BOISE, Idaho — The lead investigator for the search of J.J. Vallow and Tylee Ryan returned to the stand to give graphic testimony of what they found on Chad Daybell’s property, and how investigations are conducted.
RECAP: The Trial of Chad Daybell Day 2
- Rexburg police detective Ray Hermosillo remained on the witness stand
- Prosecution showing graphic photos of crime scene where bodies were found
- Defense Attorney John Prior asked pointed questions to Hermosillo
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.)
Thursday started with a discussion of what happened on June 9th 2020. It was the day investigators found the bodies of J.J. Vallow and Tylee Ryan in shallow graves. It was the focus of most of the morning’s testimony. Prosecutors attempting to show jurors the gruesome discoveries of the children’s decomposed bodies on Chad Daybell’s property. Lt. Hermosillo explains. “It appeared to be like tight-wrapped black plastic it wasn’t buried too deep, fairly shallow that’s what we started to see.”
Defense Attorney John Prior started his cross-examination by asking the Lt. about distinct roles in an investigation by all police officers involved and how important it is to not make any determination of any evidence they find. Prior asked the detective about a 911 call made by Chad’s wife at the time Tammy that someone was trying to shoot her with a paintball gun.
“So Chad Daybell was driving the Dodge Dakota at the time and he was the primary driver maybe the only driver would that mean you would look to see if Alex Cox was trying to shoot Chad.”
I asked Court TV’s Matt Johnson if he thought Prior’s point was to convince the jury that Chad is a victim.
“He made a big point to point out that this is her fifth husband and he almost called her a vixen black widow talking about her prior husbands' untimely deaths including Tylee's father who died in a death that could be called suspicious and J.J.’s adopted father who died at the hand of Lori’s brother Alex Cox after being shot. And he pointed to Chad and said my client is not a suspect in that.”
Court is in recess Friday but we will be back to get you caught up to date heading into the weekend and of course be back here bright and early Monday morning.
