Lori Vallow trial – live: Court hears doomsday mom’s jail call with Chad Daybell on day JJ and Tylee found

The high-profile trial of “doomsday cult mom” Lori Vallow is underway in Boise, Idaho.

Ms Vallow, 49, is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy, and grand theft over the deaths of daughter Tylee Ryan, 16, and son Joshua “JJ” Vallow, seven.

Tylee and JJ were last seen alive in September 2019. Their bodies were found buried on Ms Vallow’s new husband Chad Daybell’s property in June 2020.

On Tuesday, the court heard graphic testimony from Detective Ray Hermosillo and saw harrowing photos of JJ and Tylee’s remains. Tylee’s body was so badly burned that an autopsy to determine the cause of death was impossible. Meanwhile, JJ was still wearing his red pyjamas and a diaper when his body was pulled from a shallow grave.

Ms Vallow asked to be excused from the court during the testimony – a request that was quickly denied by the judge.

Wednesday’s session was adjourned early due to unforeseen circumstances and court will resume on Thursday morning at 8.30am MT.

Ms Vallow is also charged with conspiracy to murder Mr Daybell’s first wife Tammy, who died suddenly in October 2019.

She has pleaded not guilty in a dramatic case spanning murders, unexplained deaths and bizarre cult beliefs about killing zombies.

Key points

• Shocked court hears how JJ was found buried in red pyjamas

• Lori Vallow ‘upset’ after trial hears grisly details about crime scene

• Detective reveals alarming items found in Lori Vallow’s home

• Lori Vallow trial hears how Chad Daybell’s first wife Tammy was killed

• Lori Vallow driven by ‘money, power and sex’ to murder: prosecutor

• Timeline of the cult mom’s case and mystery deaths

ICYMI: Why did court end early today?

21:10 , Oliver O'Connell

Watch: Law enforcement officers shed light on developing investigation in Wednesday testimony

20:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Guns, knives and doomsday kits: What was found at Vallow’s home

20:30 , Oliver O'Connell

One of the first detectives investigating the disappearance of “cult mom” Lori Vallow’s son and daughter has revealed the alarming items discovered in her home months before the children were found murdered.

Andrea Blanco has the story.

Detective reveals alarming items found in Lori Vallow’s home weeks after murders

Key revelations from Lori Vallow’s murder trial so far

19:30 , Oliver O'Connell

“Cult mom” Lori Vallow is currently on trial in a case that has shocked the nation with its bizarre doomsday cult ties and the tragic deaths of almost everyone close to the mother-of-three and her new husband Chad Daybell.

Rachel Sharp looks at the key revelations so far.

Cult beliefs and charred remains: Key revelations from Lori Vallow’s murder trial

Watch: Det Hermosillo testified in horrifying detail about discovery of the bodies of Tylee and JJ

18:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Statement from prosecution team on early adjournment

18:31 , Oliver O'Connell

“There has been a death in the family of one of the prosecutor’s lead attorneys. The Court and defense have been gracious in allowing the prosecution to adjust to this personal situation.”

Court dismissed for the day

17:48 , Oliver O'Connell

Court resumed after the break and we were supposed to hear from another witness, but the prosecution team says that due to unforeseen circumstances, they request a dismissal for the day.

The defence team does not object and so the trial will continue tomorrow at 8.30am MT.

Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow’s jailhouse phone call revealed

17:38 , Oliver O'Connell

A jailhouse phone call captured the moment Chad Daybell warned “cult mom” Lori Vallow that police were closing in on the day that her children’s remains were discovered buried on his property.

In the call, made on 9 June 2020 and played in court during Ms Vallow’s high-profile double murder trial on Wednesday, Mr Daybell is heard telling his new wife that law enforcement were on the scene searching his property in Rexburg, Idaho.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Lori Vallow trial hears jailhouse call with Chad Daybell on day bodies found

17:14 , Oliver O'Connell

Court breaks for the morning recess.

17:13 , Oliver O'Connell

Cross-examination of Lt Powell begins.

He says that he only carried out surveillance on Lori and Chad that one day, following them from Madison County to Fremont County. Rexburg PD also followed them and other photos were taken.

