Lori Vallow trial – live: Cult mom told friend her husband needed to die to prepare for Second Coming

Oliver O'Connell and Rachel Sharp
Updated ·50 min read
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The high-profile trial of “doomsday cult mom” Lori Vallow has adjourned for the weekend in Boise, Idaho, after a week of upsetting and shocking revelations and bizarre insights into her beliefs and rituals.

Ms Vallow, 49, is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy, and grand theft over the deaths of daughter Tylee Ryan, 16, and son Joshua “JJ” Vallow, seven.

Tylee and JJ were last seen alive in September 2019. Their bodies were found buried on Ms Vallow’s new husband Chad Daybell’s property in June 2020.

Ms Vallow is also charged with conspiracy to murder Mr Daybell’s first wife Tammy, who died suddenly in October 2019.

She has pleaded not guilty in a dramatic case spanning multiple murders and unexplained deaths.

On Friday, former acolyte Zulema Pastenes explained how ritualistic “castings” were intended to drive out demons from “dark” spirits, including Ms Vallow’s late husband Charles.

She also told the court how Ms Vallow said her husband being killed by her brother Alex Cox was a necessary step to bring about the Second Coming, and that moving to Mr Daybell’s home in Rexburg would protect her from the invasion of the US.

Key points

Tammy Daybell murder revealed as asphyxiation

08:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The cause of death of Chad Daybell’s first wife Tammy has finally been revealed as “cult mom” Lori Vallow’s high-profile murder trial gets underway in Idaho.

In opening statements in Ada County Courthouse on Monday morning, Fremont County prosecutor Lindsey Blake told jurors that Tammy, 49, died by asphyxiation – and not peacefully in her sleep as was originally claimed.

Read more:

Lori Vallow trial hears how Chad Daybell’s first wife Tammy was killed

Prosecutor: Lori Vallow was driven by ‘money, power and sex’

04:30 , Oliver O'Connell

“Cult mom” Lori Vallow was driven by “money, power and sex” to murder her two children and her new husband’s then-wife, prosecutors told her murder trial – as jurors were shown graphic images of the children’s charred and buried remains.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Lori Vallow was driven by ‘money, power and sex’ to murder kids, prosecutor says

Lori Vallow’s former friend says she saw her children’s murders as ‘mercy’

02:30 , Oliver O'Connell

“Cult mom” Lori Vallow allegedly killed her two children in what she believed was an act of “mercy,” her former friend has said.

Ms Vallow and her doomsday preacher husband Chad Daybell are accused of killing her two youngest children, 16-year-old Tylee Ryan and seven-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow. Ms Vallow is currently facing trial in Boise, Idaho, while Mr Daybell’s proceedings are scheduled for later this year.

Andrea Blanco reports.

Lori Vallow saw her children’s murders as ‘mercy’, former friend says

Lori Vallow’s chilling response to question about missing daughter

Saturday 15 April 2023 00:25 , Oliver O'Connell

A former friend of Lori Vallow has revealed the “cult mom’s” chilling response after being confronted about her missing teen daughter.

On Friday, Ms Vallow’s former friend and former fellow cult acolyte Zulema Pastenes told the court about the ritualistic “castings” that Ms Vallow and Mr Daybell performed to drive out demons from “dark spirits.”

Testifying under oath for the prosecution, Ms Pastenes opened up about Ms Vallow and Mr Daybell’s cult beliefs, Andrea Blanco reports on what she told the court.

Lori Vallow’s chilling response to question about missing Tylee revealed

Full timeline of Lori Vallow case

Friday 14 April 2023 23:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Rachel Sharp assembled a timeline of the tragic and bizarre case:

Timeline of the Lori Vallow case

Court adjourns for the weekend

Friday 14 April 2023 22:26 , Oliver O'Connell

Thomas asks Judge Boyce if the court can adjourn for the weekend as he has a lot more cross-examination to do.

Judge Boyce agrees and the jury is excused.

There is no court on Monday and so the trial will resume on Tuesday at 8.30am.

Friday 14 April 2023 22:22 , Oliver O'Connell

These are the step to cast out and banish an evil spirit:

Friday 14 April 2023 22:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Thomas is taking Zulema through the pages of her journal in evidence, asking questions about why she drew them and when.

She says they were done in the period of March to July 2019.

Zulema also explains that Chad and Lori taught that to prevent another demon from taking over the body, you have two minutes to burn around the body to prevent another demon from going into the body.

Zulema says she now knows Chad and Lori did not have the authority to cast out evil spirits but she believes evil spirits can be cast out because Jesus did it when he was alive.

Asked about the “burning” she says it was done spiritually and verbally during the castings and had nothing to do with physical burning.

