Who is Tammy Daybell?
Apr 3, 2023, 9:00 AM | Updated: Apr 11, 2023, 7:16 am
Tammy Daybell
Tamara “Tammy” Douglas Daybell was the late wife of Chad Daybell. He is charged with her murder and the murders of Joshua “JJ” Vallow and Tylee Ryan.
Tammy Douglas was born in Pasadena, California, but moved to Springville, Utah, when she was 13. She met Chad Daybell, also from Springville, at Brigham Young University and they were married in the Manti Utah Temple on March 9, 1990.
She was married to Chad Daybell for 28 years before she reportedly died in her sleep. Her husband was later charged with her murder; he has pleaded not guilty.
Click here for complete coverage of the Lori Vallow Daybell trial
Her friends said she was healthy and training for a marathon before her sudden and unexpected death. Deputies with the Fremont County, Idaho, Sheriff’s Office responded and found Tammy dead in the Salem home. An autopsy was not performed and Tammy was buried three days later.
Friend and coworker Mandy Fowler and multiple sources told KSL TV that Chad Daybell refused to have an autopsy performed on his wife. They expressed concerns about Tammy Daybell’s funeral, which they felt was rushed.
However, Chad Daybell’s children told CBS News that Chad Daybell didn’t refuse the autopsy, they did. They also reported that she was in failing health. Her funeral was held on Oct. 22, 2019, in Springville, Utah.
Chad Daybell married Lori Vallow on Nov. 5, 2019 — just over two weeks later.
By December 2019, investigators were calling Tammy’s death suspicious.
According to detectives, Charles Vallow discovered Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow’s infidelity just 12 days before he was shot and killed by Alex Cox.
The same day Charles Vallow discovered the infidelity, detectives discovered he confronted Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell. It appears Charles Vallow sent Chad Daybell an email telling him to come clean or he would “expose them.”
According to detectives, Charles Vallow also told Chad Daybell he was aware of dance videos Lori had sent him and this was not appropriate.
In confronting Lori Vallow, detectives say, Charles Vallow told her he had obtained Tammy Daybell’s email address and cell number. He threatened to contact Tammy Daybell if Lori Vallow didn’t tell him what was going on.
Then detectives discovered another email Charles Vallow wrote to Tammy Daybell saying in part, “I have some disturbing information regarding your husband and my wife.”
Tammy Daybell’s remains were exhumed on Dec. 11, 2019, and an autopsy was performed the same day, less than two months after her death.
The results of that autopsy were not shared with the public until Monday, when prosecutors revealed in their opening arguments that Daybell died by asphyxiation.
According to her obituary, in 2004, the Daybells founded Spring Creek Book Company where Tammy Daybell “wore many hats”. Before that, she worked while her husband continued his education at BYU, including working for Springville’s parks department.
“She typed thousands of handwritten burial records into a computer database,” the obituary stated. “This helped spark her interest in family history, which later would become her favorite hobby. Throughout her life she submitted more than 100,000 names for temple ordinance work.”
Tammy Daybell was said to have been dedicated to her five children and to service in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She loved books and reading and encouraged her children to find books. When the family moved to Idaho in 2015, she became an assistant librarian at a local middle school.
“She loved gardening, cooking, and playing games with the family. Her laugh will be remembered and cherished,” family members said.
Larry D. Curtis contributed to this report.
