Friday 10th - morning update.
Warning - some graphic testimony
LIVE UPDATES FROM THE CHAD DAYBELL TRIAL
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Please excuse the typos. These are live updates from the courtroom.
11:55 a.m. Chad told Samantha that Tammy visited her at the cemetery and told him he needs to move on. Samantha replied, “When most women say that, they mean two years – not two weeks after they died.” Blake has no further questions. Boyce suggests we have lunch break until 1 p.m. Be back then.
11:53 a.m. Chad got married two weeks after Tammy was buried. Samantha learned about other names associated with Lori Vallow — JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan. Samantha called Chad and asked, “Please tell me about this woman that you’ve replaced my sister with.” Samantha asked about the name difference – Ryan versus Vallow. Chad said Lori had a complicated past and wanted to move on. Prior asks the judge for context of when the call took place and Samantha quickly says, “It took place Dec. 13.”
11:52 a.m. A month after Tammy died, Jason and Samantha reached out to Chad. They learned his new wife’s name was Lori Ryan (that’s what Chad said). Chad said Lori’s previous husband had died of a heart attack and that’s why they connected. “He told me they both had lost a spouse and that was why they met up,” Samantha says.
11:50 a.m. Samantha hosted a dinner for Chad and his kids before their mom’s viewing. They never showed up. Chad told Samantha he had more information about Tammy’s passing so she could have comfort about her death. They were supposed to talk after the funeral but Chad made himself unavailable.
11:49 a.m. Tammy was buried in Springville and that surprised Samantha because Chad and her kids lived in Rexburg. Samantha asked Chad why they were burying her in Springville. Chad said, “We are covered with snow and ice most of the year and you will take good care of her.” Chad requested that his name not be on Tammy’s headstone. “I found that odd for somebody that was heavily into family history to not do so. To leave that off would mean someone further down the line would not connect him to her.”
11:47 a.m. Samantha saw Tammy in April, June, July and October of 2019. Tammy never complained of any health issues other than her wrist hurting. She seemed fine and healthy. Samantha asked Chad in a phone call after Tammy died if he was going to do an autopsy. He said no and the coroner told him “she looked peaceful and it looked liked natural causes.” Chad also said it would cost him $1,500 and would hold things up. They wanted to get the funeral done quickly.
11:44 a.m. Tammy never gave any indication that Chad was having an affair. During an event in June 2019, Tammy and Chad stayed at Samantha’s home. Chad seemed like he didn’t want to talk and didn’t want to be there, which was unusual for him. In July, Tammy showed up at Samantha’s house about 10:30 p.m. two days before Samantha’s birthday with a present. It was odd because Tammy usually went to bed early and Chad stayed in the van the entire time Tammy was in the house. Samantha was not aware of any falling out.
11:43 a.m. Tammy traveled alone. That was not normal for Tammy. She didn’t like to drive the long distance by herself so normally someone came with her. Chad was usually with her and he had family still living in Springville. There was nothing about her health that would prevent her from driving long distances.
11:42 a.m. Samantha never saw Tammy have an adverse reaction to homeopathic medicines. Tammy would share her health challenges with Samantha and Samantha says Tammy took case of her health. “It was something she was very focused on.” The visit in October 2019 was last-minute. Tammy texted Samantha and asked if she would be around that weekend.
11:40 a.m. Tammy was 49 – “the same age that I am right now.” Samantha says Tammy wanted her sister to apply for a theater teaching job in Idaho so they could be near each other. They wanted to live near each other. “It was our joke that we would be old ladies together living side by side,” Samantha says through tears.
11:38 a.m. Samantha had seen Tammy two weeks earlier and was just fine. They had a small Facebook group where they would check in with each other to make sure they were healthy. Samantha says during that visit, Tammy was really happy and they did a mini-talent show for their parents. Tammy did her clogging and Samantha did some stage combat because she was teaching theater classes. Tammy was not short of breath or having any medical issues.
11:37 a.m. As part of Chad’s employment after he and Tammy got married, he was involved in digging graves. He became the sexton. Blake asks Samantha how she found out Tammy had died. “I received a phone call from Chad that morning,” Samantha says, holding back tears. Chad told Samantha that Tammy was really sick, had a coughing fit, threw up and then fell out of bed. This didn’t make sense to Samantha.
