BOISE, Idaho — In Chad Daybell's trial on Tuesday, April 16, the state called three witness and a motion hearing was held.
The state recalled Nicole Heideman, a tactical specialist with the FBI. They also called Detective Nathan Duncan, from Chandler, Arizona. The third witness was Special Agent Mark Saari, from the Social Security department.
A long video was played in court Tuesday, which was an audio recording of Chad Daybell giving Alex Cox, Lori Vallow's brother, a patriarchal blessing.
On Monday, a never-before-seen video was played before a jury showing murder suspect Chad Daybell speaking with his daughter Emma while in the back of a patrol car, just moments after being detained. Other evidence admitted on Monday, April 15, was photos of an exhumed Tammy Daybell, a phone call between Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell, and phone attribution evidence from the FBI.
The third week of Daybell's trial kicked off with more testimony from three law enforcement officers. Monday ended with FBI tactical specialist Nicole Heideman discussing how the FBI used phone data to help the investigation.
One of the witnesses called, Detective Vincent Kaaiakamanu, said in his testimony that on June 9, 2020, as police searched Daybell's property for the remains of Lori Vallow's children, JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan, the couple held an intimate phone conversation, in which Daybell said to Vallow, "they're searching...we'll see what transpires," and tells her to pray.
Court on Tuesday, April 16, will have more testimony from Heideman and the phone attribution they used to determine players involved in this criminal matter. The prosecution will most likely pick up from where they left off on Monday, with initial discovery.
Judge Steven Boyce let the court know on the 15th that the jury will have a longer lunch on Tuesday, April 16, as there is a hearing Judge Boyce wants to hear without jury present.
Live Updates:
3:17 p.m.: Saari continues to testify. Lori Vallow was receiving close to $5,800 per month in Social Security benefits between Tylee's benefits, JJ's benefits, and Mother, Child, and Care benefits. After Prior wraps up, Judge Boyce asks for a sidebar with counsel. After the sidebar, Judge Boyce asks if it's okay to conclude for the day, both parties agree. Judge Boyce dismisses the jury for the day.
3:09 p.m.: According to Saari, Lori Vallow never reported the children's disappearances or deaths, did not report her marriage to Chad Daybell, and did not report her move to Hawaii.
3:04 p.m.: Special Agent Saari testifies that Lori Vallow also received Social Security benefits, for Charles Vallow's death and to assist in the car of JJ Vallow. Those benefits ceased in January of 2020, due to the whereabouts of JJ being unknown.
3:00 p.m.: Special Agent Saari got involved in the investigation to help locate Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow, as Tylee was receiving social security benefits. She got them due to her biological father passing away in 2018. Lori Vallow was a representative payee on the account. The bank account that was getting the benefits suddenly changed in August of 2019. JJ Vallow also received Social Security benefits, that started in September of 2019. Both children had their benefits stopped, due to their locations being unknown during the investigation.
2:57 p.m.: The state calls another witness, Special Agent Mark Saari with the Social Security office. Rob Wood is at the podium, as Saari talks about his qualifications as a special agent.
2:52 p.m.: Defense asks for re-cross examination. Judge Boyce allows for the re-cross. After defense asks a few questions, Prior steps away from the podium and Judge Boyce reads some special instructions for the jury to hear. Det. Duncan is excused, neither party is planning on calling him back.
2:47 p.m.: The state has their redirect for Det. Duncan. Prosecutor Blake asks Duncan if he was assigned or worked on the investigation for Alex Cox's death. Duncan was not.
2:37 p.m.: Det. Duncan testifies that Lori Vallow and Alex Cox had what others considered an "oddly close" relationship for brother and sister.
2:15 p.m.: Defense is now cross examining Det. Duncan. Duncan states he was born and raised within the Latter-Day Saints church, or LDS church. Prior's line of questioning is pertaining to The Church of the Firstborn, and whether or not that is a sect of the LDS church. Duncan stated during state's examination that he understands The Church of the Firstborn being completely separate than the LDS church. Prior asks Duncan a few questions pertaining to the LDS faith, things like what the beliefs on possession are within the LDS church.
2:02 p.m.: An audio recording of Chad Daybell giving Alex Cox a blessing is played in court. This is the same blessing that was played in Lori Vallow's trial.
1:50 p.m.: The court will not take an afternoon break, to give more time to the court to do witness testimony. Judge Boyce still plans on concluding court at 3:30 p.m. Det. Duncan is recalled to the witness stand.
1:46 p.m.: The jurors are brought back into the courtroom and witness testimony is set to continue.
1:39 p.m.: Judge Boyce is ready to give his ruling. He states that he has not gone through the exhibit in question, which are text messages between Gibb and Wood. He states he cannot make a ruling to fully rule it out, as he doesn't have time to read it himself. The court will deny the motion of limine to exclude the exhibit. Judge Boyce said he will be watching closely, however, to make sure the evidence isn't brought in to the trial unnecessarily and has relevance. Wood will not be called as a witness.
