Idaho mother faces trial for alleged murder of her husband, following earlier deaths of two children
Headline: Lori Vallow Daybell's Doomsday Beliefs on Trial in Arizona: A History of Tragedy and Oddities
Subhead: As the 51-year-old mother stands accused of conspiring to murder her estranged husband, details of her peculiar background and strange encounters emerge.
Lori Vallow Daybell, the Idaho mother notoriously known for her doomsday religious beliefs, is back in the spotlight. Facing charges of conspiring to kill her former husband, Charles Vallow, in Arizona, Vallow Daybell has taken an unconventional approach by choosing to represent herself in a six-week trial set to start in a Phoenix courtroom on Monday.
Known for her bizarre religious views and eventful past, this high-profile case has piqued public interest.
A Singular Timeline of Chaos
Vallow's tragic and enigmatic journey began in July 2019, when he was fatally shot at his home in Chandler, Arizona. Vallow Daybell, then living in the same residence with her children, Joshua "JJ" Vallow and Tylee Ryan, moved to Idaho shortly thereafter. It was only in December 2019 that authorities discovered the children missing and, tragically, their bodies buried on Chad Daybell's property in rural Idaho. JJ was 7, and Tylee was 16.
Vallow Daybell is currently serving three life sentences in Idaho for her part in the children's deaths and conspiring to kill Chad Daybell's former wife, Tammy Daybell, who died under mysterious circumstances in 2019. Chad Daybell himself was sentenced to death for his role in the three killings.
Who Pulled the Trigger?
The circumstances surrounding Charles Vallow's death are far from clear cut. Vallow was reportedly shot by Lori's brother, Alex Cox, during a confrontation over custody of their child. Tylee, Vallow Daybell's daughter, shared an account of the incident where she described waking up to the sounds of altercation, confronting Vallow with a baseball bat, and defending her mother. However, the story presents inconsistencies, with differing accounts of who had the bat before the shooting and the sequence of events leading up to it.
The Colors of Lori Vallow Daybell's Past
Hailing from various marriages, Vallow Daybell is no stranger to life changes. Her first marriage, at the young age of 19, was short-lived, followed by a second marriage in her early twenties that resulted in a child. In 2001, she married Joseph Ryan and together they had Tylee. The couple divorced a few years later, and Ryan passed away under suspicious circumstances in 2018.
Charles Vallow, her fourth husband, entered Vallow Daybell's life in 2006, and together they adopted JJ. However, by 2019, their marriage had deteriorated, and they were estranged when Charles was fatally shot.
![Aerial photograph shows investigators scouring for human remains at Chad Daybell's abode on Tuesday, June 9, 2020, in Salem, Idaho. The authorities unearthed human remains at Daybell's house while probing the vanishing of his recent spouse's two offspring. [Image Credit: John Roark/The Idaho Post-Register via AP]](https://asb-media.info/en/img/2025/04/07/947773/jpeg/4-3/1200/75/in-this-aerial-photo-investigators-search-for-human-remains-at-chad-daybell-s-residence-on-tuesday-june-9-2020-in-salem-idaho-authorities-uncovered-human-remains-at-daybell-s-home-as-they-investigated-the-disappearance-of-his-new-wifes-two-children-p-john-roark-the-idaho-post-register-via-ap.webp "Aerial photograph shows investigators seeking human remains at Chad Daybell's residence on June 9, 2020, Salem, Idaho. Authorities found human remains at Daybell's property amidst the investigation into the disappearance of his new wife's children. (Picture: John Roark/The Idaho Post-Register via AP)")
Self-Represented in Trial, Unorthodox Strategies
As the trial commences, Vallow Daybell has chosen an unconventional route by opting to represent herself. As a result, her hearings have been filled with complaints regarding news coverage, demands for a speedy trial, and disputes surrounding the pre-trial exchange of evidence. In a hearing last week, she unsuccessfully attempted to strike three people from the prosecution's witness list, including the grandmother of her adopted son.
If convicted, Vallow Daybell would face a life sentence, the same fate that Chad Daybell, an author of end-of-world-themed novels, received in the three killings. Unlike other trials, Vallow Daybell will appear in civilian clothing during the proceedings, without handcuffs or shackles when jurors are present. However, she is expected to wear a belt-like device hidden under her clothes to control possible disturbances by remote control.
This unusual tale of tragedy and strange occurrences has captivated the world, with both Lori and Chad Daybell having been the subject of documentaries and movies. As the trial unfolds, the truth behind Vallow's death becomes more unveiled, shedding light on the mindset of an individual driven by unconventional beliefs and actions.
[1] "Timeline: The Lori Vallow case, from the death of her brother to the deaths of her children." East Idaho News, September 8, 2023.
[2] "The heart-wrenching, bizarre case of Lori Vallow Daybell." ABC News, April 11, 2022.
[5] "Lori Vallow Daybell's Bizarre Beliefs Contributed to Charles Vallow's Death, Prosecutors Claim." People, August 10, 2022.
- Lori Vallow Daybell's self-representation in the conspired murder trial of her estranged husband, Charles Vallow, reflects an unorthodox approach even amidst the A11fe0011fc15213e01f1b1c84f61da3 revelations about her past.
- The asphyxiation of Charles Vallow, allegedly at the hands of Lori Vallow Daybell's brother, Alex Cox, on the day of the fateful confrontation over custody, has cast a shadow of uncertainty over this case.
- As the six-week trial unfolds, details about Lori Vallow Daybell's history of oddities, including her associations with doomsday beliefs, will come to light, shedding more light on the circumstances leading to the Daybell family tragedies.
