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Caalarogus Shark Media. Good morning, I'm read Carter, and welcome
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to the final episode of our Valor day Bell series
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on celebrity trials. For nine months, Chad day Bell and
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Lauri Valo believed they had committed the perfect crimes. They
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had murdered five people, buried two children, and convinced themselves
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they would never face consequences for their actions. They were wrong.
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Today were exploring how the dead spoke from their graves
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to destroy their killer's delusions and bring justice to two
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families torn apart by evil disguised as divine mission. What
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happened on June ninth, twenty twenty changed everything. It was
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the day investigators finally found JJ and Tyley's bodies, the
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day physical evidence replaced speculation, and the day Chad and
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Laurie's lies collapsed under the weight of horrific truth. But
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this story isn't just about discovery and justice. It's about
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what happens when the victims refuse to stay buried and silent.
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Because sometimes the most powerful testimony doesn't come from witnesses
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or experts. Sometimes it comes from the dead themselves, speaking
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through evidence that no amount of spiritual delusion can explain away.
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The search for JJ and Tyley Vallo had captured national
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attention for months. True crime podcasters analyzed every development, Amateur
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investigators scoured social media for clues, Concerned citizens organized search
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parties and distributed missing persons flyers. But while the public
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focused on finding living children, investigators had already shifted to
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a much darker mission, recovering bodies. By spring twenty twenty,
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authorities were convinced that JJ and Tyleye were dead. The
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timeline of their disappearance, combined with Chad and Laurie's behavior
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and financial motives, painted a clear picture of family annihilation.
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The question wasn't whether the children had been murdered, It
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was where their bodies were hidden and what evidence they
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might provide. Phone records became the key to solving that puzzle.
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Investigators had discovered that Chad's phone had pinged at specific
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locations on his Fremont County property on the exact dates
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when JJ and Tyley disappeared. The electronic trail led directly
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to Chad's backyard, where ground penetrating radar detected suspicious soil disturbances.
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June ninth, twenty twenty, Armed with search warrants and cadaver dogs,
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investigators descended on Chad day Bell's property in Salem, Idaho.
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Chad watched from his house as law enforcement began systematically
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searching his land, but he still believed his secrets were safe.
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After all, he had buried the bodies months earlier, and
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decomposition should have eliminated much of the physical evidence. Chad
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day Bell was about to learn that the dead don't
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always cooperate with their killer's plans. The first discovery came
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around nine thirty that morning. Cadaver dogs alerted to an
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area near Chad's fire pit, where investigators found human remains
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that had been partially burned. Dental records would later confirm
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these were the remains of sixteen year old Tylee Ryan,
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but the condition of Tilee's body told a story more
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horrific than anyone had imagined. The teenager hadn't just been killed,
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She had been dismembered and burned in an attempt to
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destroy all evidence of her existence. Someone had taken extraordinary
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measures to erase Tiley Ryan from the world, using tools
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and techniques that suggested both planning and rage. The discovery
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of Tiley's remains was devastating enough, but investigators weren't finished.
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Cadaver dogs led them to a second location on the property,
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where they found something that would haunt even experienced law
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enforcement officers for years to come. Buried in a shallow grave,
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wrapped in multiple layers of plastic bags and duct tape,
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was the body of seven year old JJ Valow. The
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little boy's body was so carefully packaged that investigators initially
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thought they had found evidence, not human remains, But when
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they opened the packages, they discovered JJ's small body, preserved
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in a way that told its own horrific story. JJ
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had been suffocated. The plastic bags and duct tape that
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covered his face made the cause of death unmistakable, But
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what made the discovery even more chilling was the level
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of planning. It revealed. Someone had carefully wrapped this child's
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body for burial, taking time to ensure that decomposition would
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be slowed and evidence preserved. Chad Dabell was arrested at
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his home within hours of the body's discovery. As investigators
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led him away in handcuffs. Neighbors reported that he showed
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no emotion, no shock, no grief at the discovery of
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two children's bodies on his property. He looked like a
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man who had been expecting this moment for months. The
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discovery of the bodies transformed the valodbl case from a
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missing person's investigation into a death penalty murder case. Physical
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evidence now supported every theory investigators had developed about the
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couple's crimes. The timeline, the motives, the methods. Everything fell
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into place with the discovery of JJ and Tyley's remains.
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But the bodies provided more than just proof of murder.