11:36 a.m. Chad told Samantha that he had a vision they should move to Idaho. Samantha thought about it because she didn’t want to be separated from her sister. Samantha read an email Chad sent saying she had evil spirits keeping her from moving to Idaho and that she should be up there. “It made me very unhappy.”
11:35 a.m. Tammy and Chad have five kids and they have grandkids. Samantha says Tammy did not want to move to Idaho at the beginning. Before moving to Idaho, she worked at Springville High School and at an elementary school before. As Samantha testifies, their brother wipes tears from his eyes.
11:34 a.m. Samantha remembers when Chad and Tammy started dating. Samantha liked Chad. He was a good husband and father. Chad and Jason were close. They all lived in the same neighborhood and at one time, across the street from each other.
11:32 a.m. Blake moves to admit a photo of her sister Tammy. It is shown to the jury and courtroom. Samantha says there are 5 kids – 2 girls and 3 boys. Tammy was the second oldest. There was four years between them but they were best friends. They were close into adulthood. They saw each other or talked almost every day.
11:31 a.m. Blake asks if it was common for Tammy to have a pet cemetery. Samantha says absolutely – they have had pets in their family for years and when they pass away, they would be buried on their property. Tammy continued to have pets into her adult life.
11:29 a.m. The first exhibit shows a photo of Chad’s property. Blake asks if Tammy had a pet cemetery. Samantha says she did and explains two posts in the middle of the picture. To the right is the fire pit and the barn is in the back of the photo. We see another closer image of the fire pit and pet cemetery.
11:27 a.m. Samantha has visited Tammy’s house. Blake moves to admit two exhibits.
11:25 a.m. Samantha Gwilliam, Tammy’s sister, is the next witness. Blake will be questioning her.
11:24 a.m. Prior asks about the recording and Chad saying “simple situation.” Prior suggests it was a custody matter and that may have been why Chad said that – that he thought it was a custody matter because they had a family law attorney. Wixom objects, Boyce sustains. Prior has nothing further.
11:23 a.m. Wixom asks if Tylee and JJ being buried in Chad’s backyard was a “simple situation.” Jason says, “That is far from a simple situation. Wixom has nothing further. Prior will now re-cross.
11:21 a.m. Wixom asks Jason if he ever had concerns about Chad’s book publishing company. Jason says he was worried about one particular author that Chad pushed. He does not say the author’s name.
11:19 a.m. Wixom asks if any law enforcement ever tried to influence what he would say. Jason says no. He says their primary concern was can we find some children. Jason says he never saw any desire from Chad and Lori to find the kids. Jason gave the phone number of the attorney to law enforcement.
11:17 a.m. Wixom asks Jason if he’s concerned that he wasn’t informed about Tammy’s exhumation. Jason says he would have liked to know but is not concerned he wasn’t. Wixom asks Jason how many law enforcement contacts he has had regarding Chad. Jason says 20ish – maybe more. He doesn’t know an exact number.
11:16 a.m. Prior has nothing further. Wixom is now back up for re-direct.
11:13 a.m. Prior asks about visions and the LDS faith. “I would say most people don’t have expressive visions. I think people have general inspiration in regards to their lives and what they might do. They probably might not express them as much,” Jason says.
11:11 a.m. Prior asks about the family prayer and Chad’s emotions. Jason is asked if he’s read Chad’s books. Jason has read a few. His understanding, when he first read them, is they were stories he had just made up. Chad later told him the books are based on events that will occur.
11:10 a.m. Prior asks about the visit Jason had with Chad at BYU-Idaho in Rexburg. Prior asks if they went to the library. Jason doesn’t recall. Prior asks if Chad went to the library on the regular basis. Jason doesn’t know his habits.
11:09 a.m. Prior asks if there is a familial relationship between Jason and Steve Schultz. Jason says they are not related. They have known each other about 12 years and Steve is a good man.