Friday 14 April 2023 22:08 , Oliver O'Connell

On Chad, Zulema says he made her feel very special by giving her the blessing. at Lori’s house.

Thomas asks if she texted Chad regularly and she said yes. She texted mostly about spiritual things, asking him questions.

He said she had lived on this earth four times and told her about all her past lives.

Zulema said she had a belief in Chad that made her think what he taught was true.

Friday 14 April 2023 22:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Asked about her employment, Zulema says she is a job coach in Arizona and helps people train and find work.

Thomas asks: “You’re not a real gullible person. You have some sophistication, right?”

Zulema responds: “I have always believed people and I believe in the goodness of people. I see their positive sides, their good sides, and I tried to believe their intentions are always good. I have become a lot more cautious since meeting Chad and Lori and my views have changed a little in regard to that.”

She thought they were kind, righteous, law-abiding, and led by the spirit at the time.

Friday 14 April 2023 21:58 , Oliver O'Connell

Zulema says she had been married multiple times before she married Alex. Chad had given her a blessing saying she would get married again.

Thomas asks for clarifications on the castings. She explains nobody was ever physically harmed, they were intended to bind the spirit of the person.

She is asked if she now thought it was at all evil.

“There are two children that have died and a mother of five who have died. I will consider that evil. Yes, sir.”

Zulema adds that she believes her work on casting had no direct effect on JJ, Tylee, and Tammy but Chad and Lori’s work did.

Friday 14 April 2023 21:52 , Oliver O'Connell

Thomas asks Zulema about the meetings at Melanie Gibb’s home and how active they were in the LDS church. They would go to temple quite often.

When she spent time with Lori they would talk more about spiritual things.

He asks Zulema about Lori’s alleged personal meetings with Jesus and whether they intrigued her. She replies that he found it amazing and wanted to know more and had her own spiritual experiences in temple.

In a text Thomas reads out she tells Chad she had visions at temple after he blessed her.

After an objection, Thomas is asked by Judge Boyce not to go too broad on the topic.

Friday 14 April 2023 21:46 , Oliver O'Connell

Thomas begins by asking: “Your testimony this morning was dramatically different than your testimony this afternoon. Did you talk to anyone about the case?”

Zulema says she did not but her nerves were a lot better after lunch.

Court resumes

Friday 14 April 2023 21:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Boyce is back on the bench and reminds those in the public gallery they cannot chat on comment during witness testimony. Especially those nearest the jury and will be removed if necessary.

The jury is brought back in.

Zulema will now be cross-examined by defence attorney John Thomas.

Friday 14 April 2023 21:43 , Oliver O'Connell

During the break, Lori is described as “real smiley and chatty” by reporters in the room as talks with attorneys Jim Archibald and John Thomas.

Zulema has been looking over at Lori and they may have locked eyes at one point. She looks sad.

Friday 14 April 2023 21:23 , Oliver O'Connell

The closing question of Zulema’s direct examination is whether Alex took his role to protect Lori seriously as given by Chad and Lori in a blessing.

“Absolutely.”

Judge Boyce calls for a 15-minute break.

Friday 14 April 2023 21:22 , Oliver O'Connell

Lori believed this life didn’t count her as she’d been exalted in another life/probation.

Zulema says Lori often said: “It doesn’t count for me.”

Friday 14 April 2023 21:17 , Oliver O'Connell

Lori told Zulema that JJ was going to have a very short life and at a meeting in August 2019, Chad said the same thing and that he would come back as Colby Ryan’s child (Lori’s oldest son).

Alex believed all of this, Zulema says.

Friday 14 April 2023 21:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex absolutely believed that his sole purpose on earth to protect Lori, Zulema says.

She says they talked about what happened to Charles and she asked if he was OK after shooting him, assuming he would be in shock.

Alex replied: “Zulema, He was a zombie.”

Friday 14 April 2023 21:12 , Oliver O'Connell

Zulema is asked if the castings were handled the same way each time and replies that they were similar but not the same.

Different people had different gifts that they brought to the castings.

Chad told Zulema her gift was the elements — she was able to work with the elements. Melanie Gibb’s gift was a gatherer — she was meant to gather people who were “awake” — aware of the signs and the times.

Sarena was a very powerful goddess, according to Chad.

Zulema does not remember Melani's gift.

Alex's responsibility was to be a warrior and Chad told him he was going to be a defender and he would be training many other warriors that would be moving to Rexburg in the future. He was also Lori’s protector.

Friday 14 April 2023 21:09 , Oliver O'Connell

Photos are entered into evidence from a Preparing a People conference in Boise, Idaho.

Zulema is asked if she remembers chatting with Chad at the conference. She says she does and that they stayed at the same hotel.

The conference happened before Charles Vallow died and Zulema spoke with Chad about how Lori hadn’t been able to make it at the last minute.