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They provided evidence of the systematic, calculated nature of Chad
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and Laurie's crimes. The different methods used to dispose of
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Tyley and JJ suggested that their murders had been planned separately,
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carried out at different times, and covered up with careful
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attention to detail. Most importantly, the condition of the bodies
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proved that these weren't crimes of passion or sudden violence.
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These were executions carried out by people who had convinced
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themselves that murdering children was not just acceptable, but necessary
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for their spiritual mission. Lauri Valo was already in custody
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in Idaho, having been extradited from Hawaii on the original
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charges of desertion and non support, but with the discovery
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of the bodies, both she and Chad now faced first
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degree murder charges that could result in the death penalty.
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The evidence against them was overwhelming. Phone records placed both
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suspects at the burial locations during the times of the murders.
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Financial records showed they were benefiting from the victim's deaths.
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Witness testimony revealed their beliefs about eliminating zombies and preparing
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for the apocalypse, But perhaps most damning of all were
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their own words. Text messages between Chad and Laurie discussing
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death percentages and divine plans for the children's elimination. Recorded
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conversations where they casually discussed rating people's spiritual darkness. Their
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own communications had created a documentary record of their planning
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and motivation. The trials that followed would captivate a Marriae
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and reveal the full scope of Chad and Laurie's evil,
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But even facing overwhelming evidence and potential execution, both defendants
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maintained their innocence and their belief in their divine mission.
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Laurie Valodabell's trial began in April twenty twenty three, nearly
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three years after the discovery of her children's bodies. Prosecutors
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presented a case that was both legally complex and emotionally devastating.
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They had to prove not just that Laurie had murdered
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JJ and Tyly, but that she had done so with
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premeditation and specific intent. The evidence was overwhelming. Investigators had
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recovered the children's DNA from tools in Chad's garage. They
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had documented Laurie's lies about the children's whereabouts. They had
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traced the financial benefits she continued to collect after their deaths.
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But the most powerful evidence came from the victims themselves.
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JJ's body, preserved by the plastic wrapping, provided clear evidence
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of suffocation. Tyleye's de gental records recovered from the fire
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pit proved her identity and the violent nature of her death.
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In May twenty twenty three, after deliberating for just seven hours,
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the jury found Laurie Valo da Bell guilty on all counts,
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two counts of first degree murder for JJ and Tyly,
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and conspiracy to commit murder in the death of Tammy
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day Bell. Judge Stephen Boyce sentenced her to multiple life
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terms in prison without the possibility of parole. During the
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sentencing hearing, victim impacts statements revealed the ongoing devastation caused
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by Laurie's crimes. Kay Woodcock, JJ's grandmother spoke about the
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daily pain of losing her grandson. Tammy Day Bell's sister
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described how Chad and Laurie's actions had destroyed their family's
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ability to trust and heal. But perhaps most telling was
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Laurie's own statement to the court. Even facing life in prison,
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she maintained her innocence and her belief that she had
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been chosen by God for a special mission. She showed
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no remorse for her actions and no acknowledgment of the
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pain she had caused. Chad Dabell's trial followed in twenty
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twenty four, and if anything, the evidence against him was
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even stronger. As the alleged spiritual leader of their cult
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of two, Chad was portrayed as the mastermind who had
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convinced Laurie to murder her own children. Prosecutors argued that
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Chad had used religious manipulation to convince Laurie that killing
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was not just acceptable, but necessary. The jury heard evidence
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about Chad's failed career as an author, his financial desperation,
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and his use of apocalyptic beliefs to justify murder. They
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learned about his systematic rating of family members and his
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claims of divine revelation about who needed to die. Back
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in a moment, welcome back to celebrity Trials, I'm Red
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Carter and were concluding our series on the Valoda Bell
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murders with the trials that brought justice for five victims.
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Chad Dabell's trial in twenty twenty four revealed new details
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about the couple's crimes and their twisted relationship. Unlike Laurie,
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who had been spared the death penalty due to prosecutorial
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discovery violations, Chad faced execution if convicted. The evidence against
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Chad was devastating. Investigators had found the murder weapon, a pickaxe,
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and shovel with Tyley's DNA in his garage. They had
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documented his presence at the burial sites through phone records.
