PHOENIX — A woman who was previously found guilty for her conspiracy in the deaths of her two youngest children and another woman has been deemed competent to stand trial on new charges.
On Thursday, two doctors appointed by the court confirmed that Lori Vallow Daybell is fit to face accusations related to the conspiracy behind the death of her estranged husband, Charles Vallow, as well as a niece’s former spouse. Currently, Vallow Daybell is serving a life sentence in Idaho in connection with the tragic deaths of her 7-year-old son, Joshua “JJ” Vallow, and her 16-year-old daughter, Tylee Ryan, along with her husband Tammy Daybell.
The events surrounding her estranged husband’s death are particularly complex. Charles Vallow was shot dead in 2019 by Vallow Daybell’s brother, who claimed he acted in self-defense and thus faced no charges.
At that time, Lori Vallow Daybell was involved in a relationship with Chad Daybell, a writer known for his apocalyptic fiction inspired by Mormon beliefs. She relocated from Phoenix to Idaho to be closer to him.
Following their marriage, Chad Daybell was sentenced to death for the murders of JJ, Tylee, and his previous wife, Tammy Daybell.
In the prosecution’s case in Idaho, numerous witnesses were called upon to strengthen the allegations that Lori Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell conspired to murder the two children and Tammy Daybell in order to clear the path for their relationship and secure financial benefits.
Prosecutors allege that the couple rationalized their actions through a belief system rooted in apocalyptic doctrine, suggesting that individuals could be overtaken by evil spirits and become “zombies.” They posited that the only way to save the soul of a person believed to be possessed was for the physical body to perish.
As the proceedings move forward, a judge from Maricopa County Superior Court has provisionally scheduled Vallow Daybell’s trial for February 24. The report has been updated to clarify the correct spelling of the accused’s last name, which is Daybell, not Daywell.