11:07 a.m. Prior asks Jason about Chad’s comment concerning the “simple situation.” Jason doesn’t know what Chad meant by that. Prior asks about the comment Chad made concerning an officer “harassing Leah.” Leah is Chad’s third child who lived in Idaho at the time.
11:04 a.m. Prior asks Jason if he knew how long the exhumation took. Jason says he currently believes it took around 24 hours. He didn’t know back when the exhumation occurred. Jason says he doesn’t think anyone in the Douglas family knew about the exhumation.
11:02 a.m. Jason says the only person who stood out in the group was the person who said he was with the FBI. Jason thought that was unusual because you don’t usually deal with the FBI. Prior asks about the comment Lori made about having a family attorney. Jason got the impression there was a civil situation going on with the missing kids because they gave the attorney’s name.
11:01 a.m. Prior asks what police officers were at the Springville Police Department when Jason went and spoke with law enforcement on Dec. 18, 2019. Prior asks if Rob Wood “the gentleman in the red tie” attended the interview. Jason doesn’t know.
10:59 a.m. Jason says he did not see Chad and his family as much in 2019. Prior asks Jason what Tammy’s involvement was in relation to the publishing company. He was in Springville but not in Idaho.
10:56 a.m. In 2015, the Gwilliams did not go to Idaho but Chad and his family traveled down to Utah for medical appointments, etc. In 2016, Jason got the “censure” letter from Chad so they visited Idaho 3-4 times. The Daybells would also drive down to Utah. In 2017, similar patterns. In 2018, mission farewells, weddings and other events brought the family together.
10:55 a.m. Chad continued to write his books after moving to Rexburg, Gwilliam says. Gwilliam says Chad and Lori had a normal marital relationship. Gwilliam didn’t observe them as much in Idaho as he did in Utah.
10:53 a.m. Prior begins by asking about the close relationships Jason had with Chad. They both attended the same LDS ward. Prior asks if they held positions of authority. Jason doesn’t recall. Chad served as a counselor in the bishopric and in the Elders Quorum presidency. Chad began writing the books in 2006 through 2015. At the time, Jason said he had no concerns with Chad’s books.
10:51 a.m. Jason never had any missed calls, texts or emails from Chad. Jason eventually learned where JJ and Tylee were found. Wixom has no further questions. Prior will now conduct cross.
10:50 a.m. Jason seems to have lost the phone signal with Chad and Lori and the call disconnects. That was the last communication Chad and Jason ever had. Jason tried to call Chad again after the first of the year but was unsuccessful.
10:46 a.m. Jason asks if Chad’s kids have plans for Christmas. Jason and Chad discuss their plans. Chad asks Jason if he heard about Tammy’s autopsy. Chad said they did the autopsy on one day last Wednesday – a week ago. “I have not heard a thing,” Chad says. Jason said someone told him to check out the cemetery the previous week. Jason asks Chad and Lori if they have anything planned for Christmas. Chad says they are not going to Idaho.
10:45 a.m. Lori says she isn’t sure if the detective is being paid off. Lori says to tell officers, “We’ve been instructed by our family attorney not to talk to police.” Jason had no concerns about talking to police. Ron and Phyllis are Tammy’s parents.
10:44 a.m. Chad says if the police bother Ron and Phyllis, give them their attorneys number. Sean Bartholick was their lawyer. Lori says Det. Hope never calls them to ask them any questions but calls everyone else and bothers them. Chad says, “It’s like he’s circling us instead of talking to us directly.”
10:41 a.m. Jason felt, at that point, that it possibly was a smaller situation. Chad brings up Heather again and says he will text Jason the name of their attorney who is in Rexburg. Lori says Heather’s in-law, who is a detective, is bugging everyone. Jason says the police caught him off guard. Chad says this is different issue.
10:39 a.m. Jason wasn’t sure what Chad meant by the “Tammy situation.” Jason did not know of anything related to Tammy’s investigation at that point. Chad says “they are grasping at straws. I still feel Heather Daybell is behind this. She is an evil woman.” Jason doesn’t recall having a conversation with Heather at that point. Lori says Det. Hope is causing problems. Chad says “it’s a simple situation but we just can’t tell you because then you’d be involved.”
