Lori Vallow smiled in court several times during an Aug. 16, 2022 pretrial hearing. (Law&Crime Network)
The triple murder trial for Lori Vallow Daybell, 49, a "doomsday cult"-connected mother of two dead children and two dead ex-husbands began this week with jury selection.
Vallow and her fifth and current husband, Chad Daybell, 54, are each accused of murder in the 2019 deaths of Joshua "JJ" Vallow, 7, and Tylee Ryan, 16. The children disappeared on different dates in September of that year. Vallow was initially arrested in Hawaii in February 2020 on charges of child desertion. The two defendants were indicted for the murder of Vallow's children and Daybell's first wife, Tammy Daybell, 49, in May 2021. The alleged killer couple's cases were recently severed and will be tried separately.
The goal for jury selection in the case is to obtain 12 jurors and six alternates. The case is being overseen by Seventh District Judge Steven Boyce, who explained to potential jurors on Monday that the case is expected to last upwards of eight weeks.
Judge Steven Boyce as sketched during day one of jury selection in the Lori Vallow murder trial (Pool courtroom sketch artist)
Last week, nearly 2,000 people in Ada County, Idaho were summoned and asked to return jury questionnaires. That pool will be whittled down substantially over the coming days.
One of the first efforts to cut back on would-be jurors came from a defense attorney who pointed out that one prospective juror has two children. He said the woman should be excused for "hardship" since the trial will be long and could impact her family life. Boyce disagreed and said the prospective juror will remain on the panel – for now.
The voir dire phase of the trial, specifically, will run from 8:30 a.m. through 3:30 p.m. Mountain Standard Time each day. Court hours are subject to change once the trial begins in earnest.
Lori Vallow as sketched on day one of jury selection in her murder trial. (Pool courtroom sketch artist)
Law&Crime correspondent Gigi McKelvey will provide rolling updates as the case progresses:
Lori Vallow in court with her attorneys on April 4, 2023. (Pool courtroom sketch artist)
The prosecution takes notes during jury selection in the Lori Vallow trial on April 4, 2023. (Pool courtroom sketch artist)
By Tuesday evening, 30 would-be jurors made it through the initial stages. Judge Boyce wants 42 total potential jurors before the final 18 are chosen during voir dire. A jury could, potentially, be seated by the end of the day on Wednesday.
Lori Vallow appears rapt with attention during jury selection in her murder trial on April 4, 2023. (Pool courtroom sketch artist)