Missing-children case in Idaho has ties to Arizona
Two missing children who have captured national attention since disappearing in Idaho may be tied to ongoing police investigations in Arizona.
Tylee Ryan, 17, and Joshua Vallow, 7, were last seen in Rexburg, Idaho, on Sept. 23. Rexburg police are investigating the disappearance of the children, with the assistance of the FBI.
The children’s mother, Lori Vallow, and her current husband, Chad Daybell, are not cooperating with police. They both previously were married to people whose deaths are under investigation.
In social media posts and media interviews, family and friends of the couple have described Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell’s religious beliefs as cult-like and troubling, saying they spoke frequently of the end of the world.
Here’s how the case ties to Arizona: Vallow’s estranged former husband, Charles Vallow, was killed in Chandler in July. Charles Vallow, 62, came from Texas to visit Lori Vallow and their children. But after he arrived to pick up his son, Charles and Lori Vallow started arguing.
Lori Vallow’s brother, Alex Cox, intervened and killed Charles Vallow, police said at the time.
The investigation into Charles Vallow’s death is ongoing, Detective Seth Tyler of the Chandler Police Department said Friday.
This month, on Dec. 12, Cox himself died. The cause of death is unknown at this time, Gilbert Police Officer Dani Covey told The Arizona Republic on Friday. The investigation is pending the results of an autopsy, which could take a few weeks or months, Covey said.
It’s not known how or if the two cases relate directly to the two missing children.
But it appears the children lived, at least for a time, in Arizona. And, when initially questioned about Joshua Vallow’s whereabouts, Rexburg police were told he was staying with a family friend in Arizona, which ended up being false.
Rexburg police said on Facebook that Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell are “wanted for questioning in connection with the disappearance of Vallow’s children,” although they have not been called suspects and no charges have been filed.
Sean Bartholick, an Idaho-based attorney for Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell, issued a statement to some media outlets saying Chad Daybell was a “loving husband and has the support of his children in this matter.”
“Lori Daybell is a devoted mother and resents assertions to the contrary,” the statement said, as reported by the East Idaho News. “We look forward to addressing the allegations once they have moved beyond speculation and rumor.”
What Rexburg is investigating
On Dec. 20, the Rexburg Police Department in Rexburg, Idaho, posted on Facebook that it, along with the Fremont County (Idaho) Sheriff’s Office and the assistance of the FBI, was investigating possible ties between the two missing children and the death of a Fremont County woman.
The woman, Tammy Daybell, was Chad Daybell’s wife. She died in her home on Oct. 19 at age 49.
Rexburg police investigators determined that Chad Daybell married Lori Vallow weeks after Tammy Daybell’s death, police said in the statement.
At the time, Tammy Daybell’s death was believed to be natural, Rexburg police said. But on further investigation, it was determined by the Sheriff’s Office that it may be suspicious.
Tammy Daybell’s remains were exhumed on Dec. 11 and an autopsy was conducted, the news release says.
On Nov. 26, Rexburg police tried to do a welfare check on Joshua Vallow, who is adopted and has special needs, at Lori Vallow’s home.
Family from outside Idaho had not been able to speak to Joshua since September and were concerned, police said.
Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell told investigators at that time that Joshua Vallow was staying with a family friend in Arizona, which was not true.
On Nov. 27, Rexburg police searched locations associated with Lori Vallow in an attempt to find Joshua. During these searches, investigators discovered Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell had “abruptly vacated” their home and left town, police said.
Joshua did not appear to be with them, police said. He last attended school in Rexburg on Sept. 23. Tylee Ryan, Lori’s 17-year-old daughter, also has not been seen or heard from since September, police said. Investigators contacted extended family members, none of whom had been in contact with the children since September. The children had not been reported missing.
Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow have not cooperated with police, Rexburg police said.
Two of Lori Vallow’s previous husbands died in the past two years.
Joseph Ryan died in 2018 in Gilbert of an apparent heart attack, Fox 10 reported.
And Charles Vallow died in July in Chandler.
Focused on end of the world?
Friends and family members have spoken out in the media with their concerns over Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell’s religious beliefs and focus on the end of the world.
A Facebook post by Kay Woodcock, Joshua’s grandmother, says Lori was a “wonderful, loving, attentive mother” until things started changing in the past 18 months because of her involvement with a new religious group, which Woodcock called a “cult.”
Chad Daybell, who says on his website that he is Latter-day Saint, has written and self-published more than 25 books, some of which focus on neardeath experiences, including Daybell’s own. Other books fictionalize the end of the world.
Both Daybell and Vallow were involved in an organization called “Preparing A People,” which has said it is “not a ‘group’ and is not a ‘Cult’ or something people join” in a posted statement on its website.
Daybell spoke at Preparing A People events and he, along with Vallow, appeared on associated podcasts.
“In light of concerning media reports and ongoing criminal investigations regarding the recent death of Lori Vallow’s previous husband in Arizona, and the sudden death of Mr. Daybell’s previous wife in Idaho, along with the unknown whereabouts of Chad and Lori, we feel it inappropriate to represent or promote any media content that featured or contained references to either Chad Daybell or Lori Vallow,” Preparing A People said in its statement.
Joshua has brown hair and brown eyes and is 4 feet tall. He sometimes goes by the nickname “J.J.” Tylee has blond hair and blue eyes and is 5 feet tall.
Anyone with information about the children or the situation is asked to contact Rexburg police at 1-208-359-3000 or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST.