Lori Vallow trial – live: Jury selection begins in murder trial of doomsday ‘cult mom’
The trial of “cult mom” Lori Vallow is set to begin on Monday 3 April 2023 in a court in Idaho, marking the latest development in a bizarre case that spans a series of suspected murders, unexplained deaths and apocalyptic cult beliefs about killing zombies.
Ms Vallow is charged with the murders of her two children Tylee Ryan, 16, and Joshua “JJ” Vallow, seven, who were last seen alive in September 2019.
The children’s remains were discovered buried on the grounds of her new husband Chad Daybell’s property in Rexburg, Idaho, in June 2020.
Ms Vallow is also charged with conspiracy to murder Mr Daybell’s first wife Tammy Daybell.
Prosecutors say that Ms Vallow and Mr Daybell conspired with her brother Alex Cox (who is also now dead) to kill the three victims so as to further their doomsday cult beliefs and to collect the victims’ life insurance money and benefits.
The couple was due to stand trial together before the judge severed the two cases last month. Now, jury selection will begin in Ms Vallow’s trial on Monday.
Separately, Ms Vallow is also facing charges in Arizona for the murder of her fourth husband Charles Vallow.
A chilling last photo
11:05 , Rachel Sharp
Chilling photos captured a smiling JJ, Tylee and Lori Vallow’s brother Alex Cox on a visit to Yellowstone National Park on 8 September 2019.
The photo is now believed to be the last proof of life of 16-year-old Tylee.
After that day, she was never seen or heard from again.
What happened to JJ and Tylee?
11:00 , Rachel Sharp
JJ, seven, and Tylee, 16, were last seen alive in September 2019 – not long after Lori Vallow had moved the two children from Arizona to Idaho to be close to Mr Daybell.
On 8 September, Tylee was last seen on a visit to Yellowstone National Park with her mother, JJ and Ms Vallow’s brother Alex Cox.
Days later, on 22 September, JJ was also seen for the last time – at his school in Rexburg and by his mother’s friends at her apartment that night. By the next morning, the seven-year-old – who had autism – had vanished.
Cellphone data places Ms Vallow’s brother Alex Cox in the yard of Mr Daybell’s property in the hours after both of the children’s disappearances. The morning after Tylee was last seen alive, Mr Daybell also sent a text to his wife to say that he had shot a raccoon and buried it in the pet cemetery on the grounds of their property.
JJ’s grandparents raised the alarm after they were unable to get in touch with their grandson but Ms Vallow refused to tell authorities where either of the children were.
According to Ms Vallow’s friends, she had claimed that her children were “zombies” and that the only way to free someone’s soul from evil spirits was to kill them.
In June 2020, JJ and Tylee’s remains were discovered buried in Mr Daybell’s backyard.
JJ’s body was found in a black plastic bag wrapped in duct tape while Tylee’s body had been dismembered and burned in a fire pit, before being buried in the pet cemetery.
A doomsday cult, five bodies and children buried in a pet cemetery: What we know about ‘Ccult mom’ Lori Vallow’s case
10:55 , Rachel Sharp
It looked every inch the fairytale wedding. Dressed in white with pink flower garlands around their necks, the bride and groom couldn’t have looked happier as they exchanged vows on a paradise beach in Hawaii.
Photos captured the apparently blissful day as they toasted their nuptials, embraced and she danced to him playing the guitar. But, behind the photos, something much more disturbing was going on.
Her two children had not been seen alive in two months.
His wife of three decades – the mother of his five children – had died suddenly just two weeks earlier.
And her husband had been shot dead by her brother (who would also soon be dead) not long before.
Now, in the three years since the November 2019 wedding of Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell, a deeply disturbing tale of suspected murders, unexplained deaths and apocalyptic cult beliefs about killing zombies has come to light.
Five people close to the couple have wound up dead.
And the couple are now charged with murder.
It’s a bizarre and tragic case that has captured the attention of the nation, leaving many with one big unanswered question: how could a woman who for years appeared to be a loving, doting mother allegedly murder her children in the belief that they had turned into “zombies”?
That is just one of the questions her trial could now answer as more disturbing details are expected to come to light over the coming weeks.
Here The Independent’s Rachel Sharp tells you everything you need to know about the case:
Lori Vallow trial: What we know about the doomsday cult, murders and mystery deaths
Lori Vallow’s trial to begin today in Idaho court
10:50 , Rachel Sharp
The trial of “cult mom” Lori Vallow is set to begin on Monday 3 April 2023 in a court in Idaho, marking the latest development in a bizarre case that spans a series of suspected murders, unexplained deaths and apocalyptic cult beliefs about killing zombies.
Ms Vallow is charged with the murders of her two children Tylee Ryan, 16, and Joshua “JJ” Vallow, seven, who were last seen alive in September 2019.
The children’s remains were discovered buried on the grounds of her new husband Chad Daybell’s property in Rexburg, Idaho, in June 2020.
Ms Vallow is also charged with conspiracy to murder Mr Daybell’s first wife Tammy Daybell.
Prosecutors say that Ms Vallow and Mr Daybell conspired with her brother Alex Cox (who is also now dead) to kill the three victims so as to further their doomsday cult beliefs and to collect the victims’ life insurance money and benefits.
The couple was due to stand trial together before the judge severed the two cases last month. Now, jury selection will begin in Ms Vallow’s trial on Monday.
Welcome to The Independent’s liveblog on Lori Vallow’s trial
10:46 , Rachel Sharp
Follow along for all the latest updates on the case
