Tom Evans (0)
On April 1, 2023, I found myself in the jury box listening to opening arguments in the Lori Vallow Daybell trial. I did not want to be there and found the whole situation dark and depressing.
By the time the trial was over, I had a different point of view. In fact, I was proud of what I was seeing and honored to do my part.
I grew up in Northern California back in the ‘60s and ‘70s and spent most of my time in logging country fishing the Eel River, surf fishing in the ocean and riding dirt bikes through miles and miles of wilderness.
I spent the first five years of my adult life working in a sawmill as a millwright before heading to the city for college where I studied Architectural Engineering. In 1984 I was married while continuing my studies. I had to quit college when our first child was born and started designing and building custom homes.
In 2005 I moved myself, my wife and our two children to Idaho and continued my business. Shortly after that our foster daughter came into our lives full time.
My wife and I now have three adult children and three grandchildren.
By the time the trial was over, I knew two things, I was proud of what I saw and I wanted to find some way to have something good come out of it. I decided I would write about it and tell a story of all the good that I saw. And, I would donate proceeds of the book to an organization that helps children in need.
My book, Money, Power and Sex, the Lori Vallow Daybell Trial by Juror Number 18, is my humble attempt to tell my story.