Lt Powell says he couldn’t hear their conversation at the café as he was seated a table away from them.

As with earlier questioning from the defence team, he is asked if he is aware of Lori’s whereabouts on the day of Tammy’s death. He replies that he is not and is informed that she was in Hawaii. He is not surprised by that.

17:06 , Oliver O'Connell

A search was conducted of the Daybell home after a warrant was obtained that yielded a number of items that were taken back to the sheriff’s office.

Rexburg PD and the FBI also participated in the search.

17:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Given her lack of health issues and her husband being with another woman, it soon led police to move to exhume Tammy’s body from the cemetery in Springville, Utah.

Photos are displayed showing the exhumation of the grave site and her autopsy.

16:58 , Oliver O'Connell

Lt Powell says an investigation was eventually conducted into Tammy Daybell’s death because at 49 she was young and in good health.

He helped with a search warrant at one of Alex Cox’s townhome, the search of the Daybell property, and the exhumation of Tammy Daybell as part of that investigation.

Lt Powell also obtained a search warrant for Tammy’s medical records, which showed that she didn’t go to the doctor much but she did get seen for depression. A search warrant for her prescription records was also obtained showing she was prescribed Fluoxetine (an anti-depressant) and Tramadol (an opioid pain reliever).

16:51 , Oliver O'Connell

Lt Powell has been a lieutenant for six years. He oversees patrol officers and detectives. He previously worked as a detective for four and a half years.

He tells the court he learned of Tammy Daybell’s death on 19 October 2019.

Gilbert police contacted the department on 31 October 2019 and he was asked about Ms Daybell’s death. They told him there had been an attempted murder in Arizona and that there was a connection to the Jeep Wrangler.

Lt Powell began surveillance on Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow at a few different locations including the townhomes.

By this point Charles Vallow was also dead in addition to Tammy, and Brandon Boudreaux had been shot at from a Jeep as he testified on Monday.

A photo is entered into evidence of Chad and Lori at Café Rio on 1 November 2019. Another photo shows them holding hands and walking into a Hobby Lobby.

New witness: Lt Joe Powell, Fremont County Sheriff’s Office

16:41 , Oliver O'Connell

With no further questions and no cross-examination, Lt Willmore is dismissed.

The next witness is Lt Joe Powell from the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office. It is believed he will speak about the exhumation of Tammy Daybell’s body.

16:38 , Oliver O'Connell

A USB thumb drive of a phone call between Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell from 9 June 2020 (the day the bodies of the children were found) is brought up by the prosecution.

Lt Willmore confirms he’s reviewed this USB device and the call contained on it. He’s reviewed a number of calls between the two accused parties.

After a brief discussion, it and further thumb drives are entered into evidence.

The other drives include a video visit between Lori and her sister Summer Shiflet on 24 June 2020 and between her and her elder son Colby Ryan on 3 August 2020.

The first recording is published to the court.

On the call from 11.03am, Daybell tells Lori that the police are searching the property and asks her to pray.

JJ’s body was discovered approximately an hour later.

16:27 , Oliver O'Connell

Lt Wilmore is questioned by prosecution attorney Spencer Rammell.

He explains that the Telmate system requires each inmate to enter a unique PIN when they communicate with family or friends by video, text, or audio from a booth. Everything is recorded except communications with attorneys.

Lt Willmore can access the information with a username and password and can review any video visits or phone calls of any inmate in custody. He cannot edit or make changes to any of the information.

Everything is timestamped and dated.

New witness: Lt Jared Willmore of Madison County Sheriff’s Office

16:23 , Oliver O'Connell

The next witness is Lt Jared Willmore of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.

Lt Willmore has worked for the Madison County Sheriff’s Office for 20 years. He is the captain of the Madison County Jail and oversees the Telmate phone system used for inmates to communicate with family and friends.

16:22 , Oliver O'Connell

Attorney John Thomas asks to recross Hermosillo.

He asks if there is evidence of an attempted homicide on Tammy Daybell on 9 October 2019.

Hermosillo says they believe it was an attempted homicide but that he never investigated the case as it was the responsibility of the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office.

Prosecutors believe Alex Cox tried to shoot her on that date.

Hermosillo’s testimony is over.