10:37 a.m. Jason wanted to get the name of the attorney to give to law enforcement. Jason asks about the kids. Lori says if the police show up, give them the attorneys name. Lori says it’s a bunch of people starting trouble for no reason. Chad says it’s separate from the Tammy situation.
10:35 a.m. Jason tells Chad people are asking questions about some kids. Jason says he doesn’t know anything. Chad says the police went to Leah’s house and tried to threaten her. Chad says they aren’t sure what they are trying to accomplish – it’s mainly one detective in Rexburg. Chad says they finally got a hold of an attorney in Rexburg.
10:34 a.m. Wixom plays a small portion of the call for Gwilliam to authenticate.
10:32 a.m. Gwilliam says he asked law enforcement to record the call because there might be information that might help find the missing kids. Gwilliam, Chad and Lori were on the call.
10:30 a.m. Back in the courtroom. Jurors are being brought in.
10:02 a.m. Morning recess now. Will be back in 25 minutes.
10:01 a.m. Law enforcement from the FBI, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Fremont County Sheriff’s Office and Rexburg Police were there. Jason told police he would call Chad and asked officers to record the call. Chad answered. Wixom moves to admit the call.
10 a.m. Police told Jason they could not find the children. Jason was concerned because Chad had told him that Lori had older children, but there were minor children missing. Jason was also concerned that police could not get in touch with Chad and Lori.
9:58 a.m. Chad mentioned that on the day of Tammy’s funeral, his wife appeared to him and said it was time to move on – meaning get remarried. On Dec. 18, 2019, Jason received a call from law enforcement and met them at the Springville Police Department. Jason learned there were two missing kids affiliated with Lori and Chad.
9:56 a.m. The next contact Jason had with Chad was the day Tammy got exhumed. Chad texted and said he needed to talk with them. Samantha was on the phone, and it was on speaker. Chad asked Samantha and Jason if they knew Tammy had been exhumed and if they were responsible for it. Jason and Samantha did not know anything about it.
9:55 a.m. Chad told Jason that his kids knew he was going to be getting married before he went to Hawaii. Jason asked how they kept it a secret. Chad said, “My kids are good at keeping secrets.” He did not explain what he meant by that. Several jurors are taking notes.
9:54 a.m. A day or so later, Jason called Chad again. He wanted to know when Chad got married. Chad said he got married on Nov. 5. During their first call, Chad asked Jason not to tell anyone that he had been married. Jason said he needed to call Tammy’s parents and let them know.
9:52 a.m. Jason didn’t know what to say. He said, “Who is she?” Chad said her name was Lori Ryan, and she was 5’6″, 120 pounds, physically fit, worked out and an amazing person. Chad said Lori’s husband had died of a heart attack in 2019. Jason asked if she had kids. Chad said Lori had some grown children. At that point, Jason had never heard of JJ and Tylee. Jason wanted to know when Chad got married, but he did not share that.
9:51 a.m. Jason said no and Chad said Heather was spreading rumors about him in Rexburg.
Click here to read Heather’s testimony from day 15 of the trial. Chad said it wasn’t important, but while he was in Hawaii, he got married. Jason was “very” surprised to hear Chad had gotten married. “It is not common to marry someone within a month – maybe – of a wife passing when he was as close as he was with his spouse.”
9:50 a.m. Around a month after the funeral, Jason reached out to Chad to see how he was doing. Chad asked Jason if he had been speaking to Heather Daybell, his sister-in-law (married to Matt Daybell, his brother). Jason was not close to Heather and was calling to check on Chad – not to talk about Heather.
9:48 a.m. Chad finally arrived and said he and the kids needed to get back to Rexburg for the memorial the next day. Jason said given his history with Chad, it was very unusual.
9:46 a.m. During the funeral, Jason was watching one of Chad’s grandchildren in the back. Jason didn’t get to observe as much as he would have liked. After the funeral, the family went to the cemetery and they were there for a while. Then the luncheon was held at the church. Everyone arrived and waited 25-30 minutes for Chad to arrive. Chad called and said to have the lunch start without him. Chad didn’t arrive for another 15 minutes. Chad was around 45 minutes late for the luncheon.
