BOISE, Idaho — After hours of deliberating Friday, the Chad Daybell trial jury recessed for the night as they decide on whether the man found guilty on all charges in the murder of Tammy Daybell, as well as Tylee Ryan and “JJ” Vallow, will receive the death penalty.
Several family members took the opportunity to make statements in the courtroom in the sentencing phase of the trial.
During the penalty phase, prosecutors attempted to show that Daybell's crimes merit a death sentence because they were especially depraved, heinous or cruel or that they meet one of the other “aggravating factors” detailed in state law.
By Fridat night, the jury had yet to reach a decision and will reconvene Saturday morning to continue deliberations.
After a delay to the start of the hearing due to technical difficulties, prosecutor Rob Wood gave an opening statement that highlighted the factors that point towards the death penalty being an appropriate sentence for Daybell.
"The murder of Tylee Ryan was especially heinous, atrocious or cruel. The murder of "JJ" Vallow was especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel. The murder of Tammy Daybell was especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel," he said.
Defense attorney Mark Prior then spoke, saying his client was reserved and shy, and that his current wife, Lori Vallow Daybell, changed Chad. He said Chad Daybell was a "small town boy" who had a bomb dropped on him in the form of Lori.
Ron Douglas, Tammy's father, choked up when he spoke, saying he's glad his daughter is resting peacefully and that he'd like to restore a relationship with her living children.
JJ's grandmother, Kay Woodcock, described he grandson's imagination during her victim statement, explaining the joy that watching him grow and explore the world brought her.
"There is a hole in my heart and in the hearts of every member of my family, that cannot be filled and will remain for the rest of my life," she said in closing her statement.
Tammy Daybell's brother, Matthew Douglas, spoke next and shared the grief in her loss. While he never knew Tylee or JJ, Douglass said he cries when thinking about the connection they now have to his family.
After a lunchtime recess, Colby Ryan took the stand to talk about his his siblings, JJ and Tylee. During his statement, Colby explained how it is hard to put into words what it means for him to have lost his entire family, including his mother, Lori, and to have lost the ability to watch his siblings grow up.
Colby equated losing his siblings to a nuclear bomb dropping on his life.
"I stand here today, motherless, fatherless, sisterless, and brotherless. The only course forward is to trust in Christ, knowing that he has them in his arms. And wait for the day that we all meet again." he said.
Tammy's older brother, Michael Douglas, gave the final impact statement and spoke about when he learned the bodies of the children were found, saying he "broke into more pieces than he can count."
"The nightmare that I have been provided will last me a lifetime," he said. "As the big brother, I've felt, and I feel like a failure. I failed to protect Tammy. I looked for a silver lining as we do as big brothers, trying to set up some kind of win, and none to be found."
Lindsey Blake delivered the closing arguments for the state, while Prior offered a brief statement before Judge Stephen Boyce sent the jury to deliberate at 2 p.m.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