16:19 , Oliver O'Connell

Hermosillo is asked about the examination of the fire pit and explains someone would scoop dirt and someone would sift.

They had a tarp underneath and anything too big to sift was examined. That was how they found teeth, charred bone, and flesh. Everything was photographed and logged.

16:17 , Oliver O'Connell

Asked about the tipline and how calls were handled, Hermosillo says some of the tips were from psychics, others included photos that were not Tylee and JJ and others didn’t respond when called back.

All other tips were followed up.

16:12 , Oliver O'Connell

Hermosillo is asked to again go over the process for getting a warrant to search the townhomes.

After first speaking with Alex Cox and Chad Daybell, they tried knocking on Lori’s door and calling her. Eventually, Lori called and was told to open the front door so they didn’t seek a warrant that day.

She told the detectives that JJ was with Melanie Gibb at the movies watching Frozen 2 which was why she was also not answering their knocks.

Ms Gibb did not have JJ and that is why the warrant was sought.

16:04 , Oliver O'Connell

State’s attorney Rob Wood takes on redirect questioning of Hermosillo.

He begins by asking about the weapons found during the search of the townhomes in November 2019 and whether they belonged to Lori.

Hermosillo says he does not know and is then asked why he took photos of them.

“It was extremely suspicious to have those guns along with everything else we located. We took photographs and took the guns out of the residence because when we went inside the residence, the door was broken and unable to lock. We held on to the weapons for safety.”

He adds that hey knew there was an attempted murder on Brandon Boudreaux and another attempt on Tammy Daybell. That’s why they photographed and seized them to see if there was a connection.

16:02 , Oliver O'Connell

After questions about the procedure for dropping off a body at a morgue, Thomas asks about the burial site where JJ was found.

Some rocks were removed and there were some boards recovered from the site. Asked if there were any matching panels or boards found at Chad Daybell’s property, Hermosillo says they found similar ones in the garage but they were not an exact match.

Thomas asks Hermosillo if any trace evidence was collected from JJ’s autopsy. He replies that he stood in the back and was not directly involved in the autopsy as the medical team was doing it.

Hermosillo says he did not ever personally take trace evidence off JJ’s body.

No further questions from the defence team.

15:55 , Oliver O'Connell

Defence attorney John Thomas continues his cross-examination of Rexburg PD Detective Ray Hermosillo.

He asks who was helping with the excavation of the firepit in the pet cemetery and says he does not recall exactly but know Detectives Stubbs, Hope and Lt Erickson were there in addition to the FBI team.

The digging began around 1pm on 9 June 2020 and continued into the afternoon of 10 June.

Between 9am and 1pm on 9 June he worked on the site where JJ was found and then went back to help at the fire pit where Tylee’s remains were located after escorting JJ’s remains to the morgue. He was only at the morgue for 15 minutes before returning to the scene to continue working.

Court resumes

15:51 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Steven Boyce is back on the bench and day three of the trial begins.

There is a scheduling request from the state for an early end today and for there to be no court on Monday. All parties agree.

It is believed that the modification in the schedule may be because attorney Lindsey Blake has had a death in the family.

The jury is brought in and seated.

Yesterday: Court hears JJ was found buried in red pyjamas and diaper

15:43 , Oliver O'Connell

Graphic photos shown at “cult mom” Lori Vallow’s murder trial revealed how her slain son JJ was still wearing his red pyjamas and a nighttime diaper when his remains were found buried in a shallow grave on Chad Daybell’s property in Rexburg, Idaho.

Joshua “JJ” Vallow was last seen alive on 22 September 2019.

The last proof of life showed the little boy, who had autism, sitting on a sofa dressed in a matching set of red pyjamas.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Lori Vallow’s son JJ was found buried in red pyjamas and diaper

Lori Vallow back in court

15:32 , Oliver O'Connell

After yesterday’s denied request not to sit through the gruesome testimony about the discovery of her children’s bodies, Lori Vallow is back in court this morning in Boise.

Nate Eaton of East Idaho News tweets: “Back in court this morning. Sitting on the left side of the courtroom directly behind Lori. She is wearing black pants, a black jacket and black boots. She is smiling and chatting with her attorneys. Det. Ray Hermosillo is back on the stand this morning for cross-examination.”

