LISTEN: The blessing Chad Daybell gave Alex Cox two weeks before he died
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BOISE — Two weeks before Alex Cox died, Chad Daybell cried as he gave Cox a 15-minute patriarchal blessing promising that he was elect and a warrior for God.
A patriarchal blessing is given to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by someone who has been asked to be a patriarch by church leaders. The patriarch gives promise, counsel, and lifelong guidance intended solely for the recipient.
Daybell was giving the blessing to Cox on his own accord as it was not his calling within the church.
Daybell laid his hands on Cox’s head and gave him the blessing on Nov. 24, 2019. Cox’s sister, Lori Vallow Daybell, was in the room for the blessing and can be heard saying “amen” at the end. Cox died on Dec. 12, 2019.
An audio recording and written transcript of the blessing were admitted into evidence during Lori Daybell’s murder trial Thursday. You can listen to the recording in the video player above.