9:44 a.m. There was a viewing on Monday night and one on Tuesday morning. On Monday, Chad was busy greeting people so he and Jason didn’t have much time to interact. On Tuesday, there was a family prayer and Jason said it seemed “different and off.” Chad was rocking back and forth, side to side, and was “not crying but trying to cry.”
9:42 a.m. Jason says Chad just seemed “off.” “I didn’t feel like it was normal when someone lost a spouse but everybody does things different so I didn’t think anymore about it.” Jason and Steve Schultz picked up the body from the funeral home in Rexburg and drove Tammy to Utah.
9:41 a.m. Jason went with Steve Schultz, the mortician, from Springville to Rexburg to pick up Tammy’s body. Chad and his kids were at the house. Chad seemed relatively normal and there was not a lot of mourning. Jason asked Chad if he was ok and Chad said, “I’m fine. I’m all cried out.”
9:40 a.m. Jason asked Chad how Tammy died. Chad said Tammy rolled out of bed and he found her dead.
9:37 a.m. Tammy was healthy and happy, Jason says. He did not feel she had gained or lost any weight. Jason went home and hugged his wife after learning Tammy died. “I was devastated. You don’t know what you can do at that time but you want to do something.” Around 11 a.m. – noon on the day Tammy died, Jason and Chad spoke. They discussed getting in touch with a mortician, the head of the church congregation, the basic things you needed for a funeral. Chad said he wanted the funeral on Tuesday and Jason was surprised – he felt it was very quick.
9:36 a.m. Jason was running errands when he learned Tammy had died. Samantha calls him and Jason says he was “stunned.” “I had seen Tammy two weeks prior and it didn’t seem that somebody of her age in her condition should have passed.” Tammy came to Jason’s house and stayed. She came down to visit family and parents.
9:33 a.m. Jason says Tammy and Chad were a loving couple. Their interactions were fine and appropriate, Jason says. During the last year of Tammy’s life, Jason says they saw each other at a Christmas party in 2018. At one time, Chad and his family went to Utah. Chad, Tammy, Samantha and Jason were sitting in a hot tub. They were not engaging in the conversation with the group. Jason says it was different. Jason didn’t bring it up with Chad but said something to Samantha.
9:32 a.m. Jason says Tammy was not thrilled about going to Idaho. Tammy loved being around her family and had a good relationship with Samantha. She was happy in Springville and she had cousins, aunts, nieces and nephews. The majority of the family was there and they had a lot of interaction with each other.
9:31 a.m. After that visit, Jason had a gut feeling he was not supposed to be there. Jason told Chad he would not be coming up. Jason thought Tammy was a sweetheart. “She was a kind, gentle person. She had a lot of people’s best interest.”
9:29 a.m. Jason felt Chad was trying to control his family. When Jason and his family came to visit Chad in Idaho, Chad talked about how nice it was. In 2016, Chad showed Jason around Rexburg and BYU-Idaho. “He was showing me that this would be a place as a city of light and there would be a refuge for people to come. There would be tent cities and areas where he would expand his property and turn it into a tent city.”
9:27 a.m. Chad wrote Jason a letter in 2016 and told him that he needed to be in Idaho. He said there would be a huge earthquake within three years and Jason’s house would be destroyed. Chad told Jason that the dark spirits would allow Samantha to go south but she could not come to Idaho. Jason wasn’t thrilled when Chad said that. “I have a responsibility and stewardship over my family – that’s not Chad’s responsibility.”
9:26 a.m. Jason was curious and originally believed some of Chad’s visions. Jason didn’t feel it was right to move to Idaho. “There were things going on that, to me, it didn’t feel right.” Jason visited Idaho but it wasn’t a place where he wanted to move. Jason told Chad he wasn’t going to move. Chad asked them again to move. Jason would visit Idaho for family functions.
9:24 a.m. Jason said this was a fear tactic – “I know more than you and you should listen to me.” He says wars and rumors of wars create fears. Chad and his family moved to Idaho in 2015. Chad invited Jason and his family to move with him. Chad felt it would be good to have Jason and his family move to escape the earthquake and desolation that was going to happen in Utah. Chad said Rexburg would be a city of light and a place of refuge.
