Lori Vallow Daybell, infamously known as the ‘doomsday mom’, was convicted of the murder of her two children, Tylee Ryan and Joshua “JJ” Vallow, on May 12, 2023. She was additionally found guilty of being involved with the murder of her husband’s ex-wife, Tammy Daybell. Vallow was also found to be stealing Social Security payments issued in her children’s accounts.
The crimes came as a shock to those close to Vallow because of her seemingly contrasting life before this. Lori Vallow married Charles Vallow and the couple began raising Tylee Ryan, her daughter from her previous marriage, together. They later adopted Joshua, who was Charles’ sister’s grandson. Joshua was autistic and close friends suggested that Lori was a “patient” mother to him.
Her relationship with her children reportedly changed when she began reading books by Chad Daybell, an author of several pieces of fiction that revolved around apocalyptic themes and preparing for the end of the world. In 2018, Lori and Chad met. Chad, too, was married at the time and was raising five children with Tammy. Throughout their interactions, Lori and Chad reportedly discussed ‘demonic forces,’ ‘zombies’ and other supernatural ideas.
Lori Vallow soon began to refer to her husband Charles as a ‘demon.’ A year after Lori started interacting with Chad, Charles approached the police and reported that Vallow had been acting differently. She referred to herself as some kind of ‘god’ and threatened to kill Charles several times. Charles was afraid for his and his children’s safety and well-being, considering her mental and emotional state. He then filed for divorce from Lori.
When did the murders begin?
One day, when Charles went to pick Joshua up from school, Alex, Lori Vallow’s brother, shot Charles and killed him. He claimed that he did it to protect Lori, as Charles wished to harm his sister. Tylee and Lori confirmed the claim. In September 2019, Tylee and Joshua went missing one after another. Lori allegedly referred to both of them as ‘zombies,’ raising suspicions about their disappearance.
Amidst the investigation into Lori Vallow’s children, Chad’s wife and son were found dead in bed. The family didn’t opt for an autopsy, making further investigation difficult. Chad and Lori got married two weeks later, before an investigation was opened into Joshua’s whereabouts. The investigation was triggered by Joshua’s grandmother reporting her concerns about his well-being to the police. Authorities found that both Joshua and Tylee had died.
After a thorough investigation, the police searched Chad Deybell’s backyard and found both the children’s bodies buried there. Lori Vallow was charged with conspiring to kill Charles and her children, while Chad Daybell was also charged with the murder of Tylee and Joshua.
How long will Lori Vallow Daybell be in prison?
In 2022, Lori Vallow was declared fit to stand trial based on her mental health assessments. Subsequently, Lori and Chad were prohibited from coming into contact with one another as the trial progressed.
On May 12, 2023, Lori was found guilty of all charges, which included her involvement in the murder of her two children. She was also found guilty of plotting to kill Charles, her ex-husband. She received a life sentence without the possibility of release.
Lori Vallow Daybell: Guilty, is a CBS 48 Hours episode that will be aired on CBS on Saturday, December 30, 2023, at 10/9c.
