Kent Keller, a retired fire captain, detailed his crew's response on July 11, 2019, recounting their roles, CPR efforts, observations of death indicators, safety protocols, and concluding that Charles, a gunshot victim, likely had not received CPR before their arrival. Darkmatter: Day Two in "Doomsday Mom" Lori Daybell's Trial 2025: Witness Kent Keller from the Chandler Fire Department Was Up Next.
Daniel Coons, a 30-year veteran of the Chandler Police Department, testified about his extensive training, including SWAT cross-training, sniper instruction, and certification as a shooting reconstruction expert through a hands-on course. Coons explained that he applied these skills throughout his career. On July 11, 2019, while serving in the homicide unit, he responded to a shooting incident after hearing about it on police radio. Upon arrival, he found a secured crime scene with officers and tape marking the area.
Other detectives soon arrived at the scene, and Coons was assigned responsibility for ensuring proper processing of the scene. He focused on capturing the scene exactly as it appeared before entering. Coons accumulated evidence, reported back to the case agent, and created a diagram reflecting the scene. The diagram, introduced by Treena as an exhibit, provided an overhead view of the room along with a list of reference points. It depicted a body lying in the center of the room with a bat next to it and yellow markers throughout the diagram, although it was noted that the exhibit was not to scale.
The bat was lying near Charles Vallow’s body, and he was holding a baseball card with his body positioned in front of a mirror. A second camera viewpoint from higher in the room provided another perspective, stopping over Charles’ body. Coons returned to the witness stand while the image remained displayed on the screen. When asked by Treena whether photographs are still utilized at crime scenes, Coons affirmed, “100%.” He explained that while the LizardQ system is valuable, it is limited to the perspective of the camera, whereas standard photography allows for comprehensive coverage. Treena introduced over 100 photographs into evidence, and Coons reviewed them, confirming their accurate depiction of the house on the day of the shooting.
Treena then began unpacking shrink-wrapped items from a tote, including the baseball bat recovered from the scene. Coons elaborated on how evidence is processed, documented, assigned reference numbers, and entered into police records. Lori Vallow was then presented with the photographs.
Coons further testified that everything at a crime scene is photographed. He described wearing gloves while collecting evidence, which are changed regularly to prevent contamination, such as the transfer of blood. Crime scene technicians photograph each item, change gloves, and place the evidence in envelopes before moving on to the next item. Treena displayed the diagram on the screen again, highlighting placard #1, and Coons noted that certain pieces of evidence were cut out and brought to the police department. He emphasized that the entire residence is photographed during an investigation, as it's impossible to determine what may or may not become relevant. The photographic process typically begins with exterior shots of the house. One such image showed the main entrance with yellow crime scene tape stretching from a truck to the front door. Lori objected to the admission of the photos, arguing that some should not be included, while Treena moved to admit them all.
The judge reviewed the photographs and decided to admit them as exhibits, stating that they would assist the jury in visualizing the scene and determining where items were located. Exhibits displayed on the screen included Alex's pickup truck parked in the driveway, the front door, and a hat on the floor of the front room marked with placard #1. Additional images captured various angles of the crime scene, such as the northwest corner of the room looking south, showing a pair of flip-flops and Charles’ body on the floor. Coons described the wall with a mirror in the room and explained photographs of a hallway extending to two bedrooms and a bathroom. Multiple angles from inside the house were presented, including one showing Charles’ body from a different perspective.
A close-up photo of a Reebok hat on the ground next to placard #1 was shown, followed by images of a bullet strike in the baseboard. A closer photo revealed the bullet lodged in the baseboard, with part of the baseboard pulled back to expose the projectile embedded in the wood. Another photo displayed a bullet in the hand of someone wearing a blue glove. Treena moved to admit two additional photos. The baseball bat, marked as evidence #3, was also shown in photographs, highlighting the “fat edge” of the bat rather than the handle. Coons stated that they were searching for visible evidence on the bat but did not observe any, including biological evidence. Treena then moved to admit the actual bat, which was wrapped in plastic.
Item #4, displayed on the screen, was a metal projectile from a bullet recovered northeast of Charles Vallow’s body. Coons noted some deformation to the projectile. Treena moved to admit a photo of the projectile found near Charles’ body. Coons observed a small amount of blood on Charles’ chest, which Treena pointed out in the photo, but there was no blood on his arms, extremities, or the floor around him. Blood was pooling underneath his body. Placard #5 marked a shell casing at the scene, while placards #46 and #47 were associated with a .45 automatic pistol. Coons explained the mechanics of a projectile being fired through a gun barrel, with the casing remaining as the cartridge component that holds the powder charge, primer, and projectile.