During the afternoon session of court yesterday in which the most graphic pictures of the excavations of the shallow graves of Tylee, 16, and JJ, 7, were shown and described in detail, Ms Vallow appeared upset, subdued, and even asleep.

Who was Tammy Daybell?

14:00 , Rachel Sharp

Tammy Daybell was Chad Daybell’s first wife who he allegedly murdered in October 2019 in cahoots with his new lover (and soon to be new wife) Lori Vallow and Ms Vallow’s brother Alex Cox.

Tammy and Mr Daybell married in 1990 and founded Spring Creek Book Company together in Utah – the company which published Mr Daybell’s doomsday books.

The couple had five children together and moved to Salem, Idaho, in 2015. In October 2019, Tammy called 911 after a man allegedly shot at her with a paintball gun in the driveway of her home.

She took to Facebook to describe the incident. Just 10 days later, Tammy died suddenly in her sleep at the age of 49. Her death was initially ruled natural causes and Mr Daybell declined an autopsy. But following the disappearance of Tylee and JJ, law enforcement officials grew suspicious. Her body was exhumed that December for an autopsy to be completed.

Now, Mr Daybell and Ms Vallow are charged with her murder.

What is Lori Vallow charged with?

13:35 , Rachel Sharp

Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell were charged with the murders of Tylee and JJ in May 2021 – almost one year after their bodies had been discovered.

They are each charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy and grand theft in connection with the deaths of JJ and Tylee and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the death of Tammy.

Mr Daybell is also charged with the first-degree murder of Tammy.

The couple are also charged with related financial crimes with Ms Vallow facing grand theft and insurance fraud counts for applying for Social Security benefits for Tylee and JJ after they died.

In Arizona, Ms Vallow is also charged with conspiring to murder her ex-husband Charles Vallow with her brother Alex Cox.

Lori Vallow asks to be excused from court amid graphic testimony about bodies of her children

13:10 , Oliver O'Connell

“Cult mom” Lori Vallow suddenly left the room where she is standing trial for the murders of her daughter and son after the court heard graphic details on how the children’s remains were recovered in a pet cemetery.

Ms Vallow’s ongoing trial in Boise, Idaho, was delayed on Tuesday when her defence attorneys asked Judge Steven Boyce for a moment to speak with their visibly upset client. Ms Vallow and the rest of the court had just returned from a lunch break after hearing disturbing details about the way her children JJ and Tylee were discovered buried on her doomsday preacher husband Chad Daybell’s property.

Andrea Blanco reports on day two of testimony in the trial.

Lori Vallow abruptly leaves court after trial hears grisly details about crime scene

Guns, knives and doomsday kits were found in Lori Vallow’s home, detective reveals

12:45 , Rachel Sharp

One of the first detectives investigating the disappearance of “cult mom” Lori Vallow’s son and daughter has revealed the alarming items discovered in her home months before the children were found murdered.

Andrea Blanco reports on the testimony from day two of the her trial.

Detective reveals alarming items found in Lori Vallow’s home weeks after murders

Tylee’s body was so badly burned an autopsy was impossible

12:20 , Rachel Sharp

Tylee’s body was so badly burned that an autopsy to determine her cause of death was impossible, jurors heard on Tuesday.

The 16-year-old’s remains were found close to a fire pit in the pet cemetery on Chad Daybell’s property in June 2020.

Her body was dismembered, burned and dispersed around the grounds.

“We uncovered bits and pieces of Tylee - who we assumed was Tylee,” said Detective Ray Hermosillo.

“The best I can describe was just blobs of flesh that were falling apart.”

Graphic photos show JJ was buried in his red pyjamas

11:54 , Rachel Sharp

Graphic photos shown in court on Tuesday reveal that JJ was still wearing his red pyjamas and a nighttime diaper when he was buried in a shallow grave on Chad Daybell’s property in Rexburg, Idaho.

The images, from the burial site where JJ and Tylee were found and of the seven-year-old’s autopsy, show the little boy’s body.

He was still wearing the pyjamas he is wearing in the last photograph of him on the night of 22 September 2019.