Chad told Zulema that Lori wasn’t there so she could be protected and the person who was going to serve her divorce papers wouldn’t be able to find her.

Friday 14 April 2023 20:57 , Oliver O'Connell

On one page there is an explanation of the light-dark scale and on another everyone in Lori’s family is rated.

Charles was 3L.

Melanie Boudreaux was 3L.

Brandon Boudreaux was 3D.

JJ was 4.2L.

Tylee was 4.1D.

Alex Cox was 2L.

As we know from earlier, Lori is 4.3L and Zulema is 4.2L.

Friday 14 April 2023 20:51 , Oliver O'Connell

There are more notes on casting out evil spirits and making sure the body is then destroyed.

One way is to burn the body. Zulema is asked if “binding” was another way. She responds that she believes there was an option like that.

Tylee’s body was burned. JJ’s body was found bound with duct tape and wrapped in plastic.

Friday 14 April 2023 20:49 , Oliver O'Connell

18 pages of Zulema’s journal are entered into evidence. There are detailed explanations and diagrams of multiple worlds and creations and how demons can inhabit bodies when a person dies.

Chad believed he was the brother of Jesus in one creation, and in another he was the Holy Ghost.

Zulema is asked where is Lori in all of this.

She says Chad had chosen her as his wife and so they had been married and exalted in other worlds. She was in the same spiritual standing as he would.

Asked if Alex believed all of this, she responds: “Absolutely.”

Friday 14 April 2023 20:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Zulema only learned the police were looking for Chad, Lori, Tylee, and JJ, after Alex had died.

The medical examiner says Alex died of natural causes, a blood clot in his lung.

Friday 14 April 2023 20:44 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex died on 12 December 2019, the day after Lori and Chad called to tell him Tammy’s body was being exhumed.

She asked Alex about that conversation and why they would be exhuming her body.

Then she asked if he was involved. He said no, but she kept pressuring him and said things were very “weird.”

She kept asking, “Where are Lori and Chad?”

Zulema says Alex eventually responded, “I think I’m being their fall guy.”

“Fall guy for what? What have you done that you would be the fall guy for?” she asked but Alex wouldn’t say much.

Eventually, he responded: “Either I am a man of God or I am not.”

He died the next day.

Friday 14 April 2023 20:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Zulema and Alex married on 1 December 2019.

Not long after the marriage Zulema got a call from Melanie Gibb who was very upset, and very emotional.

Melanie said she felt they had been deceived by Chad and Lori and they were asking her to lie for them. Melanie felt they were doing something wrong and that she felt JJ and Tylee were missing.

Zulema said the call was “utter confusion”.

“To hear my friend saying all of this is happening and at the same time knowing how much trust I put in these two people - it was very, very confusing and I was very distraught.”

Zulema asked Alex: “How can Kay be looking for JJ when JJ is supposed to be with her?”

Alex responded: “I know”, but didn’t say anything more.

Friday 14 April 2023 20:37 , Oliver O'Connell

Zulema says after Chad and Lori got married, they had a layover in Phoenix on their way home so she met them for dinner.

She asked Lori where JJ was when they were in Hawaii.

Lori said JJ was with Kay Woodcock (his biological grandmother).

Friday 14 April 2023 20:36 , Oliver O'Connell

After she heard about Tammy’s death, Zulema talked to Lori and she said she and Chad received instructions and visitations from angels who taught them how to cast out demons and they know how.

That’s why Tammy passed away.

Lori and Chad planned to build Zion in Rexburg and he would move into her apartment the day after the funeral.

They then decided to leave Rexburg and went to Hawaii to get married without telling anyone where they were going.

Friday 14 April 2023 20:31 , Oliver O'Connell

Zulema recalls hearing that Tammy Daybell had been shot at on 9 October and that 10 days later Melanie Gibb told her that she had died.

Zulema said her reaction was confusion as she didn’t know how she had died.

She didn’t know what to think.

Before Tammy died, Lori told Zulema that Tammy had been possessed by a demon and Lori needed Zulema’s help casting the evil spirit out of her. The demon was named Viola.

On the night Tammy was shot at, Melani B., Lori and Zulema were at the casting. Lori said she received some new information on the casting. They were going to be using the cosmos and Lori kept telling Zulema how awesome she was.

Lori then got a call and she was “very, very angry - scary angry.” Lori was using terms such as “idiot” and “moron” and she was very angry with whoever was on the phone. Lori then said to Zulema, “Idiot can’t do anything right by himself.”

Friday 14 April 2023 20:29 , Oliver O'Connell

When Alex joined her for Thanksgiving in Arizona that year, Chad and Lori stopped answering his texts and he was upset.

