Tammy Daybell's Autopsy is back!
But why won't it be released, and what does it mean?
February 3, 2021
When will Tammy Daybell’s autopsy be done? Asked and answered!
The Fremont County Sheriff’s office ended months of speculation by announcing that Tammy’s autopsy report is finally complete. Sheriff Len Humphries released a brief statement, announcing that the results had been received and would not be released. Frustrating, perhaps, for a lot of people who follow this case closely. But I think we can also infer some important things from that brief announcement. Here are my thoughts.
Something important was found. How do I get there from a few sentences? Well, follow me down the rabbit hole. I believe that Rob Wood is coordinating this entire investigation, even though some of it is happening out of his jurisdiction in Arizona. I think the Arizona officials are following his lead. The autopsy reports of both Alex Cox and Joseph Ryan were released because the cause of death was ruled to be natural causes in both cases. Tammy’s report, on the other hand, is not being released. Judging from the previous actions, I’d say there is something important in Tammy’s report.
Then remember this exchange between Lori’s sister, Summer Shiflett, and Special Prosecutor Rob Wood?
PROSECUTOR ROBERT WOOD: I said this to someone the other day. Who knows, your sister is our goal is. sometimes you get murder and all you have is that murder and you just have to run out and charge it and then you kind of put it put it together. We were able to put them in jail with a high bail on these lower charges and put together a case. Now our goal is to have such a strong case that when she has competent counsel, I don’t know if you know this, her attorney, has never handled a felony before.
Summer: mhmm
PROSECUTOR ROBERT WOOD: he’s never, never done any meaningful criminal work at all. And he doesn’t know what he’s doing. He’s a nice guy.
Summer: yeah, I met him
PROSECUTOR ROBERT WOOD: other than when he’s lying about me, but he a he’s he doesn’t know what he’s doing and once we file further charges, she will be appointed counsel who will know what they’re doing. And our goal is to, put together such a case, that they’re smart enough to say, uh, it’s gonna be better to talk.
Summer: mhmm
So, Tammy’s autopsy report is just another brick in the stone wall of that case.
People often ask me to speculate about why Rob Wood hasn’t filed murder charges against Lori and Chad. Again, I think the answer is also in Wood’s conversation with Summer.
PROSECUTOR ROBERT WOOD: And uh, unfortunately we do. We have enough evidence to prosecute him, we do. But I, the case against your sister is stronger, um. But I just I kind of just want to give you like just that background. That’s the kind of the context that we see this guy. Came in here. And you know not making excuses for anyone but kind of blew up this situation. And he did not care, who died.
I also think that Wood is waiting for the autopsies to come back on the children. In that same conversation, Wood tells Summer that Tylee’s remains are at the FBI’s crime lab, and he suggests it could take a while.
Rob Wood has shown over and over that he is a methodical, careful prosecutor. He’ll file murder charges when he believes his case is ready. In the meantime, Chad and Lori are both in jail, where their every movement and every word are recorded. When the time comes, I think we will see murder charges for Tammy and at least conspiracy to commit murder charges for the deaths of the children.
I am sure Rob Wood has the report. I’m also sure that he has, at least verbally, shared the contents with the defense lawyers, Prior and Means, and that they have been discussing the results with their clients. With every gathering piece of evidence, Rob Wood is saying to the defense, “now will your clients come clean?” Ultimately, Wood wants Chad and Lori to admit what they did and spill all the details. If they do, they are punished for what they actually did and not what a jury believes beyond a reasonable doubt that they did. Wood, like all prosecutors, prefers that certainty.
