‘I pictured this day so many times,’ says Tylee Ryan’s aunt following murder indictments
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ST. ANTHONY — The aunt of Tylee Ryan, one of three people allegedly killed at the hands of Chad Daybell, Lori Vallow Daybell and Alex Cox, called Tuesday’s news of the murder charges “surreal.”
The Daybells were indicted by a grand jury on several charges including first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Charging documents allege the couple is responsible for killing 7-year-old JJ and 16-year-old Tylee. Cox could not be charged as he died in 2019.
“I’ve pictured this day so many times in my head as I’ve been waiting for some indication that more serious charges were coming,” Tylee’s aunt, Annie Cushing, told EastIdahoNews.com. “You feel this tugging at you because you don’t want to be crushed, but at the same time I was like ‘Is this it?'”
RELATED | Daybell indictments lay out details surrounding deaths and other alleged crimes
Cushing is the sister of Joseph Ryan, Tylee’s father and Lori’s third husband. He passed away in 2018 of natural causes, according to investigators. Over the past year, Cushing has advocated for investigators to look into Ryan’s death.
Special Prosecutor Rob Wood and Fremont County Prosecutor Lindsey Blake’s announcement of the new charges coincided with what would have been JJ’s ninth birthday.
“It just kind of felt heavy. Just thinking about the senseless loss of life. Then to get this news, it just made today infinitely more special,” Cushing said.
Tammy Daybell’s parents and siblings also expressed their thoughts on the new charges in a statement to EastIdahoNews.com.
“We’d like to thank the tireless efforts of law enforcement, the FBI, and all those who’ve continued to seek out the answers during the investigations surrounding Tylee, JJ and Tammy,” the statement read in part. “We appreciate their pursuit of justice, and ultimately some measure of peace for those of us left in the wake of our loss.”
They expressed their desire for privacy at this time, including for the children and grandchildren of Tammy. You can read the entire statement here
Chad will have his initial court appearance on the new charges Wednesday at 11 a.m. Lori will appear at 11:30 a.m. The hearings will be held via Zoom, and EastIdahoNews.com will carry the hearings live.
“I want to see the coconspirators’ feet held to the flames,” Cushing said. “I want everyone who aided Chad and Lori in these crimes to be held accountable and I want justice.”
