Chad Daybell trial: Defense rests its case after 11 witnesses called to testify
After calling 11 witnesses, the defense rested its case in the Chad Daybell triple-murder trial.
The Idaho man faces murder charges in the deaths of his first wife and his current wife's two children who once lived in the Valley.
Daybell was not one of those 11 witnesses.
The self-proclaimed doomsday prophet was asked by the judge if it was his decision not to testify. Daybell responded in the affirmative.
"That is correct," he told the court.
The prosecution followed the 11 witnesses with rebuttals, poking holes in the testimonies of Daybell's adult children who testified on his behalf Monday.
Were there contradictions in the testimony?
Daybell's daughter, Emma Murray said during her testimony she did not want to do an interview with the sheriff's office and that the family only wanted to see the results of the autopsy performed.
Detective Bruce Mattingly from Fremont County Sheriff's Office could be heard on a phone call with Murray saying the following:
"We'd just at least like to let you know what's in it and tell you about it. We're not asking for an interview."
Holes in Garth Daybell's testimony:
The Daybell mother, Tammy Daybell, died of asphyxia on Oct. 19, 2019.
During the testimony of Garth Daybell, he said he got home in the middle of the night after work and everything seemed normal.
Testimony challenges statement made by Daybell's son
A new witness called by the prosecution for rebuttal, states that Garth Daybell told him how he found his dead mother Tammy Daybell on October 19, 2019. The witness says Garth’s father Chad was not around in the house. In prior testimony by Garth Daybell, he said his father woke him up to help after his mother was found deceased.
"As I passed their bedroom, I heard my father snoring," Garth testified.
He said he later went to his room and watched YouTube.
A new state witness who worked with Garth that night told the court he heard a different story.
"I remember he said he found her when he got home from work, and he didn't know where his father was and I don't remember if he said she was in the bed or next to the bed but he said she was pale and her lips were blue," said Jason MacKay Abegglen, a friend and co-worker of Garth's.
What happened after Tammy Daybell was found dead?
Just 17 days later, Chad Daybell married Lori Vallow, a woman who moved from Chandler to Idaho to be close to Chad. Authorities found Vallow's two kids buried under the Daybell property in June 2020.