How you can watch Lori Vallow Daybell’s sentencing, and what we can expect to happen at the hearing
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ST. ANTHONY — Lori Vallow Daybell is scheduled to be sentenced on murder charges in ten days.
Judge Steven Boyce will sentence Daybell, 50, in a Fremont County Courtroom at 9 a.m. on July 31. The hearing is not expected to last longer than one day, according to a news advisory from the Idaho Judicial Branch.
A 12-person jury found Daybell guilty on May 12 of conspiracy to commit murder and the first-degree murder of her children, Joshua “JJ” Vallow and Tylee Ryan. She was also found guilty of grand theft and conspiracy to commit the murder of Tammy Daybell, her husband’s former wife.
Here’s what you need to know about the sentencing.
Can I attend the sentencing or watch it live?
Seating will be extremely limited inside the courtroom. Law enforcement, family members of victims and court personnel will have reserved seats. The remaining seats will be open to the public on a first come, first serve basis. A courtroom conduct order will be in effect for anyone who attends in-person.
Boyce is allowing a livestream of the sentencing with court operated cameras and audio. EastIdahoNews.com will provide the feed on our website, Facebook page and YouTube channel. The judge is also permitting one pool photographer to take pictures inside the courtroom on behalf of the media.
Who will speak at the sentencing?
The prosecution and defense teams will provide sentence recommendations. Kay Woodcock, JJ Vallow’s grandmother, is expected to give a victim impact statement, along with Samantha Gwilliam, Tammy Daybell’s sister, and Vicki Hoban, Tammy Daybell’s aunt. Other victims may also speak or submit letters to the judge.
Lori Daybell will be given the chance to make a statement if she wishes.
Boyce will hand down his sentence once everyone has spoken.
What type of sentence could Lori Vallow Daybell receive?
Daybell faces 10 years to life in prison on each of the murder and conspiracy to commit murder charges. She could be sentenced 1-20 years in prison on the grand theft charge. She will not receive the death penalty after Boyce removed it as an option in March. You can read about that decision here.
If Boyce hands down a “fixed” sentence, Daybell will not be eligible for parole until the time has been completed. If she is sentenced to a fixed life sentence, she will never be eligible for parole.
An “indeterminate” sentence consists of a range of years that is usually combined with fixed time. For example, if Daybell is sentenced to 10-20 years, ten years is fixed with the remaining time indeterminate. She could be released from prison at any time after the fixed time has been served. That decision is made by the Idaho Commission of Pardons and Parole.
What happens to Daybell after she is sentenced?
Once Daybell is sentenced, she will be transferred from the Madison County Jail to the Idaho Department of Correction. She will likely serve her sentence in the Pocatello Women’s Correctional Center. Officials do not release any details about transportation plans so she could be moved immediately after the sentence or within a few days.
Could Daybell appeal the verdict and sentence?
Daybell can file an appeal within 42 days of being sentenced. She will be assigned appellate lawyers and it typically takes around three years for the case to move through the appellate courts. If she loses that appeal, she can file a second for ineffective counsel. That process could also take around three years.
How does the Idaho sentence affect Daybell’s case in Arizona?
Daybell faces conspiracy to commit murder charges in Arizona for the death of her fourth husband, Charles Vallow, and the attempted killing of her former nephew-in-law, Brandon Boudreaux.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has made the state of Idaho aware of its intent to prosecute Daybell in Arizona, according to a statement issued in May.
“After the defendant is sentenced and transferred to the Idaho Department of Correction, at the request MCAO, the extradition process will begin. The extradition can take from several weeks to several months,” the statement said.
Daybell does not face the death penalty in Arizona.
How does the sentence affect Chad Daybell’s case and what is the status of his case?
Chad Daybell will not attend his wife’s sentencing hearing but it’s likely he will be able to view the proceedings from the Fremont County Jail. He faces similar charges and a jury trial is scheduled to begin in his case on April 1, 2024. He faces the death penalty.
