RECAP: The Trial of Chad Daybell Day 22

May 13, 2024 marked day 22 of the trial of Chad Daybell. View live updates from the courtroom below.

2:32 pm: The witnesses for the state moved much faster than anticipated so Judge Boyce calls for the courtroom session to end for the day. The trial of Chad Daybell will continue tomorrow morning at 8:30 am.

2:22 pm: A map shows that Tylee's phone and Lori's phone were located together for a while. Agent Ballance explains that the map was tracking data that confirmed Lori and Tylee's phones were consistently together following what law enforcement believed to be her last proof of life. With no further questions from Wood and no questions from Prior, Agent Ballance is released from the stand.

2:20 pm: Chad was found to be texting Lori on the day of Tammy's memorial.

2:16 pm: More location data places Alex Cox in Rexburg, driving to the Salem Church near Chad's property on the night that Tammy Daybell died. Alex Cox's device was last located there at 10:45 pm following a 16-minute call with Lori (who was in Hawaii at the time). Tammy Daybell died just hours after this call.

2:04 pm: Following the attempted assault on Tammy, Alex, Lori, and Chad were all exchanging messages. Ballance says that the burner phones were activated sometime between October 8th and 9th.

1:56 pm: Alex's phone data shows him traveling to Chad Daybell's residence after searching Google for the "Auburn, Alabama zip code," which was significant because his burner phone used an Auburn area code.

1:54 pm: Ballance explains that there were texts between Chad and Alex Cox on October 9, 2019. This was the day of the attempted assault on Tammy Daybell.

1:51 pm: Ballance walks the jurors through more call data from communications between Chad Daybell's burner phone, Alex Cox, and Lori Vallow.

1:48 pm: The texts from Chad show that he was stopping at the store to get another phone and "get that other number up an running." The next text shows Chad indicating that he would be calling Lori from a new 401 number.

1:41 pm: Texts sent from one of the Tracphones are displayed in the courtroom. These texts are from a number associated with Chad Daybell.

1:39 pm: Ballance clarifies that Tracphone, the company that provides the wireless service, does not have towers, but the point of purchase data can help to locate where the phone was used. The Tracphones were purchased in Rexburg.

1:37 pm: Agent Ballance walks the jurors through a slideshow with information regarding the burner phones purchased by Lori and Chad throughout their affair and leading up to the discovery of the bodies on Chad's property.

1:35 pm: Following the lunch break, the state calls FBI CAST Agent Nick Ballance to the stand.

12:26 pm: Wixom initiates a re-direct, asking Halepaska if there is any doubt that a tool was used to damage Tylee's body or remains. Halepaska confirms that this was undoubtedly the case. With no further questions, Halepaska is released from the stand. The courtroom lunch recess is expected to last until 1:30 pm.

12:24 pm: Prior asks if Halepaska was able to make any source determinations for the markings on the remains. He confirms that he was not able to.

12:20 pm: Wixom has no further questions following the description of the inflicted markings. Prior initiates his cross-examination.

12:03 pm: Halepaska explains that he was not provided tools from the scene, but if he had he would have been able to make test markings to narrow down which tools could have produced the markings on the remains.

11:50 am: Halepaska goes through various markings on the remains. Some of the markings were consistent with damage from a cleaver, an ice pick, and a cleaver. He explains various markings that would have been caused by stabbing and chopping motions.

11:35 am: A photo is displayed for the jurors, it shows two portions of a hip bone and an intact portion of a spine. Halepaska explains that there were markings on the bones that were consistent with a stabbing action.

11:30 am: Halepaska walks the jurors through the process of analyzing any markings on the remains that drew his attention.

11:15 am: Wixom moves to admit graphic photos of Tylee's remains to the courtroom, Halepaska explains that he performed a tool mark analysis on the remains to determine if the tools recovered from the property were involved in the death or disposal of them. A brief recess is held as the public in the courtroom is seated so they can not view the photos.

11:06 am: Halepaska explains that he works in the firearms and tools division. He explains that most of his work has involved firearm cases, but says that he has worked a number of tool mark cases as well.

11:00 am: The next witness on the stand is Doug Halepaska, an FBI forensic examiner. Wixom is questioning.

10:51 am: After describing the layout of the property and the discovery of the remains, Prior has no further questions for Kunsaitis. The detective is released from the witness stand.

10:48 am: Prior moves to admit more satellite photos of the Daybell property. Kunsaitis describes different areas on the property.

10:43 am: Kunsaitis points out discoloration on the property in the area where Tylee's remains were discovered which was not noticeable in earlier photos of the property. Wood asks the detective if he was on the scene aiding in the discovery of Tylee's body. After a long pause, the Detective sighs and says he was. Wood has no further questions, Prior initiates his cross-examination.

10:39 am: The images are displayed on the courtroom projector.

10:37 am: Kunsaitis says the satellite photos were provided by Apollo Mapping. The first image of the property was taken on August 27, 2019, another shows the property on September 9 of the same year, which is the date that investigators believe Tylee was buried on the property. A final image shows the property on October 25, 2019.

