PHOENIX — A woman involved in a series of shocking murders driven by her apocalyptic religious beliefs was convicted on Tuesday in Arizona for plotting the murder of her estranged husband.
Lori Vallow Daybell was declared guilty by the jury after approximately three hours of deliberation. Already serving three life sentences in Idaho for previous crimes, she now potentially faces another life sentence. However, sentencing in Arizona will only occur after her upcoming trial for another alleged murder conspiracy.
The prosecution argued Lori Vallow Daybell orchestrated the killing of Charles Vallow, who was shot dead in July 2019, with assistance from her brother, Alex Cox. This incident occurred at her residence in Chandler, a suburb of Phoenix. The motive, according to prosecutors, was financial gain from Vallow’s life insurance policy and a desire to marry Chad Daybell, a writer known for his religious novels about prophecies and the apocalypse.
Chad Daybell has already been sentenced to death for his involvement in the deaths of Vallow Daybell’s young children, Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 7, and Tylee Ryan, 16, as well as his wife, Tammy. Idaho authorities revealed the disturbing belief held by Chad and Lori Daybell that the children were “zombies” and that Lori was a god-like figure destined to lead in an apocalyptic event.
Choosing to represent herself in the Arizona trial, Vallow Daybell remained composed during the verdict, occasionally glancing at the jury as they confirmed her guilt on the charge.
Juror Victoria Lewis observed that Vallow Daybell did not aid her cause by handling her own defense. “She often seemed to treat the proceedings lightly, which did not reflect well on her,” Lewis commented.
During the trial, Vallow Daybell described an altercation where Charles Vallow allegedly chased her with a bat inside her home, leading her brother to shoot him in self-defense as she exited the house. She insisted the event was tragic but not criminal.
Alex Cox passed away five months post-shooting from a blood clot in his lungs, according to medical reports.
Outside the courtroom, Charles Vallow’s relatives, Kay Woodcock and Gerry Vallow, expressed their relief at the verdict. “We prevailed, and she’s not as clever as she believes herself to be,” Woodcock asserted, conveying a message to Vallow Daybell that she would soon be forgotten.
After the trial, there were unanswered requests for comments from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and Vallow Daybell’s legal advisers.
Adam Cox, another sibling of Lori Vallow Daybell, testified for the prosecution, confidently attributing the murder to his sister and brother. He testified that the timing of Charles Vallow’s murder coincided with planned efforts to reintegrate Lori into their religious community, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, from which she had increasingly diverged. He claimed Lori had been telling people that her husband was overtaken by a “zombie.”
Before his death, Charles Vallow had filed for divorce, citing Lori’s newfound obsession with near-death experiences and her declarations of living multiple lives across different planets. He alleged threats of financial ruin and murder from Lori, prompting him to request a voluntary mental health evaluation for her.
Looking ahead, Lori Vallow Daybell is expected in court again in June, facing charges related to a plot targeting Brandon Boudreaux, the former husband of her niece, who survived the alleged attack.