Doomsday Stepdad in Custody After Human Remains Found on His Property
Doomsday author Chad Daybell was taken into custody Tuesday after authorities investigating the disappearance of his stepchildren found human remains at his Idaho home.
The Rexburg Police Department said during a Tuesday news conference that the remains found on the property have not been identified.
“Throughout the investigation, detectives and investigators have recovered what is to believed to be humans remains that have not been identified at this time,” Rexburg Police Assistant Police Chief Gary Hagen, adding that Daybell was taken into “custody for questioning.”
East Idaho News reported that Daybell was pulled over a mile from his road, handcuffed, and driven away. Soon after, the site reported that trucks hauling backhoes had arrived at the property and police with a K-9 unit could be seen gathered around a patch of land.
J.J. Vallow, 7, and Tylee Ryan, 17, have not been seen since September and police have said their lives are in danger. Their mother, Lori Vallow, is being held in an Idaho lockup on child desertion, contempt and other charges in lieu of $1 million bail.Trucks carrying backhoes have just arrived at Chad Daybell's home. Also spotted a K9 from the air. pic.twitter.com/G3i6cYGFbm— Nate Eaton (@NateNewsNow) June 9, 2020
Daybell and Vallow have been under a cloud of suspicion since police were asked to check on the kids, went to their home, and were given a bogus story about their whereabouts. When cops returned a day later to investigate further, the adults were nowhere to be found.
In the ensuing weeks, the investigation uncovered layer after layer of disturbing intrigue—from the couple’s apocalyptic religious beliefs, to the recent deaths of their former spouses, to a string of other menacing events.
In a recent interview with EastIdahoNews.com, a friend of the couple revealed that she was asked to lie to police and say the kids were with her. She said she refused and later pressed Daybell and Vallow about the children.
“I think the first question I said is, ‘Why haven’t you told us where the kids are?’” Melanie Gibb said. “[Lori responded], ‘Well, for your safety, we cannot tell you.’ That was just alarming to me. What safety? Why am I in danger? I didn’t feel like I was in danger.”
The disappearance of the children sparked investigations into several other incidents:
—The Oct. 19 death of Chad’s first wife, Tammy. He said she went to bed with a cough and never woke up, and she was buried without an autopsy. He and Vallow got married in Hawaii weeks later, with no sign of the children. Authorities have since exhumed Tammy’s body to conduct an autopsy.
—The July 11 death of Vallow’s previous husband, Charles. He was shot to death by her brother, Alex Cox, in what was initially described as a case of self-defense. Cox has since died of natural causes, and police are taking a second look at the shooting. Charles Vallow had reported that Lori had become obsessed with doomsday visions and had threatened his life.
