Multiple law enforcement agencies are searching a home in Idaho in connection to the mysterious disappearance of two children whose mother is believed to be a member of an end-days cult with her new husband.
EastIdahoNews.com reports that local and federal investigators, including the Forensic Unit from the FBI’s Salt Lake City Office, executed a search warrant at the home where Chad Daybell lived with his first wife Tammy until her suspicious death in October.
Daybell is now married to Lori Vallow, whose two children, 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan, have not been seen since September. Authorities did not know the children were missing until police performed a requested wellness check at the couple’s Rexburg home in November. At that time, Vallow reportedly made false statements to police about her son’s whereabouts. The couple fled shortly after the police visit.
The Daybell home being searched is in Salem, not far from Rexburg. A Daily Mail report published on Thursday indicated that at least some of Tammy and Chad Daybell’s five children were still living at the home. As CrimeOnline previously reported, family members believe that Lori and Chad’s involvement with an end-days cult is related to a string of bizarre deaths and disappearances.
Fremont County Sheriff Len Humphries told EastIdahoNews.com that investigators are searching for forensic evidence, including chemicals and blood. He said that authorities recently obtained sufficient probable cause to get a search warrant for the home, and said the search is connected to both the death of Daybell’s wife and the missing children.
“This has been in the works for several days,” Humphries said. “When you are doing an investigation, you have to accumulate evidence, and the process takes time.”
Initially, Tammy Daybell was believed to have died of natural causes, but authorities exhumed her body and are performing a medical examination to determine if her death was the result of foul play.
As CrimeOnline reported, Vallow’s previous husband also died in 2019. In July, he was allegedly shot by Vallow’s brother, who died in December of unknown causes. Her first husband died in 2018 of a reported heart attack.
This is a developing story. CrimeOnline will provide further updates when more information is available.