He was also wearing a pull-up night diaper and was partly covered in a blue children’s blanket.

JJ’s arms were wrapped in duct tape, his head wrapped completely in tape with a white plastic bag underneath,

Lori Vallow’s nephew-in-law Brandon Boudreaux breaks down speaking about children’s remains

11:00 , Rachel Sharp

“Cult mom” Lori Vallow’s former nephew-in-law broke down in tears on the witness stand as he testified about the moment he had to identify the remains of her murdered seven-year-old son.

During an emotional first day of testimony in Ms Vallow’s murder trial on Monday, Brandon Boudreaux told jurors about the moment that he learned Joshua “JJ” Vallow, seven, and Tylee Ryan’s remains had been found buried on Chad Daybell’s property.

“I was in my parents’ home in the garage. It was the day before my wedding,” he sobbed.

Mr Boudreaux said he travelled to Rexburg, Idaho, to be with JJ’s grandparents Larry and Kay Woodcock.

Choking up with emotion, he confirmed that law enforcement asked to identify JJ’s remains.

Read the full story:

Lori Vallow’s nephew-in-law Brandon Boudreaux breaks down at murder trial

‘Doomsday cult mom’ saw her children’s murders as ‘mercy’, former friend says

10:30 , Oliver O'Connell

“Cult mom” Lori Vallow allegedly killed her two children in what she believed was an act of “mercy,” her former friend has said.

Andrea Blanco has the story.

Lori Vallow saw her children’s murders as ‘mercy’, former friend says

Why are Vallow and Daybell being tried separately?

08:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The couple was previously being tried together on multiple counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the deaths of Ms Vallow’s children, 7-year-old Joshua Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan, as well as the death of Mr Daybell’s previous wife, Tammy Daybell.

Graig Graziosi reports on what changed:

Lori Vallow to be tried separately from husband Chad Daybell over children’s murders

Tammy Daybell murder revealed as asphyxiation

06:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The cause of death of Chad Daybell’s first wife Tammy has finally been revealed as “cult mom” Lori Vallow’s high-profile murder trial gets underway in Idaho.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Lori Vallow trial hears how Chad Daybell’s first wife Tammy was killed

Prosecutor says Vallow was driven by ‘money, power and sex’ to murder kids

04:30 , Oliver O'Connell

“Cult mom” Lori Vallow was driven by “money, power and sex” to murder her two children and her new husband’s then-wife, prosecutors told her murder trial – as jurors were shown graphic images of the children’s charred and buried remains.

Rachel Sharp reports on the trial’s opening statements.

Lori Vallow was driven by ‘money, power and sex’ to murder kids, prosecutor says

Lori Vallow abruptly leaves court after trial hears harrowing details of discovery of children’s bodies

02:30 , Oliver O'Connell

“Cult mom” Lori Vallow suddenly left the room where she is standing trial for the murders of her daughter and son after the court heard graphic details of how the children’s remains were recovered in a pet cemetery.

Ms Vallow’s ongoing trial in Boise, Idaho, was briefly paused on Tuesday when her defence attorneys asked Judge Steven Boyce for a moment to speak with their visibly upset client. Ms Vallow and the rest of the court had just returned from a lunch break after hearing disturbing details about the way her children JJ and Tylee were discovered buried on her doomsday preacher husband Chad Daybell’s property.

Andrea Blanco has the story.

Lori Vallow abruptly leaves court after trial hears grisly details about crime scene

Detective reveals alarming items found in Lori Vallow’s home weeks after murders

Wednesday 12 April 2023 00:30 , Oliver O'Connell

One of the first detectives investigating the disappearance of “cult mom” Lori Vallow’s son and daughter has revealed the alarming items discovered in her home months before the children were found murdered.

The trial of Ms Vallow, 49, is finally underway in at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho, almost three years after she was charged with the murders of her son Joshua “JJ” Vallow and daughter Tylee Ryan and conspiracy to murder her doomsday preacher’s husband Chad Daybell’s first wife Tammy Daybell.

Detective Ray Hermosillo with the Rexburg Police Department was called to the stand by the prosecution on the second day of testimony on Tuesday. His department joined the investigation into JJ and Tylee’s disappearance after police in Gilbert, Arizona, raised alarm regarding the minors’ whereabouts.