10:35 am: Kunsaitis explains the process of obtaining satellite photos of Chad's property during his investigation. A copy of the affidavit requesting the photo is admitted into evidence.

10:30 am: Detective Chuck Kunsaitis is called to the stand. Det. Kunsaitis has previously testified in the trial, he confirmed details of the finances involved in the case as well as the last proof of life for both Tylee and JJ. Wood is questioning for the state.

Court TV: Financial documents help pinpoint the deaths of Tylee and J.J.

10:29 am: The remains he received were determined to have gasoline in Sincerbeaux's analysis. With no further questions and no questions from Prior, Sincerbeaux is released from the stand.

10:26 am: Sincerbeaux explains the process of identifying ignitable liquids in evidence. Sincerbeaux says he was called to examine the remains of Tylee Ryan.

10:24 am: The next witness is David Sincerbeaux, who Wixom is questioning. Sincerbeaux is a retired forensic chemist who used to work with the Idaho State Police.

10:22 am: Prior has an extremely brief cross-examination and Ashlynn is released from the witness stand.

10:20 am: Ashlynn explains that Tylee's relationship with JJ was maternal, she was always caring for her little brother. She continues, explaining that Tylee was very close with Alex Cox. Ashlynn recalls trying to stay in touch with Tylee when she moved to Idaho but was only in contact with her for two weeks following the move.

10:18 am: Following the morning break Ashlynn Rynd, Tylee Ryan's high school friend, takes the stand. Batey asks her about the relationship she had with Tylee, Charles Vallow, Lori, and Alex Cox.

9:48 am: Judge Boyce calls for the mid-morning recess before the next witness is called. The courtroom livestream is expected to return in 15-20 minutes.

9:46 am: Wixom asks if the bones had been severely damaged, Christensen says they were so thermally damaged that it was often difficult to determine if they were human or where they would have belonged on the body. With no further questions, Christensen leaves the stand but is not released from her subpoena.

9:44 am: Christensen confirms that there were portions of the remains that did not have burn marks. She clarifies for Prior that the bones with signs of trauma had been impacted while they were biomechanically active, but that she could not determine if they were inflicted before or after the death. Prior has no further questions.

9:38 am: Wixom has no further questions, Prior initiates his cross-examination by asking Christensen about a book she wrote with Dr. Eric Bartelink. She says she reviewed his report regarding the bones and explains that the two had no substantive differences in their accounts of the skeletal remains.

9:37 am: A copy of the lab report summarizing Christensen's findings in her analysis of the remains is presented by Wixom.

9:35 am: Christensen explains that, due to the significant lack of soft tissue in the remains she received, she was careful to preserve any available tissue. Christensen describes the state of the tissue she removed from the ankle and foot.

9:28 am: Christensen analyzed over 100 bones, some were more burned or broken than others.

9:23 am: Christensen says the damage to the bones is not consistent with dismemberment, she explains that you would not see sharp trauma on the pelvis area if someone was trying to dismember. She does, however, confirm that the trauma came from an external force, not naturally.

9:17 am: Christensen explains that she was unable to determine if the traumas to the bones were inflicted before or after Tylee's death.

9:15 am: Christensen explains that there were signs of force on the remains, Christensen explains that the bones showed signs of five blunt and sharp traumas. She was unable to determine the exact causes.

9:13 am: Wixom is questioning Christensen, he prompts her to describe the burning that was present on the remains. Christensen says she would not tell whether the burning happened before or after Tylee's death, but explains that burning is expected to take place after the death.

9:08 am: Photos from the analysis of Tylee's remains are being displayed to the jurors, but they will not be displayed to the public. The First picture shows Tylee's left and right femurs.

9:02 am: Christensen explains that she performed an analysis of Tylee's remains using x-rays and microscopic observation to determine details of the manner of her death.

8:51 am: FBI Forensic Anthropologist Angi Christensen is called to the stand. Christensen is an expert in the analysis of human skeletal remains.

8:49 am: During a brief re-cross, Blake asks Heideman if the temple records indicated that Chad and Lori searched for the malachite rings, which they would eventually use as wedding rings, while Tammy Daybell was alive. Heideman says they did and is released from the witness stand.

8:48 am: Heideman explains that she only reviewed the temple records of Chad and Lori, and Prior has no further questions.

8:47 am: Prior asks Heideman if Chad would regularly attend the temple, even when he was not seeing Lori Vallow. Heideman confirms this.

8:45 am: Lindsey Blake has no further questions for Heideman after more details of the James and Elena story are described. Prior begins his cross-examination, he asks Heideman if there were chapter breaks in the texts sent between the couple. Heideman says there were chapter breaks in Chad's emails regarding the story, but she was unsure if there were any intentions to publish the intimate stories from their texts.

8:41 am: FBI tactical specialist Nicole Heideman begins the day by describing intimate texts between Chad and Lori, the texts describe intimate details with Chad and Lori both using their secret names. Chad referred to himself as James and to Lori as Elena.

8:34 am: For a recap of Friday's testimony, check the article here:
Tammy Daybell's sister and brother-in-law testify about Chad's behavior