9:21 a.m. Wixom asks about Chad’s near-death experiences. Jason says the stories changed and became more elaborate. Jason was concerned that the stories were not consistent and became more of a narrative. Around 2013-2014, Chad told Jason there would be earthquakes, destruction in America, invading troops from different countries that would come into the Americas.
9:20 a.m. Jason says Chad’s religious views changed around 2006-2007 and he became hyper focused on preparing for end of times. It became an obsession and more than normal, Jason says. Chad told Jason he was experiencing visions around 2010-2011 about how things would play out in the last days.
9:18 a.m. Jason says Chad shared an experience one time about being in water in La Jolla, California where he was beat up with some rocks. Chad shared another experience about jumping off cliffs in Flaming Gorge, Utah where he felt like his spirit left his body. This conversation happened in the early 2000s.
9:17 a.m. Wixom asks if there was anything specific in his discussions with Chad where Chad shared concerned about his relationship with Tammy. “Just that it was a little vanilla. He said they had a lot of general routine that they go through,” Jason says.
9:16 a.m. Jason says he and Chad would talk about different issues about family, religion, just about anything. “I feel like we had some really deep conversations in regards to a number things as two friends and brothers-in-law would.”
9:14 a.m. Jason and his family would see Chad and his family at least once or twice a week. Jason and Chad saw each other up to four or five times a week. They went to the same church and Jason and Chad shared shops. Chad and Jason worked together for six months before Chad moved up to Idaho. “I feel Chad and I were very close.”
9:13 a.m. Jason worked with Chad and they lived near each other for years. They were pretty close before this case. Jason married Samantha in 1995.
9:12 a.m. Next witness is Jason Gwilliam – Tammy’s brother-in-law. Jason is married to Samantha Gwilliam, Tammy’s sister. Rocky Wixom will be questioning him.
9:11 a.m. Blake asks if asphyxiation could cause foam. Willmore says yes. There are no further questions and Willmore is released from the subpoena.
9:10 a.m. Blake asks Willmore if she looked at prescription medication. Willmore doesn’t recall seeing any. Willmore did not have the benefit of reviewing medical records and was going off information only provided by Chad. Willmore says she can’t be 100% sure of determining whether a bruise is new or old simply by looking at it – that would be determined during an autopsy.
9:09 a.m. Prior asks if someone has a heavy lung, could there be foaming at the mouth. Willmore knew about heart issues might cause foaming but she didn’t know enough about what could cause it. Prior is finished. Blake will now re-direct.
9:07 a.m. Prior asks about the bruises on Tammy’s arms. She says there maybe 2-3 total bruises – not enough to consider anything suspicious. They looked older.
9:05 a.m. Chad mentioned Tammy had not been feeling well for about a month or so. He mentioned she had some light-headedness. Prior asks about the towel used to wipe away the foam and if she looked at it before wiping the mouth. Willmore says she didn’t use the towel – Brenda Dye did. Willmore did not look at the towel prior to it being used.
9:03 a.m. Prior asks if another family member may have suggested not having an autopsy. Willmore doesn’t recall. Prior asks if it’s possible Chad told Willmore that Tammy didn’t see any doctors about her illness. Willmore says all she recalls is Chad saying Tammy doesn’t really see doctors much.
9:01 a.m. Prior asks about the book on Tammy’s nightstand. The title was about essential oils, herbs, homeopathic remedies. Willmore says there were a few homeopathic medicines in the cabinet. Prior asks if any other members of the Daybell family were present when she and Dye spoke with him about having an autopsy.
9 a.m. Prior asks Willmore about Chad mentioning Tammy had been clumsy. She says Chad said Tammy had been lightheaded and clumsy. Prior asks Willmore about her interview with the FBI.
8:59 a.m. Willmore had never heard the names of JJ Vallow, Tylee Ryan, Lori Vallow or Alex Cox. She has since heard those names. Blake has nothing further. Prior will now cross examine.