Andrea Blanco reports.

Detective reveals alarming items found in Lori Vallow’s home weeks after murders

Tuesday 11 April 2023 22:34 , Oliver O'Connell

After Thomas asks a few details about the search of the shallow graves (what kind of shovel, how much soil was removed), Judge Boyce calls an end to the days proceedings.

Court adjourns for the day.

Hermosillo will be back on the stand at 8.30am MT tomorrow.

Tuesday 11 April 2023 22:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Thomas asks Hermosillo about when the search warrant was going on at Chad Daybell’s property as to whether he could say for sure where he was looking when over his shoulder?

Hermosillo reiterates his earlier testimony that Chad was looking toward the tree.

Tuesday 11 April 2023 22:24 , Oliver O'Connell

Thomas asks where Lori was on 19 October — the day Tammy Daybell was murdered — he says he knows she was in Hawaii.

Moving on to the search of Chad Daybell’s property on 9 June, Hermosillo explains that police had planned to execute the warrant for weeks. He and other detectives arrived before other law enforcement agencies who were staged at a church some two miles away.

He adds that he has worked with the FBI on similar cases but nothing of this magnitude some five or six times.

Tuesday 11 April 2023 22:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Questioning Tylee’s “proof of life”, Thomas asks about the hundreds of tips that came in about Tylee after 8 September which is when she was last seen.

Hermosillo responds that they could not verify any additional sightings of Tylee and that they followed up on every tip.

Tuesday 11 April 2023 22:18 , Oliver O'Connell

Thomas asks for clarification on some of Hermosillo’s answers from earlier today, specifically why he got a warrant after the first visit to Lori’s apartment.

He replies that it was because of what he was told by Cox and Daybell about where JJ was (with his grandmother) which they knew not to be true.

When Lori called and said JJ was with Melanie Gibb, he also knew that was not true.

Tuesday 11 April 2023 22:11 , Oliver O'Connell

Hermosillo confirms that the first time they heard that JJ was missing was not until 18 November when Gilbert police came to take possession of the Jeep Wrangler’s infotainment data console.

Tuesday 11 April 2023 22:08 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Boyce is back on the bench and defence attorney John Thomas begins his cross-examination of Detective Ray Hermosillo.

They begin by both concurring, after the earlier harrowing evidence, that “it has been a tough day.”

Thomas asks about the “intermittent” surveillance being conducted of Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell.

Hermosillo estimates it was approximately 15 hours of surveillance over two weeks in November of 2019.

The couple was seen at the apartment on 1 November but he does not recall seeing them there after that.

Cross-examination of Detective Hermosillo to begin soon

Tuesday 11 April 2023 22:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Tuesday 11 April 2023 21:41 , Oliver O'Connell

There are no further questions from the prosecution for Hermosillo and Judge Boyce calls a 15-minute break “due to the evidence just published”.

Cross-examination will begin after the break.

Tuesday 11 April 2023 21:38 , Oliver O'Connell

Hermosillo says: “It was very easy to identify that boy on the table as the one we had been looking for, for the last eight months.”

Tuesday 11 April 2023 21:34 , Oliver O'Connell

GRAPHIC

At the autopsy on 11 June the bag in which JJ had been wrapped was opened.

Hermosillo explains in extremely blunt terms how the young boy, still in red pajamas and a night-time diaper, had been bound at the arms and legs with duct tape which also covered his mouth. White plastic covered his head.

Photos from the autopsy are shown in court and admitted into evidence.

Larry Woodcock quietly sobs. People in the gallery are crying. Some of the jurors are visibly emotional.

Lori does not look up.

Tuesday 11 April 2023 21:19 , Oliver O'Connell

GRAPHIC

Lori is not looking at the screen as the photos are shown. A jaw bone and the top of a skull are visible and are pointed out by Hermosillo.

Tuesday 11 April 2023 21:17 , Oliver O'Connell

GRAPHIC

More photos of the pet cemetery where the children were buried are submitted. Hermosillo remembers the difference in the soil as they dug into rotting flesh and charred bone.