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They had recorded his lies about Tammy's death and his
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immediate attempts to collect insurance money. But Chad made a
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crucial mistake during his trial. He chose not to present
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any mitigating evidence during the penalty phase. When given the
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opportunity to explain his actions or ask for Mr. Percy,
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Chad remained silent. He seemed to believe that his divine
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mission justified his crimes and that earthly courts had no
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authority over him. The jury disagreed. In June twenty twenty four,
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Chad Dabell was sentenced to death for the murders of
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JJ Tyley and Tammy. Judge Stephen Boyce formally imposed the
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death sentence, calling Chad's crimes especially heinous, atrocious, and cruel.
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But the Valo da Bell story didn't end with the
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Idaho convictions. Prosecutors in Arizona had been building their own
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case against Lourie for the murder of Charles Valo and
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the attempted murder of Brandon Boudreau, her niece's ex husband.
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In twenty twenty five, Laurie faced two additional trials in Arizona,
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representing herself as her own attorney. The evidence in these
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cases was just as damning as what had been presented
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in Idaho. Prosecutors showed that Laurie had conspired with her
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brother Alex Cox to murder Charles and had planned Brandon's
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assassination as well. In April twenty twenty five, Laurie was
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convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in Charles Valow's death.
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In June twenty twenty five, she was convicted of conspiracy
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to commit murder in the attempted killing of Brandon Boudreaux.
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These convictions ensured that, even if her Idaho sentences were
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somehow overturned, Laurie would spend the rest of her life
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in prison. The trials revealed the full scope of Chad
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and Laurie's crimes. Five murders, two attempted murders, multiple insurance
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fraud schemes, and the systematic destruction of two families. They
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had used religious delusion to justify evil, convinced themselves that
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murder was divine work, and shown no remorse even when
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faced with overwhelming evidence of their guilt. But what does
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the Valo debl case teach us about family annihilation in America?
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How do ordinary people become capable of murdering their own
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children and spouses. The answer lies in the dangerous combination
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of narcissism, financial desperation, and religious extremism that drove Chad
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and Laurie's crimes. They weren't mentally ill in the traditional sense.
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They were selfish people who created a belief system that
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justified eliminating anyone who inconvenienced them. Chad day Bell was
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a failed author desperate for relevance and financial security. Laurie
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Valo was a serial bride searching for meaning and validation. Together,
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they created a twisted theology that made them the heroes
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of their own apocalyptic story and everyone else expendable characters.
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Their case shows how dangerous it is when people convince
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themselves they're chosen by God for special missions. Once you
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believe you're above human law and morality, once you decide
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that other people aren't really human but spiritual obstacles, murder
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becomes not just possible but righteous. The Valoda Bell murders
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also reveal the importance of listening to family members who
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raise concerns about abuse and strange behavior. Charles Valow went
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to police months before his death, warning them about Laurie's
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dangerous beliefs. The Woodcock family persistently demanded contact with JJ
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when Laurie began making excuses. These weren't isolated concerns, they
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were warning signs that could have prevented murders if taken
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more seriously. Most importantly, this case shows that justice while
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sometimes slow, is often inevitable. Chad and Laurie thought they
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had committed perfect crimes, but their own arrogance and need
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for validation led them to create the very evidence that
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would convict them. Their text messages, their lies, their financial greed,
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all of it came back to destroy their claims of innocence. Today,
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Laurie Valoda Bell sits in an Idaho prison, serving multiple
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life sentences with no possibility of parole. She continues to
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maintain her innocence and her belief in her divine mission,
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even as she faces the reality of dying behind bars.
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Chad day Bell sits on dea row, awaiting execution for
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his crimes. Like most death penalty cases, his appeals will
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likely take years or even decades to resolve, but barring
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successful appeals or commutation, Chad will eventually face the same
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fate he imposed on his victims. The families they destroyed
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continue to rebuild their lives around the holes left by
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murdered loved ones. Kay and Larry Woodcock established a foundation
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in JJ's memory to help other families dealing with missing children.
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Tammy day Bell's family works to preserve her memory as
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a loving mother and educator, not just as a murder victim,
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and somewhere in shallow graves in Idaho, JJ and Tyley's
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voices finally spoke loud enough to convict their killers. The
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dead don't always stay silent, and sometimes their testimony is
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the most powerful of all. This has been our five
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part series on the Valo day Bell Doomsday murders. It's
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a story about how love became obsession, religion became justification
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for murder, and family bonds became death sentences. But it's
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also a story about justice, persistence, and the truth that
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emerges even from carefully buried lies. I'm read Carter with
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celebrity trials. Remember that the most dangerous criminals aren't always
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the ones who look evil. Sometimes they're the ones who