Features Chad’s Former Sister-in-Law Breaking Her Silence
Two-Hour Special Follows the #1 ‘Dateline’ Podcast Series on the Daybells
‘Mommy Doomsday’ Airs Friday at 9pm ET/8pm CT
Wednesday, March 24 – Friday’s all-new Dateline NBC will feature insiders speaking out for the first time about Idaho couple Lori and Chad Daybell, who are facing multiple charges after the remains of Lori’s children, JJ and Tylee, were discovered in Chad’s backyard. Mommy Doomsday airs Friday at 9pm ET/8pm CT.
The two-hour special reveals new details on the mysterious deaths of Chad’s former wife Tammy and Lori’s former husband Joe. In an exclusive interview, Tammy’s sister Samantha Gwilliam opens up about finding out from Chad that Tammy had died in her sleep.
Gwilliam explains to NBC News’ Keith Morrison that Chad told her Tammy had “been sick and had a coughing fit and passed away,” adding that Chad “sounded upset and devastated. I mean, I was crying and he was crying. It was a really hard moment.” To watch the exchange, click here. She later revealed her reaction to finding out that Chad had married Lori just a few weeks after Tammy passed away, telling Morrison: “I felt like that was too soon for anybody to get over my sister.” To watch the exchange, click here.
Transcripts of the exchanges are below.
Mommy Doomsday will include never-before-heard secretly recorded audio of Lori discussing the death of her former husband Joe, who according to the medical examiner, died of natural causes. The broadcast will also feature new information about the insurance money Lori received after Joe passed. Morrison also speaks with mental health experts who say the deaths of the children could have been avoided if a court had listened to them more than a decade ago. Both Lori and Chad have denied any wrongdoing and have not been charged in connection with the death of her children and their former spouses.
Friday’s specialfollows Dateline’s podcast on the Daybells, hosted by Morrison. The six-episode podcast series, Mommy Doomsday, was #1 for the entirety of its debut.
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On Finding Out Tammy Had Passed Away
Samantha Gwilliam: I got a phone call from Chad telling me that she had passed away in her sleep.
Keith Morrison: How do you process something like that?
Samantha Gwilliam: You don’t. I mean, like, there’s just so many thoughts running through your head. And a lot of it was, like, “no. That that didn’t happen.”
Keith Morrison: What did Chad say happened?
Samantha Gwilliam: That she’d been sick and had a coughing fit and passed away.
Keith Morrison: How did he sound on the phone?
Samantha Gwilliam: He sounded upset and devastated. I mean, I was crying and he was crying. It was a really hard moment.
On Chad Marrying Lori Weeks After Tammy Had Died
Samantha Gwilliam: I was shocked because at that point, Tammy had only been gone for a month. And I just thought, “is the grief clouding his judgment? I mean, who goes and does that?” It didn’t make sense to me. And obviously, I was really upset.
Keith Morrison: You feel almost betrayed?
Samantha Gwilliam: Yeah because I felt like that was too soon for anybody to get over my sister.
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For More Information:
Dominique Cuce
NBC News
e: Dominique.Cuce@nbcuni.com
Dateline NBC is the longest-running series in NBC primetime history and is in its 29th season. Dateline is anchored by Lester Holt and features correspondents Andrea Canning, Josh Mankiewicz, Natalie Morales, Keith Morrison and Dennis Murphy. Airing Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT and Fridays at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, Dateline is the #1 Friday newsmagazine and reaches more than 17 million people every week through its broadcast, and millions more through its social media platforms and podcasts. Additionally, Dateline closed out 2019-2020 broadcast season as the #1 Friday newsmagazine across the board. David Corvo is the senior executive producer, and Liz Cole is the executive producer.