The pictures get more and more graphic.

Tuesday 11 April 2023 21:08 , Oliver O'Connell

The next exhibit entered into evidence is a chart of names and photos of people to label key figures in what many would agree is a tangled case.

These include:

• Lori Vallow

• Charles Vallow

• Alex Cox

• Tylee Ryan

• JJ Vallow

• Chad Daybell

• Tammy Daybell

• Melani Pawlowski

A timeline of key dates in the investigation is also included:

Lori Vallow: A timeline of mystery deaths surrounding the ‘doomsday cult mom’

Tuesday 11 April 2023 21:02 , Oliver O'Connell

Rexburg Police Department Detective Hermosillo returns to the stand.

Lori Vallow stands as the jury is brought in but does not look up and has had her arms crossed for most of the time.

Judge Boyce denies Vallow’s request to be absent for next portion of testimony

Tuesday 11 April 2023 20:59 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Boyce reviews state criminal laws and says that while a defendant is required to be present for all stages of their trial, a defendant can waive their right to be present under certain circumstances.

Nevertheless, he denies her request to leave.

The jury is being brought back in for the continuation of the evidence, which is expected to be graphic.

Tuesday 11 April 2023 20:51 , Oliver O'Connell

Defence attorney Archibald says Lori wishes to waive her right to be present for the remainder of the afternoon. He says it was emotional this morning and Lori has fragile mental health.

“It was an emotional day.”

Arguing for the prosecution, Attorney Lindsey Blake says the state of Idaho has the right for the defendant to be present at their trial.

The state requests that they are allowed to conduct an inquiry with Lori on the record about her wish not to be present. Blake says the state would want to state to the jury in closing arguments that she was not present for this portion of the trial.

Vallow asks to be excused from court for remainder of the day

Tuesday 11 April 2023 20:49 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Boyce says legal issues came up off the record. He’s been advised of a situation that needs to be argued outside presence of the jury.

It is a request from Lori Vallow regarding evidence — she wants to waive her presence and not be in court for the remainder of the day.

Tuesday 11 April 2023 20:47 , Oliver O'Connell

Lori Vallow returns to the courtroom and is shackled back to the floor a the defence table. Her face is red and she appears to have been crying.

Also back in court — absent this morning — is Kay Woodcock, JJ’s grandmother and the trial’s first witness. She joins her husband Larry Woodcock, who has been present throughout.

Judge Boyce returns to the bench.

Tuesday 11 April 2023 20:41 , Oliver O'Connell

The prosecution and defence teams have returned to the court but Lori Vallow has not.

Tuesday 11 April 2023 20:34 , Oliver O'Connell

Still unclear what is happening, but both the prosecution and defence teams are in and out of the room.

Tuesday 11 April 2023 20:27 , Oliver O'Connell

Lots of people in the room say that Lori had been or was crying.

Reporter Lauren Steinbrecher says: “Her eyes looked watery and her cheeks red.”

Nate Eaton, news director of East Idaho News, notes: “Lori Daybell appeared upset this afternoon. I’ve seen her in multiple court hearings, in Hawaii, face-to-face at the Rexburg Airport — I’ve never seen upset/sad before today.”

GiGi, of Pretty Lies and Alibis, tweets: “We are all a buzz wondering what is up. Many saw Lori crying.”

Tuesday 11 April 2023 20:08 , Oliver O'Connell

Bother legal teams reentered the courtroom without Lori and another 30-minute recess has been called.

Tuesday 11 April 2023 20:01 , Oliver O'Connell

Defence attorneys Archibald and Thomas return to the courtroom and appear to call over the prosecution. They all head to the back chambers.

Tuesday 11 April 2023 19:58 , Oliver O'Connell

The jury has not yet returned.

The upcoming evidence is expected to be graphic.

Tuesday 11 April 2023 19:55 , Oliver O'Connell

Court was about to resume but defence attorney John Thomas asked for some time to speak with Lori who appeared visibly upset. Court is in recess again.

Lori left the courtroom with her attorneys to have a private discussion.

Court to resume shortly

Tuesday 11 April 2023 19:51 , Oliver O'Connell

Lori Vallow has returned to the courtroom and has been seated.