BOISE, Idaho — Testifying in court on Thursday, Melanie Gibb, the former close friend of Lori Vallow Daybell, revealed unsettling conversations she had with Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow Daybell in the weeks leading up to the murders of Vallow Daybell’s husband and children, as well as Daybell’s wife.
Gibb recounted discussions that included prayers for the demise of their spouses, deceit regarding the whereabouts of Vallow Daybell’s missing children, justifications for their falsehoods, categorizing people as “dark” or “light,” including the children, claims of living past lives as biblical figures, and more.
Describing the first meeting between Vallow Daybell and Daybell, Gibb noted a mutual attraction between the two that caught her attention. She couldn’t recall if she introduced the two at a conference in 2018 or if Vallow Daybell approached Daybell herself, but she did highlight their frequent communication and mutual attraction following the meeting.
Discussing the concept of multiple lives, Gibb revealed that Vallow Daybell informed her about living several past lives on Earth. Vallow Daybell shared her belief in marrying Daybell in a previous life and being married again in their current life, stating that she felt it was her purpose to assemble women for the 144,000 mentioned in the Bible, a group symbolizing the gathering of the righteous at the end of time.
Gibb also disclosed how Vallow Daybell sought advice from Daybell, sharing this information with Gibb and others. Daybell would reportedly assess whether individuals had previous lives or where they fell on the “light” and “dark” scale based on pre-Earth contracts. She further mentioned Daybell’s belief that one’s position on this scale could evolve from light to dark.
During her testimony, Gibb detailed “castings” where prayers were conducted to expel evil spirits from individuals, including Vallow Daybell’s husband, Charles Vallow. She clarified that she never participated in a casting for Vallow Daybell’s children but was present for those involving Charles Vallow, Daybell’s wife Tammy, and Vallow Daybell’s nephew-in-law Brandon Boudreaux.
Touching on Vallow Daybell’s demeanor after her husband’s death, Gibb noted Vallow Daybell’s apparent contentment and described the challenging relationship between Tylee, JJ, and Charles Vallow. Observing Tylee and her mother’s strained rapport, Gibb shed light on the complexities within their family dynamic.
These revelations shed further light on the intricate web of beliefs and actions that ultimately culminated in the tragic deaths of multiple individuals, highlighting the disturbing nature of the conversations and practices that preceded these events.