She told the sentencing judge her children were "happy and extremely busy" in heaven, and that she had spoken with them, and with Jesus, since their deaths. The judge did not find this a mitigating factor.
The Disappearances
In November 2019, relatives of Lori Vallow Daybell asked police in Rexburg, Idaho, to conduct a welfare check on her 7-year-old son, Joshua "JJ" Vallow, after losing contact with him. Officers couldn''t locate him, and Lori and her husband, Chad Daybell, told authorities he was staying with a family friend in Arizona. When police returned the next day with a search warrant, the couple had already fled, eventually found in Hawaii in January 2020. By then, JJ and Lori''s 16-year-old daughter, Tylee Ryan, had already been dead for months.
Apocalyptic Beliefs
Prosecutors said the couple held elaborate apocalyptic religious beliefs, described themselves as having significant spiritual authority, and used a system of labeling people close to them as "light" or "dark" based on whether they were believed to be possessed by evil spirits. Prosecutors argued this belief system was used to justify the killings.
The Discovery
In June 2020, investigators found the remains of Tylee and JJ buried on Chad Daybell''s property in Fremont County, Idaho. Prosecutors said Tylee had been killed around September 8-9, 2019, and JJ around September 22-23. Chad''s first wife, Tammy Daybell, had died in October 2019, in what was initially treated as a natural death; Chad married Lori weeks later.
Lori Vallow Daybell''s Trial
A jury convicted Lori of two counts of first-degree murder and three counts of conspiracy in May 2023. At sentencing, she denied killing her children, citing religious beliefs and claiming to have communicated with them and Tammy Daybell since their deaths. Judge Steven Boyce rejected this as any form of mitigation, sentencing her in July 2023 to life in prison without parole. She has since appealed her conviction to the Idaho Supreme Court, in part arguing she was not mentally competent to stand trial.
Chad Daybell''s Trial
Chad Daybell was tried separately, with his defense arguing insufficient evidence tied him directly to the killings and suggesting Lori''s brother, Alex Cox -- who died in December 2019 and was never charged -- may have been responsible. A jury found Daybell guilty on all counts, including first-degree murder, in May 2024. Jurors determined the murders were "heinous, atrocious, or cruel," and in June 2024, he was sentenced to death.
FAQ
What sentences did Lori Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell receive?
Lori was sentenced to life in prison without parole; Chad was sentenced to death.
What motivated the killings, according to prosecutors?
Prosecutors said the couple held apocalyptic religious beliefs used to justify removing people they considered obstacles, along with financial motives.
Has either defendant appealed their conviction?
Lori Vallow Daybell has appealed to the Idaho Supreme Court; the status of Chad Daybell's appeal should be confirmed before publishing.