Chad Daybell trial: Witness says self-proclaimed "Doomsday prophet" predicted victims' deaths

BOISE, Idaho - Disturbing testimony was heard during day 18 of the Chad Daybell murder trial. A former follower of the self-proclaimed "Doomsday prophet" took the stand.

Daybell is accused of murdering two Arizona children in Idaho and killing his first wife. He's now married to his co-defendant and the children's mother, Lori Vallow.

Why is Zulema Pastenes important to this case? 

She is the widow of Alex Cox, Lori's late brother, who investigators say is a co-conspirator in this triple murder case. And she was a part of a religious inner circle, allegedly led by Chad Daybell.

Zulema Pastenes told the jury that Chad claimed to be the head of the "Church of the Firstborn" with a mission to lead the 144,000 for the return of Christ.

Pastenes said Daybell believed he could decipher between light and dark spirits, teaching his then-girlfriend, Lori, and their small group of friends what happened to spirits deemed dark.

Pastenes married Lori's brother a couple of weeks before he passed away in December 2019.

Cox shot and killed Lori's fourth husband, Charles Vallow, earlier in the summer and Pastenes says he was referred to as a warrior and protector by Daybell.

Prosecutor: "Did Alex seem to truly believe what Chad was telling him?"

Pastenes: "100%."

She says Cox called Charles a zombie after the shooting.

Pastenes recalls the romantic affair between Lori and Chad while Tammy Daybell was still alive.

Prosecution: "Was there any indication that Tammy may die?"

Pastenes: "Chad said that Tammy was going to die early and that he had relayed it before that he had a portal in his house where he would get information or communication from the spirit world where he would get instructions and information and knowledge."

Tammy died of asphyxia in October 2019. Chad married Lori weeks later in Hawaii. Lori's children, JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan, had already vanished. They were later found buried on the Daybell property in Idaho in June 2020.

Pastenes: "Chad said that JJ was going to die young, that he was probably going to die soon and that he was going to come right back to Earth as Colby’s son.

Prosecutor: "And who is Colby?"

Pastenes: "Lori's son."

The medical examiner who performed the autopsies of JJ and Tylee also testified on Tuesday. JJ died of asphyxia. Tylee's cause of death is unspecified due to the condition of her remains. Both of the children's deaths are homicides.

"..it appeared she was really putting the moves on him."

Zulema was there when Chad met Lori at a religious conference in Utah in 2018.

Prosecution: "Did you make any observation about the two together.. at that conference?"

Pastenes: "Yes, at first they were just talking to each other, but then Lori was really being flirtatious towards him, and it appeared that she was really putting the moves on him."

Prosecution: "Did Chad seem receptive to that?"

Pastenes: "Yes, he was very giggly and laughing a lot with her."

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