1:29 p.m.: Prior states, "I don't appreciate what they're doing," in regard to what the state is arguing. Prior discusses that he does not intent to call Rob Wood, but he does intend to call Melanie Gibb. Prior will ask Gibb what her conversations with Rob Wood entailed. Prior will us the texts between Wood and Gibb to refresh Gibb's memory during her testimony.
1:20 p.m.: Blake is asking that prosecutor Rob Wood does not get called as a witness, and messages he has sent to be excluded from evidence. The State is using the term "prohibited" from testimony. Defense would be the one calling Wood to the stand. Defense attorney John Prior said that the texts between Rob Wood and Melanie Gibb, Lori Vallow's best friend.
1:11 p.m.: Court is called back to session. The jury has not been brought in. There is motions to be heard in the trial, without the jury present. It's a motion in limine, as well as a motion to seal. Prosecutor Lindsey Blake is arguing for the state.
11:54 a.m.: The court wants to hear some arguments outside of the jury, providing the jury a longer lunch. Court will return at 1:30 p.m., and there will be no afternoon meeting. Jurors are excused, and a brief motion is set to be heard in court.
11:50 a.m.: Chad Daybell had called a mortuary in Arizona, where he asked a handful of questions, according to a phone recording played in court. He misspelled his last name when provided, and asked for price of cremation. After the audio recording plays, Judge Boyce asks for a sidebar with counsel.
11:35 a.m.: Text messages between Alex Cox's wife Zulema Pastenes and Lori Vallow are read aloud. Chad Daybell then texts Pastenes. Chad Daybell texts to Pastenes, "it's crazy about Charles but such a relief."
11:08 a.m.: The courtroom is shown a presentation done by Det. Duncan. One of the slides include iCloud information and texts from Lori Vallow and Alex Cox. Another slide, from the Lori4Style account, there are more texts from 2019. The texts show Lori Vallow finding out about Tammy Daybell's death. Lori was in Hawaii at that time.
10:53 a.m.: Det. Duncan is asked about emails sent between Charles Vallow to Tammy Daybell. Charles reached out to Tammy to warn her of the affair between Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow.
10:40 a.m.: Court is back in session. Det. Duncan is still on the witness stand, and his testimony will continue, with prosecution taking the lead.
10:07 a.m.: Blake admits to evidence a print out of a PowerPoint presentation. The print out shows data that was taken from Charles Vallow's phone. Judge Boyce requests that the court take a mid-morning break now.
9:52 a.m.: Det. Duncan discusses his involvement with the Lori and Charles Vallow case. Charles Vallow was killed by Alex Cox after an argument on July 11, 2019. Det. Duncan was a detective investigating Charles Vallow's death. There was a baseball cap and bat. There were also bullet casings and projectiles in the baseboard of the room they found Charles Vallow. Duncan states there was not a lot of blood present at the body, he expected to see more.
9:49 a.m.: The state calls Detective Nathan Duncan, a Chandler, Arizona police officer. He has served with Chandler PD for over 20 years.
9:46 a.m.: Judge Boyce allows for Heideman to step down from the stand. Judge Boyce gives the state a moment to call a new witness. Blake asks for a mid-morning break before the witness takes the stand. Judge Boyce would prefer that the witness gets called and begin questioning, and he plans on taking a break at 10:15 a.m.
9:42 a.m.: During redirect, Lindsey Blake asks questions about the phone data Heideman investigated.
9:25 a.m.: Multiple people were living in Chad Daybell's house at the time the FBI was doing the investigation, and John Prior argues that perhaps it was someone else completing these search topics.
9:09 a.m.: Prior brings up the fact that there is an FBI Supervisor in the courtroom. Heideman and the supervisor has discussed the case recently, and Heideman states that she has discussed the fact that she is testifying, but that was the extent of their conversation.
9:06 a.m.: Defense gets their opportunity for cross examination. John Prior walks to the podium. Heideman remains on the witness stand.
9:02 a.m.: On an account associated with Lori Vallow, there were several searches pertaining to "possession". There was one search asking to define possession. Vallow was also looking for the phone number of JJ Vallow's elementary school and the search results bookend the proof of life for JJ Vallow.
8:54 a.m.: Heideman talks about some search history of Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow. There were search results for astrological compatibility. Lori Vallow is a Taurus, and Chad Daybell is a Leo.
8:47 a.m.: Heideman discusses both phone attribution and search history of Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell.
8:43 a.m.: Heideman takes the stand. She has an exhibit that will assist in her testimony. State Exhibit 184A is a PowerPoint presentation that displays the data the FBI discovered throughout the investigation.
8:36 a.m.: Judge Boyce calls court to order. The jury is brought into the room. FBI tactical specialist Nicole Heideman will be taking the stand to continue her testimony regarding phone attribution, or finding phone users by data.
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