Where is Chad Daybell now? Details explored ahead of Dateline on NBC

Chad Daybell, the self-proclaimed religious visionary whose apocalyptic beliefs were central to a series of murders, is currently on death row at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution. Chad Daybell was found guilty of murdering his first wife, Tammy Daybell, along with Joshua "JJ" Vallow and Tylee Ryan, who were the youngest children of his second wife, Lori Vallow Daybell. Their bodies were recovered from his backyard in June 2020.

According to The Cinemaholic (September 12, 2024), prosecutors found that Chad Daybell and Vallow were motivated by their extreme ideology and financial gain, leading them to eliminate perceived "obstacles" in their path.

Following his conviction in May 2024, Daybell was sentenced to death on June 1, 2024, as reported by ABC News (June 1, 2024). Despite this, his execution is not imminent due to Idaho's lengthy capital punishment process, as per KSL, June 24, 2024. Daybell is at a maximum security prison in Idaho.

The case is revisited in the upcoming Dateline NBC episode airing March 7, 2025, featuring Vallow’s first televised interview since her sentencing as per People, March 4, 2025.

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Tammy Daybell's October 2019 death was confirmed as asphyxiation; weeks later, Chad Daybell married Lori Vallow in Hawaii

Chad Daybell, once known as a self-published author of religious doomsday fiction, is now on death row at Idaho’s maximum-security prison after being convicted of multiple murders, including that of his first wife, Tammy Daybell.

Initially, Tammy's October 2019 death was ruled accidental, but later autopsy results confirmed that she had been asphyxiated, as per People, March 4, 2025. Just weeks after her death, Chad Daybell married Lori Vallow in Hawaii, further raising suspicions about their motives.

The case gained national attention due to the pair’s extreme apocalyptic beliefs, which played a key role in their crimes. Prosecutors argued that Chad Daybell and Vallow saw themselves as religious figures tasked with ridding the world of "dark spirits," which they allegedly used to justify the killings.

However, authorities ultimately determined that financial gain was a significant motive, as Vallow had been collecting government benefits for her two children even after their deaths were reported, as per People, March 4, 2025.

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The murders and legal proceedings

According to The Cinemaholic on September 12, 2024, the remains of 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan were discovered buried on Chad Daybell’s property in Rexburg, Idaho, in June 2020. As reported by People, investigators revealed that Tylee’s body had been burned and dismembered, while JJ was found wrapped in plastic with his hands and feet bound with duct tape.

Authorities arrested Chad Daybell after making the discovery and charged him with multiple counts of murder and conspiracy. In May 2021, prosecutors indicted him and Lori Vallow for the deaths of Tammy, JJ, and Tylee. He also faced a charge of grand theft by deception for fraudulently claiming insurance money after Tammy’s death. Prosecutors argued that the severity of the crimes warranted the death penalty, according to The Cinemaholic on September 12, 2024.

The court found Daybell guilty of all charges on May 20, 2024. On June 1, 2024, he received a death sentence along with an additional 15 years for related offenses as per ABC News on June 1, 2024. His execution is expected to be delayed due to Idaho’s prolonged capital punishment process, as noted in KSL in June 2024.

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Lori Vallow’s claims of exoneration

While Chad Daybell remains on death row, Lori Vallow is serving a life sentence without parole. In her first interview since her conviction, set to air on Dateline NBC on March 7, 2025, she claims she and Chad Daybell "will be exonerated," stating,

“I have seen things in the future that Jesus showed me when I was in heaven. And we were not in jail. And we were not in prison. And they were still in the future from now,” (NY Post, March 4, 2025).

Despite overwhelming evidence, she insists they were wrongly convicted. Daybell’s legal team has since filed for post-conviction relief, citing "extraordinary circumstances" and requesting additional time to review the extensive case records as per Newsweek, September 3, 2024. However, prosecutors maintain that the evidence against him is conclusive, and his conviction stands.

As Daybell awaits his fate on death row, his case continues to be a subject of national scrutiny, particularly with the upcoming Dateline NBC episode, airing on NBC at 9 pm ET on Friday, March 7, revisiting the crimes.

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Stay tuned for more updates.