Lori Vallow Daybell Found Guilty in Arizona Trial — Jurors Unaware of Her Children's Murders
April 22, 2025 — Lori Vallow Daybell, the Idaho mother at the center of one of America’s most shocking criminal cases, was found guilty today by an Arizona jury of conspiring to murder her fourth husband, Charles Vallow.
The verdict was reached after just three hours of deliberation. Lori showed no visible emotion as the decision was announced.
A Different Trial — A Different Story
In this trial, jurors were not told that Vallow Daybell had already been convicted in Idaho in 2023 for the murders of her two children, Joshua "J.J." Vallow and Tylee Ryan, as well as conspiring to kill Tammy Daybell, the wife of her current husband, Chad Daybell.
The court ruled that her past convictions could not be introduced in the Arizona trial to ensure fairness, keeping the focus solely on the death of Charles Vallow.
Prosecutors argued that Lori and her brother, Alex Cox, plotted Charles' murder for financial gain and to clear the way for Lori to marry Chad Daybell.
Charles had grown increasingly worried about Lori’s extreme religious beliefs, even contacting police months before his death, warning them that she believed herself to be a "god preparing for the end times."
In July 2019, Alex Cox fatally shot Charles Vallow in Chandler, Arizona, claiming self-defense. However, prosecutors showed evidence that Cox and Lori had planned the killing in advance.
Alex Cox died later that year from natural causes.
Lori Represented Herself
In a surprising move, Lori Vallow Daybell represented herself in this trial, acting as her own attorney. She argued that the shooting was self-defense and portrayed herself as a victim of misunderstanding and religious persecution.
However, jurors were swayed by a trail of text messages, financial records, and witness testimony showing a premeditated plot.
One text from Lori to Chad, days before Charles' death, read:
"I feel free finally. Soon we will be together without the interference of the past."
What's Next for Lori Vallow Daybell?
Already sentenced to multiple life sentences without the possibility of parole in Idaho, Lori now faces another possible life term in Arizona for her role in Charles Vallow's death.
Sentencing in Arizona is pending and expected within the next few months.
Meanwhile, her fifth husband, Chad Daybell, is scheduled to stand trial in Idaho later this year for his role in the murders of Tammy Daybell, J.J., and Tylee.
Background: The "Doomsday" Beliefs Behind the Killings
The Vallow-Daybell saga captured national attention for its bizarre mix of religious extremism, murder, and mystery.
Prosecutors said Lori and Chad believed in radical "end-times" prophecies and claimed that some people, including Lori’s own children, were "zombies" — possessed by evil spirits and already dead.
Authorities say this distorted belief system motivated the killings.
Key Timeline:
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2019: Charles Vallow is killed in Arizona.
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Late 2019: J.J. Vallow and Tylee Ryan disappear.
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2020: Lori is arrested in Hawaii; children’s remains are later found on Chad Daybell’s property.
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2023: Lori convicted in Idaho for children's murders.
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2025: Lori convicted in Arizona for conspiring in Charles Vallow’s death.
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