In a unanimous decision, an Idaho jury has handed down a death sentence to Chad Daybell, convicted of brutally murdering his wife and his girlfriend's two youngest children. The gruesome case, which began in 2019 with the search for two missing children, came to a chilling close on Saturday with the jury's pronouncement.

Chad Daybell, 55, dressed in a shirt and tie, showed no emotion when informed that he would face the death penalty for the murders of his wife Tammy Daybell, along with 16-year-old Tylee Ryan and 7-year-old Joshua "JJ" Vallow. Despite an opportunity to address the judge, Daybell declined to make a statement.

The jury found Daybell guilty on Thursday, and after deliberating for just over a day, they decided that the death penalty would be a just resolution to the case. The trial revealed that Daybell had married Lori Vallow Daybell, the children's mother, shortly after his wife's death. Lori Vallow Daybell has already been convicted in the three murders and is awaiting trial in Arizona for the murder of her fourth husband, Charles Vallow.

The investigation into the case began in 2019 when a family member reported the children missing. A year later, the remains of Tylee and JJ were discovered buried on Chad Daybell's property. Prosecutors presented evidence that Tylee's DNA was found on a pickaxe and shovel, while JJ's body was wrapped in trash bags and duct tape.

During the trial, prosecutors argued that Chad Daybell, a self-published author known for writing doomsday-themed fiction, had used his unusual spiritual beliefs involving apocalyptic prophecies and claims of possession by evil spirits to justify the killings.

Fremont County Prosecutor Lindsey Blake, speaking outside the Boise courthouse after the sentencing, described the case as complex due to its lengthy investigation and the challenge of presenting it coherently. Relatives of the victims expressed their appreciation for the jury's decision, finding solace in the closure it brings.

Daybell's defense attorney, John Prior, maintained throughout the trial that there was not enough evidence to link his client to the murders, suggesting that Lori Vallow Daybell's deceased brother, Alex Cox, may have been responsible. However, Cox was never charged, and Lori Vallow Daybell was already sentenced to life imprisonment without parole last year.

The sentencing hearing saw emotional statements from the family members of the victims. Kay Woodcock, JJ Vallow's grandmother, tearfully described JJ's empathy and Tylee's loving nature, expressing her deep regret at not having more time to create memories with them. Colby Ryan, Lori Vallow Daybell's oldest child, shared the profound impact of losing his entire family and likened it to a devastating loss.

To impose the death penalty, the jury had to unanimously agree that Chad Daybell met at least one of the "aggravating circumstances" outlined by state law. They also determined that these factors outweighed any mitigating evidence that might have lessened his culpability. The jury found aggravating factors in Daybell's actions, including an utter disregard for human life, and described the murders as particularly heinous and cruel.

While Idaho law allows for execution by lethal injection or firing squad, firing squad executions have never been implemented in the state.

The sentencing of Chad Daybell to death marks the conclusion of a deeply disturbing and tragic chapter in Idaho's legal history, providing some closure to the grieving family members left behind by these senseless murders.