judge, Steven W. Boyce of the 7th Judicial District, read his decision, Daybell sat with his hands in his lap, expressionless at the defense table. Defense lawyers did not have any questions when asked by the judge.

"The court typically would address the defendant further," Boyce said. "But in this special sentencing proceeding, the victim-impact statements and the evidence has already demonstrated on the record, I think, the seriousness of what's occurred."

"I don't find any reason to further delve into the court's rationale, other than what was listed in the statute," he added.

Idaho law calls for the mandatory appointment of a lawyer for a post-conviction review after a death penalty sentence has been handed down. An appeal can be sought once a death warrant has been filed.

The last execution in the state was in 2011, when Paul Rhoades was killed by lethal injection.

In February, an execution by lethal injection in Idaho was halted after multiple failed attempts to tap into the veins of the prisoner, Thomas Eugene Creech. His death warrant expired that day, and he returned to his cell.

In 2023, Gov. Brad Little signed a bill allowing execution by firing squads amid a nationwide shortage of the drugs used for lethal injections.

Prosecutors in Daybell's case said the death penalty was justified, pointing to aggravating factors. They argued that the crimes were particularly "heinous, atrocious or cruel"; that Daybell was motivated by the desire for remuneration; and that he continued to represent a danger to society.

Lindsey Blake, a prosecutor, described extreme religious claims by Daybell of having visions in which he could determine whether someone was "dark" or "possessed," in which cases "the body had to be destroyed or die."

What he sought, she contended, was to pursue a new life with his current spouse after collecting life insurance and other payments to be alone on a beach, "unencumbered by earthly obstacles."

Daybell's lawyer, John Prior, asked jurors to consider the rationale behind the original charges and see that his client was accused of espousing religious beliefs and was not motivated by money, nor was he the only suspect linked to the murders.

Even if the jurors believed that he had killed his first wife, Prior said, "that doesn't reach the heinous, atrocious conduct" for a death penalty case.

On Friday, relatives of the victims delivered statements, often struggling for words. Several relatives told of immeasurable loss, pausing to regain their composure.

"My sister was ripped from our lives," said Samantha Gwilliam, the sister of Daybell's first wife, Tammy Daybell.

She should not have met a violent end, but should have been doting on grandchildren and taking care of her animals and smiling, Gwilliam added.

"I will grieve for her for the rest of my life, she said. "I speak up for her now because she needs a voice."

On Thursday, Daybell remained expressionless as he heard the guilty verdicts for three counts of first-degree murder, two counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and grand theft by deception, one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and two counts of insurance fraud.

Prosecutors filed charges in 2021 against Daybell and his wife, Lori Vallow Daybell, in the deaths of Joshua Vallow, 7, known as J.J.; and Tylee Ryan, 16. Daybell was also charged with murder in the death of his previous spouse, Tammy.

Daybell and Vallow Daybell, now 50, had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

In May 2023, Vallow Daybell was found guilty of murder in the deaths of her two children and of conspiring to murder her husband's former wife. She was sentenced in July to three consecutive life terms in prison without parole.

The couple's religious beliefs drew attention from prosecutors and the public because of their potential role in the case. According to the indictment, the couple "did endorse and teach religious beliefs for the purpose of justifying" the deaths of the children.

One of the prosecutors, Robert H. Wood, said the murders showed an "utter disregard for human life."

Vallow Daybell was referred to as the "Doomsday Mom" in headlines and in a Lifetime documentary by that name. Daybell has written novels with doomsday themes, and both he and Vallow Daybell were linked to an entity called Preparing a People, which looked to prepare its followers for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, according to its website.

The couple married in 2019, shortly after his wife, Tammy was found dead at her home in Idaho. At first, her death was attributed to natural causes, but after Vallow's children disappeared, authorities began an investigation that extended into a reexamination of her death. An autopsy later attributed the cause to asphyxiation.

Tammy Daybell's death occurred about a month after Chad Daybell had increased the amount of coverage in a life insurance policy for her.

In February 2020, Vallow Daybell was arrested in Hawaii after authorities said she had not cooperated in the search for her missing children, whose remains were discovered later that year on Daybell's property in Idaho. He was arrested and charged with concealing evidence.