Lori Vallow: How 'America's family community' Rexburg turned into gravesite as some locals still maintain Chad Daybell's innocence
REXBURG, IDAHO: Several people in Rexburg still believe Chad Daybell, 'cult mom' Lori Vallow's husband, is innocent. Rexburg, which called itself 'America's family community', is now known for being the town where Vallow's children, JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan, were brutally killed by their mom. Both Vallow and Daybell were allegedly convinced the children were "zombies" possessed by evil spirits.
Vallow's case drew national attention when JJ nad Tylee went missing in 2019. She is now on trial for the deaths of the two children, as well as that of her fifth husband Chad Daybell’s former wife, Tammy Daybell. In 2020, the bodies of her children were found buried on Chad’s property.
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Vallow was arrested by authorities in February 2020 and Chad in June 2020. They were indicted in late May 2021 on multiple counts each of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and grand theft by deception, and first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of JJ, Tylee, and Tammy. In June 2021, officials also indicted Vallow in the July 2019 murder of Charles Vallow, her former husband.
It is said that a small "underground" sect of people still refuse to believe Daybell is guilty, according to Daily Mail. Daybell was once viewed as a weird but "faithful" follower of Jesus Christ. Among many that have backed Daybell are his five adult children, who believe he was manupulated by Vallow. They remained at the property even after the bodies were discovered.
'Horrifying, disgusting, disturbing'
Peggy Jeppesen, a grandmother who lived about a couple of miles from the Daybell property and helps maintain a memorial wall for JJ and Tylee, said, "I hope there isn't skepticism anymore. I hope not. But I wonder, because even now, there are people that just don't want to discuss it, just really choose to believe that he isn't what he's accused of being."
Recalling the morning of June 9, 2020, when Tylee and JJ's remains were found in the backyard, she said, "Horrifying, disgusting, disturbing. I cannot believe that someone in our community that is supposed to be a follower of Jesus Christ, and a faithful believer in God, could possibly be any part of murdering those children. They slaughtered them, allegedly, from what we're hearing. And it's right there. There's proof in the ground."
JJ, who had autism, died of asphyxia by a plastic bag over his head, Fox News reported. Tylee died of homicide by unspecified means, Ada County coroner Dr Garth Warren said. Prosecutors had previously revealed that Tammy, too, died of asphyxiation.
Warren "did not see any trauma to the internal organs or evidence of overt natural disease to any of" JJ's organs, he testified, according to East Idaho News reporter Nate Eaton. JJ, however, reportedly had an abrasion on his neck, bruising on his arm, and a hemorrhage on his right thumbnail. "There were also other areas that were concerning or suspicious — bruising on the ankles that may have been associated with the duct tape," Warren said.
'No one could believe what was happening'
When the children went missing, Jeppesen would often ask people in Rexburg, "[Tylee and JJ] are not being found, what's going on?" Some "would put their hands up, physically put their hands up, and say, "don't even go there with me. Chad would never. Chad is the most amazing, strong individual. He's so faithful in the Gospel, there is no way he is he would have anything to do with any of this.""
Another local, Jeanine Harrop Hansen, a close friend of JJ's grandparents, said those who are still loyal to Daybell have gone "underground." "As the story unfolded, no one could believe what was happening in this small town of Rexburg. We were all going “what?”" Hansen said. "We thought, the national news, in Rexburg, we've got children missing, and their bodies were found in Chad’s backyard. This beautiful young lady was mutilated. I mean, nothing happens like this in Rexburg, Idaho. It’s a place where you felt safe and secure."
Daybell has some followers who he lured with tales about his "near death experiences' which brought visits from God." "It has bothered me, how many people have moved here to be near Chad, the rumblings of that is unreal," Jeppesen said. "He clearly had a hold on people."
Hansen said, "When I'm when I'm in conversation with people that I grew up with, we just go, "how did he take our religion and justify zombies and murdering children?""
A former member of Vallow and Daybell's inner circle, Melanie Gibb, said, "[Vallow] felt she was part of the 144,000. She felt they were the head, leaders of it."
'I am trying to make it a nice place for my family'
A woman who now lives at the rented home said she was unaware of the history of the house and the owner's backstory until someone showed up and "asked if they could come inside and take pictures." "'I am trying to make it a nice place for my family to live. I don’t really want to be associated with her or that… I don’t like it at all,' said the woman, who initially considered moving out," the woman said. "It’s been a really, really sweet neighborhood to be in. I did not love finding out about that. I was actually just blindsided... I felt so sick about it just being in Rexburg."
Many in Rexburg share the same belief as the woman. "We will be Rexburg where this tragedy has happened. But we will be Rexburg that has continued to survive and thrive," Hansen said.
Rexburg Mayor Jerry Merrill said, "We haven’t loved having Rexburg be the in the spotlight for this... I think the citizens are ready to have this done, have the trial over and move on and not be the center of worldwide attention." Daybell maintains that he is innocent despite a mountain of evidence.