THE SAGA OF LORI VALLOW-DAYBELL

The Vallow–Daybell doomsday murders consist of a series of killings—including child murder, filicide, and spousal murder—committed by an American couple, Lori Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell. Chad and Lori led a Mormon religious sect described in the media as a "doomsday cult." The case was set in motion when Lori's daughter, Tylee Ryan (16), and adopted son, Joshua Jaxon "J. J." Vallow (7), disappeared on September 9 and September 23, 2019, respectively. Their remains were found in Rexburg, Idaho, on June 9, 2020. They had been buried on property owned by Chad, who was Lori's lover at the time of their deaths and had become her husband by the time their bodies were found. The case also involved the murders of Lori's previous husband, Charles Vallow, and Chad's wife, Tammy Daybell, as well as the attempted murder of Lori's nephew-in-law, Brandon Boudreaux. Lori's brother Alex Cox, who is believed by authorities to have participated in the crimes, died before he could be brought to justice.

At the time of the murders, Chad and Lori were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). However, their beliefs had significantly deviated from mainstream Mormonism. Chad was an apocalyptic author and publisher who claimed to have visions of the future and to have lived through multiple past lives, and prophesied the world would end in July 2020. Lori had come to share his fringe beliefs; she became convinced that she was a deity destined to play a role in the coming apocalypse and that her family was getting in the way of her mission. Lori was later nicknamed "Doomsday Mom" by the media.

Tylee was last seen alive on September 8, 2019 and J.J. on September 22, 2019. In late November 2019, after police questioned Lori about J.J.'s whereabouts, she and Chad abruptly vacated their homes in Idaho and left for Hawaii. As police searched for J.J., they discovered that Tylee was also missing. The children's cases attracted media attention as Lori and Chad refused to cooperate with law enforcement. Investigations revealed that the children's disappearances had been preceded and followed by the suspicious deaths of Lori and Chad's respective spouses and by a murder attempt of Brandon Boudreaux, then-husband of Lori's niece. Lori and Chad had married two weeks after the death of Chad's first wife Tammy. After the children's disappearances became known, Tammy's body was exhumed by law enforcement officials, revealing that she had been asphyxiated.

On February 20, 2020, Lori was arrested for desertion and non-support of her children. On June 9, police discovered the remains of Tylee and J. J. during a search at Chad's home and property in Idaho. Chad was arrested on charges of destruction or concealment of evidence. On May 25, 2021, Lori and Chad were charged with the first-degree murders of Tylee, J.J., and Tammy. Prosecutors said that the couple had conspired with Cox to commit the murders as part of their apocalyptic beliefs, but also to remove obstacles to their affair[ and to collect life insurance money and the children's Social Security benefits, using religion to justify their crimes.

Lori and Chad were tried separately. On May 12, 2023, Lori was found guilty of all charges related to the killings of Tylee, J.J., and Tammy. On July 31, she was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. On May 30, 2024, Chad was also found guilty of all charges. On June 1, he was sentenced to death.

After her sentencing in Idaho, Lori was extradited to Arizona to stand trial there twice, first for the murder of Charles Vallow and then for the shooting and attempted murder of Brandon Boudreaux. The first trial started on March 31, 2025, with Lori acting as her own attorney. On April 22, she was found guilty of conspiring to murder Charles Vallow. Her second Arizona trial is in progress. It is amazing what monsters religion can create...