Chad Guy Daybell was born on August 11, 1968, in Provo, Utah. He grew up in a Mormon family and was raised in Springville, which is near Provo. Chad attended Brigham Young University (BYU) after high school. He applied to become a missionary when he was just one year into his studies and served for two years in New Jersey.

After completing his mission, he returned to BYU to finish his education. In 1999, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism. On March 9, 1990, Chad married Tamara "Tammy" Douglas. The couple had five children together.

Chad worked for a time as a copy editor for the Standard-Examiner in Ogden, Utah. He held various jobs during and after his studies to support his family, including working as a gravedigger and later as the cemetery sexton for Springville.

In 1999, Chad published his first novel called *An Errand for Emma*, which was a religion-themed book. He left his job at the cemetery a few years later to focus more on writing. In 2001, he wrote *One Foot in the Grave*, a non-fiction book that shared his experiences working in cemeteries. Chad went on to found Spring Creek Book Company with his wife in 2004. The company focused on self-publishing books related to his religious beliefs and themes about the end of times.

By the end of the 2000s, Chad and Tammy faced financial difficulties. His publishing business was struggling, generating an annual income of about $2,000, prompting both of them to work part-time jobs. Chad eventually found an audience for his writings among people worried about the Second Coming of Jesus. This led him to become a popular author and speaker in certain radical Mormon circles, where he published dozens of fiction and non-fiction books.

Chad's writing often included themes of apocalyptic scenarios and characters based on his own family. He discussed receiving supernatural guidance, claiming to have had two near-death experiences that allowed him to see visions from "beyond the veil". Over time, his religious views became more extreme. People around him noted changes in his beliefs starting around 2006-2007, when he became very focused on preparing for the end of the world. By the early 2010s, Chad was making dire predictions about future disasters.

In 2015, Chad said he heard a supernatural voice instructing him to move to Rexburg, Idaho, which he did with Tammy that June. He believed that an earthquake would hit Utah in the same year.

Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow were involved in a series of events that led to multiple crimes, including murders. The first significant act was the shooting of Lori’s estranged husband, Charles Vallow, on July 11, 2019. Lori's brother, Alex Cox, shot Charles, claiming it was self-defense during a confrontation about Lori's claims that Charles was possessed by a "dark spirit."

In September 2019, two of Lori's children disappeared: her daughter Tylee Ryan, last seen on September 8, and her son J.J. Vallow, last seen on September 22. Lori moved to Rexburg, Idaho, with her children and, shortly after, they were reported missing. In the weeks following their disappearance, communications between Lori and Chad Daybell indicated they believed the children were "possessed" and described them as "zombies." Text messages suggested a plan to take care of the children, who were seen as obstacles to their intended life together.

Tammy Daybell, Chad’s first wife, also died suspiciously under the pretense of natural causes on October 19, 2019, just days after she reported an attempted shooting at her home. Following her death, Chad and Lori married on November 5, 2019, shortly after Tammy’s funeral.

Lori and Chad avoided contact with law enforcement while they were under investigation for the missing children. On June 9, 2020, police searched Chad's property in Idaho and discovered the human remains of Tylee and J.J. buried in his backyard. Their bodies were found in horrific conditions. J.J. had been asphyxiated, while forensic examination of Tylee's remains indicated severe trauma that suggested she had been dismembered.

After extensive investigations and accumulating evidence against them, both Lori and Chad faced multiple charges, including first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. They were tried separately, with Lori being convicted in May 2023 and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Chad was found guilty in May 2024 and sentenced to death for his role in the murders and other charges.