Jury Hears Emotional Phone Call Between Lori Vallow Daybell and Her Only Surviving Child in Trial for Alleged Role in Murders

On Tuesday, April 11, jurors in the trial of Lori Vallow Daybell heard an emotional phone call between the defendant and her only surviving child, Colby Ryan. Daybell is on trial in Boise, Idaho, for her alleged role in the murders of her 16-year-old daughter, Tylee Ryan; her 7-year-old adopted son, Joshua “JJ” Vallow; and her husband’s first wife, Tammy Daybell.

The trial began on Monday, April 10, after a week of jury selection that saw dozens of potential jurors dismissed, many for being too familiar with details of the case or having already formed an opinion. The jury is made up of 10 men and eight women.

The call between Daybell and Ryan was made after the bodies of Ryan’s siblings, Joshua “JJ” Vallow and Tylee Ryan, were found buried in an eastern Idaho yard in 2020, and after Vallow Daybell was jailed in connection with the crime.

The first week of the trial has seen some emotional moments, with multiple witnesses moved to tears on the stand and JJ Vallow’s grandfather openly weeping in the courtroom as he listened to testimony.

The trial is expected to last up to 10 weeks and will include testimony about claims of evil spirits, zombie children and an additional murder charge in another state. It is unclear what the outcome of the trial will be, but it is sure to be an emotional and difficult process for all involved.