Lori Vallow Daybell Waives Preliminary Hearing Following Prosecutor's Case Against Husband

Lori Vallow Daybell has waived her right to a preliminary hearing, and her case will now move to district court.

Lori Vallow Daybell's attorney has waived her right to a preliminary hearing, automatically advancing the felony charges against her to district court. Lori's decision comes two days after Fremont County, Idaho prosecutor Rob Wood laid out his case against her husband, Chad Daybell, using multiple witnesses, recorded phone calls, bodycam footage and forensic evidence. 

Lori faces two counts of conspiracy to commit destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence in the disappearance and deaths of her children, Joshua "JJ" Vallow, 7, and Tylee Ryan, 16. Wood is also the prosecutor on her case. A date for Lori's arraignment has not yet been set. 

After two days of preliminary hearings, Magistrate Judge Faren Eddins ruled on Tuesday there was sufficient evidence against Chad to advance his case to district court. The end-times author and publisher is accused of willfully destroying, concealing or altering evidence after JJ and Tylee's remains were found on his property in June. Chad also faces felony charges of conspiracy to commit destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence in the case. 

Chad is now scheduled to be arraigned in district court in Fremont County on Aug. 21. 

Chad and Lori have both pleaded not guilty and deny all allegations of wrongdoing. Their attorneys, John Prior and Mark Means, have not responded to Inside Edition Digital's requests for comment. 

In addition to the felony charges, Lori also faces misdemeanor charges of resisting and obstructing an officer, solicitation of a crime and contempt in nearby Madison County. A trial has been set on those charges for January 2021, according to court documents. She has pleaded not guilty to those charges as well. 

Chad and Lori are both being held on $1 million bond in Idaho jails. 

After Eddins' ruling Wednesday, JJ's grandparents, Kay and Larry Woodcock, said they were "extremely happy" that Chad's case is advancing to district court. 

"Thank you, Jesus," Larry said outside the courthouse Wednesday. "The first part of justice has been completed."

"One down, one to go," Kay added. 

Separately, Lori and Chad are currently under investigation by the Idaho Attorney General's office for "conspiracy, attempted murder and/or murder" in the death of Chad's first wife, Tammy, who died weeks before the couple married in November 2019. Neither has been charged with a crime in Tammy's death. 

The Rexburg Police Department asks anyone with information regarding the case to contact them at 1-208-359-3000. 

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