PHOENIX — Deliberations are underway in the Arizona courtroom where Lori Vallow Daybell faces charges related to the conspiring murder of her estranged husband, Charles Vallow, amidst her radical end-times religious beliefs. The jury discussions, which began briefly on Monday afternoon, are set to continue on Tuesday.
During the trial spanning the last two weeks, diverse narratives were presented regarding Charles Vallow’s demise at Lori Vallow Daybell’s residence back in 2019. According to the prosecution, Vallow Daybell collaborated with her brother, Alex Cox, to end Charles Vallow’s life. This alleged plot aimed to facilitate the collection of life insurance money and pave the way for her marriage to Chad Daybell, an Idaho author known for his religious prophecies and end-of-world themed writings.
“This case reveals a distinctly premeditated and well-thought-out murder,” prosecutor Treena Kay asserted in her closing statements on Monday. Meanwhile, representing herself in court without any formal legal background, Vallow Daybell opted not to present witnesses or evidence supporting her defense. She maintained throughout the proceedings that her husband’s death constituted a personal tragedy rather than a criminal act, “This was a tragedy,” she reiterated, asking jurors not to mischaracterize her family’s misfortune.
Already serving life sentences without parole for the murder of her two youngest children and plotting against a romantic adversary in Idaho, Vallow Daybell entered a not-guilty plea in the Arizona matter. A guilty verdict could hand her an additional life sentence.
At the time, Alex Cox had claimed self-defense as the reasoning behind fatally shooting Vallow. However, his narrative came under scrutiny after his passing from a lung blood clot five months later. Vallow Daybell relayed at trial commencement that Charles Vallow had attacked her with a bat, prompting Cox to fire in self-protection after she exited the premises.
The prosecution, represented by Treena Kay, argued that Cox delayed notifying authorities by 47 minutes to manipulate the scene, placing a bat next to Vallow’s head as part of a cover-up. Prior to the jury’s deliberations, prosecutors showcased a phone discussion between Vallow Daybell and an insurance firm, demonstrating her belief in being the prime beneficiary of Vallow’s $1 million life insurance.
In the conversation, Vallow Daybell downplayed the incident as accidental when recounting Charles’ shooting. Throughout the closing arguments, she frequently glanced towards the jury. Last week, another witness, Adam Cox, and Vallow Daybell’s brother, affirmed the prosecution’s case. He testified, expressing certainty in his sibling’s culpability and revealed plans he and Charles Vallow had to intervene and redirect Vallow Daybell back to their shared faith within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Prior to his death, Charles Vallow allegedly intended divorce over concerns about Daybell’s obsession with otherworldly experiences and threats to his life.
This trial surrounding Charles Vallow’s tragic death stands as the first of two against Vallow Daybell in Arizona. Another court date is slated for early June, focusing on her alleged conspiracy to murder Brandon Boudreaux, the former spouse of her niece, Melani Pawlowski.