Treena displayed additional photos of bullet casings and placards marking them inside the home. She moved to admit two exhibits, which were the actual casings from the room. When asked if police move the body during scene processing, Coons stated that they do not; they wait for the medical examiner’s office to move the body, with police present during the process. A photo was shown of the room after Charles’ body was removed, revealing blood on the floor. Photos of the floor included placard #13, which marked a defect in the wooden floor. Treena presented other photos showing defects in the ground, including a larger gap directly beneath Charles’ shoulder, where an exit wound was observed. Coons stated that the marking in the floor was consistent with a bullet strike. That portion of the floor was removed “with great pain,” and Treena displayed a photo of the removed floor section. She then held up a bag containing the piece of wood, showed it to Lori for inspection, and walked it to the witness stand for Coons to examine.
Treena Kay presented photos of the house and the gun Alex Cox used to shoot Charles Vallow. The gun's magazine was removed by police for safety, leaving one live round. An orange duffle bag contained a gun box matching the firearm, along with cartridges and baby wipes. Treena admitted the gun and box into evidence without objection. Photos of the house, including rooms and a kitchen trashcan, showed no signs of blood or bloody items. Coons confirmed there was no blood observed anywhere in the house except for the sink faucet in the kitchen and the area where the body was. He explained that investigators have one chance to gather evidence and critical information immediately after an alleged crime.
Coons described gunshot wounds on Charles Vallow’s body: bullets in the sternum and abdomen, and wounds near the spine and shoulder blade. He noted two entrance wounds and two exit wounds, detailing the trajectory of a bullet that passed through Charles and embedded in the baseboard of the room. Measurements of the body were taken before it was moved. Coons attended Charles’ autopsy, observing through a window and communicating with the medical examiner via phone. The autopsy supported his belief that Charles was shot while lying on the ground. Coons left the house around 4:30 p.m., concluding his involvement in processing the scene. Treena had no further questions.
Lori requested a sidebar and returned to the courtroom smiling. She asked to use photo exhibits during her cross-examination, which began with her asking if Coons was the scene agent that day. He confirmed he was. Lori questioned Coons about his prior work experience, learning that he had been in the military, the Department of Corrections, and other roles before becoming a police officer. She asked when Coons wrote his report on the incident, but he could not recall the exact timing, estimating it was “within a week.” Lori also inquired about who was at the scene when he arrived; Coons mentioned patrol officers, Alex Cox, and possibly the fire department.
Coons stated that upon arrival, the team debriefed and devised a plan for the investigation. Lori asked which detectives were present, and Coons named a few but noted he did not take a roll call. After the debriefing, Coons provided information to a detective at the police station to secure a search warrant. Once they received the warrant, the team entered the house between 11:30 and 11:45 a.m. Coons entered with the crime scene technician and possibly Detective Duncan, forming the initial group to go inside. Following entry, the team followed standard procedures, including photographing the scene, using LizardQ for panoramic imaging, gathering data for a diagram, and continuing their investigative work.
Lori asked if detectives went to the same rooms or divided tasks, and Coons confirmed they “divided and conquered.” He explained that photos were taken starting around noon but didn’t track the time as the house and job were extensive. Coons emphasized that he focuses on doing his job rather than timing his work. He did not personally handle most of the evidence, as crime scene technicians typically handle evidence collection. Coons noted that investigators collaborated with crime scene techs throughout the investigation. Lori asked what else Coons did at the house, to which he explained his day revolved entirely around processing the scene, including searching for evidence, taking measurements, and waiting for the medical examiner.
Lori inquired about the firearm found, a .45 caliber, and asked how it differed from a revolver. Coons described a revolver as a "wheel gun" like those seen in western movies, whereas modern police officers typically carry semiautomatic guns. Lori also asked if "center mass" is a common term in gun training, which Coons confirmed as standard police training. When asked if someone being attacked should aim at center mass, Coons agreed. However, Coons clarified that if teaching a novice, he would not simply teach them to aim at center mass but rather to shoot until the threat was neutralized.
Lori then asked about whether .45 caliber guns could shoot to the left. Coons explained that while some guns can be set up to shoot to the left, the gun in question was configured to shoot to the right. Regarding shell casings found close to the wall, Coons noted they were just inches away and stated that this trajectory seemed consistent with expectations. When Lori inquired about possible divots in the wall, Coons acknowledged the potential for microscopic divots but did not observe anything significant himself.
Lori asked if Coons walked through the house with Alex, and he confirmed that he did. She inquired about whether Coons saw Alex standing in the room where he claimed to have obtained the gun. Lori asked about Alex’s interactions with officers, but Treena objected on hearsay grounds, and the judge sustained the objection. After a sidebar, Lori returned and asked Coons where he would place the shooter in the room. Coons replied that for the first shot, the shooter was positioned in a more eastern direction, and for the second shot, more to the north. Lori also questioned whether Alex had moved and then paused to collect her thoughts.
Lori asked Coons about his observation of the autopsy, specifically regarding stippling. Coons did not recall if stippling was noted in the coroner’s report and explained that he was not an expert on stippling patterns, suggesting consultation with the lab for clarification. At this point, Lori concluded her questioning for the day.
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