Chad Daybell sentenced to death for murdering his wife and girlfriend's two children in jury decision

Chad Daybell, right, stands with defense attorney John Prior after the jury's verdict in his murder trial is read at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho, Thursday, May 30, 2024 Daybell was convicted of murdering his wife and his new girlfriend. two younger children in a bizarre triple murder case that included allegations of doomsday prophecies, zombie children and illicit affairs. (AP Photo/Kyle Green, swimming pool)

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Chad Daybell has been sentenced to death for the murders of his wife and his girlfriend's two youngest children in Idaho.

The sentence was handed down Saturday after an Idaho jury unanimously agreed that imposing the death penalty would be a just solution to the triple murder case. The sentence marks the end of a dark investigation that began with the search for two missing children in 2019. The following year, their bodies were found buried in Daybell's backyard in eastern Idaho.

Daybell and his new wife, Lori Vallow Daybell, were charged with multiple counts of murder, conspiracy and robbery in connection with the deaths of Vallow Daybell's two youngest children, Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 7, and 16 years. old Tylee Ryan. They were also charged with conspiracy and murder for the death of Daybell's first wife, Tammy Daybell.

During a trial that lasted nearly two months, prosecutors said Chad Daybell promoted unusual spiritual beliefs, including apocalyptic prophecies and stories of possession by evil spirits, to justify the killings.

THIS IS A LATEST UPDATE. AP's earlier story follows below.

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Jurors resumed deliberations Saturday on whether a man should be sentenced to death after being convicted days earlier of the murders of his wife and his daughter's two youngest children. friend in Idaho.

Jurors had to decide whether Chad Daybell should be executed or sentenced to life in prison for the triple murder case, which began with the search for two missing children in 2019. The following year, their bodies were found buried in Daybell's yard in eastern Idaho.

Daybell and his new wife, Lori Vallow Daybell, were charged with multiple counts of murder, conspiracy and robbery in connection with the deaths of Vallow Daybell's two youngest children, Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 7, and 16 years. old Tylee Ryan. They were also charged with conspiracy and murder for the death of Daybell's first wife, Tammy Daybell.

During a trial that lasted nearly two months, prosecutors said Daybell promoted unusual spiritual beliefs, including apocalyptic prophecies and stories of possession by evil spirits, to justify the killings.

He was sentenced Thursday. Family members of the victims gave emotional statements to jurors before beginning deliberations Friday afternoon in the sentencing phase of the trial.

Daybell's defense attorney, John Prior, argued during the trial that there was insufficient evidence to link Daybell to the murders, and suggested that Vallow Daybell's older brother, Alex Cox, was the culprit. Cox died in late 2019 and was never charged, and Vallow Daybell was convicted last year and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Idaho law allows execution by lethal injection or firing squad, although executions by firing squad have never been used in the state.