8:57 a.m. No medications inside the home stood out to Willmore. Willmore provided information she gathered to Dye when Dye arrived. Willmore deferred to Dye when Dye showed up. Willmore and Dye spoke about whether an autopsy should be done. Dye determined one should not happen. Willmore remembers asking Chad if he wanted an autopsy and he said no.
8:55 a.m. Chad never mentioned seizures or fainting spells to Willmore. Chad told her that Tammy didn’t go to doctors. Willmore noticed a book on the nightstand about natural healing. She thought maybe that’s why Tammy passed away – she was sick and wasn’t seeing a doctor but trying to treat herself.
8:54 a.m. Willmore did not see any indication on Tammy’s head that she fell out of bed and hit the night stand.
8:52 a.m. Willmore says the foam bugged her so she pulled out her phone and looked up poisoning because it was an unusual looking amount of foam. She didn’t find anything about poisoning online.
8:52 a.m. Blake shows a photo of the bedroom again and there is a small white towel on the floor. That was the towel used to wipe away the foam.
8:50 a.m. There was not a lot of bruises. A medical examiner would determine the age of bruises – not a coroner, Willmore says. When Coroner Brenda Dye arrived, Willmore inspected Tammy’s body again. Dye wiped the foam off Tammy’s mouth and more came out. “I remember feeling like that was weird. I hadn’t really seen that before.”
8:48 a.m. Willmore arrived at the house around 6:35-6:40 a.m. The Daybell home was about six miles away from Willmore’s home. She says it was clear there was no need for emergency services because Tammy was dead. Because Tammy was stiff, Willmore knew Tammy had been dead for at least a few hours – not just recently.
8:48 a.m. Willmore noticed foam coming out of Tammy’s mouth. She had never seen something like this before and was surprised. Willmore knew the coroner was coming so she didn’t want to do anything with the body until she arrived.
8:46 a.m. Blake shows a photo of the bedroom. Willmore noticed Tammy’s legs were stiff and figured she had been dead for a while. Willmore took the sheet down and looked at her face and neck. She noticed some bruises on her bicep but she thought maybe Tammy had bumped into something. She said it looked like an older bruise – not fresh.
8:42 a.m. Chad said Tammy had been vomiting in the bathroom during the night but after she threw up, they went back to sleep. Chad said Tammy was menopausal and she liked to sleep with one leg outside of the covers. Chad said Tammy fell out of the bed. “She kind of slipped out and one leg was entangled in a blanket or sheet.” Tammy assumed part of her body was on the ground with one leg entangled in the sheets.
8:41 a.m. Willmore spoke with Chad about Tammy’s health history and what he thought happened. She asked if he had any medical issues and Chad said she had not but in the past month or so she had hypotension and lightheadedness. Chad said Tammy had been a bit clumsy.
8:40 a.m. Fremont County Deputy Greenhalgh was at the home when Willmore arrived. So was Chad. “He was distraught, crying, stating his wife has passed away,” Willmore says. Chad’s son Garth Daybell then came into the bedroom later. He was very quiet and did not say much.
8:39 a.m. Willmore responded to Tammy Daybell’s death on Oct. 19, 2019. She had only responded to 5-6 unattended deaths up to that point because she was new in her position. Willmore did not know Chad or Tammy Daybell.
8:37 a.m. Willmore has been an EMT for 15 years. She became deputy coroner in February/March 2019 and worked with Brenda Dye. Willmore is no longer a deputy coroner. Blake asks what an unattended death. It’s when someone dies and they aren’t under the care of hospice or a doctor at the time.
8:35 a.m. Jurors are in their seats. First witness today will be former Deputy Coroner Cammy Willmore. Lindsey Blake will question her.
8:29 a.m. Chad Daybell is in a blue checkered shirt and red tie. Defense attorney John Prior is sitting next to him. Lindsey Blake, Rob Wood, Ingrid Batey and Rocky Wixom at the prosecution table. Larry Woodcock and Vicki Hoban, Tammy’s aunt, are also here.
8:15 a.m. It’s day 21 of Chad Daybell’s murder trial. Samantha Gwilliam, Tammy Daybell’s sister, is here with her husband, Jason Gwilliam. Michael and Benjamin Douglas, Tammy and Samantha’s brothers, are also here.
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