“Can you believe they are being such jerks after how much I helped them and now they don’t want to talk to me?”

Friday 14 April 2023 20:28 , Oliver O'Connell

While she was in Rexburg on that trip there was no sign of Tylee or JJ and they discovered Lori and Chad were in Hawaii and had gotten married when they sent wedding photos.

Friday 14 April 2023 20:26 , Oliver O'Connell

The subject of marriage came up as it had at an earlier blessing.

Chad and Lori taught their group that a man and a woman should always be together because they are stronger than being separate. If they are together, they can have the priesthood together.

Alex and Zulema had begun to date before he left Arizona for Rexburg. Lori and Chad pushed them to get married.

On a trip back to Arizona over Halloween, Alex and Zulema stayed up all night and it was the first time they kissed and held hands.

They got engaged on 7 November back in Rexburg.

Friday 14 April 2023 20:26 , Oliver O'Connell

While in Rexburg, Chad gave Zulema another blessing in the presence of Lori and Alex.

He said the saviour was standing next to him and he was giving him the words to say to Zulema —telling her it was time to move from Babylon to Rexburg and all her sins were forgiven.

Alex also received a blessing that day and was also told all of his sins were forgiven. He began sobbing.

Friday 14 April 2023 20:19 , Oliver O'Connell

At this point, Tammy Daybell was also still alive.

Zulema said Chad asked her to lie and send him a text asking for him to come and speak at an event as an excuse to be with Lori. She sent the text and Chad came over.

The couple aggressively pushed for her to move to Rexburg as part of the mission to help build Zion there.

Zulema said she had a job and a family in Arizona and money would be a problem. Lori countered by saying her niece Melani had enough money for all of them. Her divorce from Brandon Boudreaux was worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Zulema responded that that was Melani’s money.

When Zulema told Melani about the conversation, she said it made her sad that people would say that about her and her money.

Friday 14 April 2023 20:14 , Oliver O'Connell

During Zulema’s trip to Rexburg, JJ was alive and she saw him outside playing with friends as well as when he came into the apartment to ask for a snack. She was also there when Lori got him ready for bed one night.

Lori had also hired a nanny to help take care of JJ.

Friday 14 April 2023 20:11 , Oliver O'Connell

Zulema says she went up to Rexburg in September 2019 and stayed with Alex Cox. While she was there she never saw Tylee and asked where she was.

Lori said: “She had to be freed,” put her hand to Zulema’s face and added: “Don’t ask.”

This was during a short visit before JJ was last seen.

Ahead of the move, Zulema says that Lori had said Tylee had been possessed by a demon named “Hillary” and that JJ was being attacked by demons.

Bailey, JJ’s service dog, made it easier for evil spirits to attack him, Lori claimed and so she sold the dog after Charles died.

Friday 14 April 2023 20:06 , Oliver O'Connell

Zulema Pastenes continues her testimony.

She remembers Lori telling her about the need to move to Idaho as part of her mission to prepare for the Second Coming.

Lori moved with Alex, JJ, and Tylee into the same apartment complex. Financially they would be secure as she was receiving social security benefits from the death of Tylee’s dad and JJ was receiving social security from Charles dying.

Lori also said because she had been married for over ten years to Charles, she was receiving social security following his death too.

That came to a total of about $6,000 a month so she said she didn’t need to work.

Court back on record

Friday 14 April 2023 19:59 , Oliver O'Connell

Friday 14 April 2023 19:02 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Boyce calls the lunch break.

Court resumes at 12.45pm MT.

Friday 14 April 2023 19:01 , Oliver O'Connell

Zulema says that Lori told her that Charles’s death was one of the steps that needed to take place to help usher in the Second Coming as she needed to cleanse the earth of evil spirits.

Lori told Zulema that Chad told her that Lori needed to move to Rexburg, Idaho because it was going to be a refuge as other countries were going to invade the United States. Chad said soldiers and warriors would defend Rexburg and the area had been prepared as a place of safety.

Convenient.

Friday 14 April 2023 18:59 , Oliver O'Connell

As to what Lori actually told Zulema happened in the physical world on the day Charles died, she said he came from out of town to pick up JJ for school.

While he was putting JJ in the car, Lori took Charles’ phone and he came back for it but she would not give it to him. They started arguing about the phone.

Alex was there and got involved in the fight as he was trying to protect his sister. Tylee came into the middle of the altercation with a baseball bat telling Charles to leave.

Charles then took the bat away from Tylee and hit Alex on the back of the head. They wrestled around before Alex got his gun and shot Charles.

Friday 14 April 2023 18:57 , Oliver O'Connell

Zulema says that Lori always told her she had a spiritual connection with the number 711.

Lori told Zulema it was 711 (11 July) when Charles died so his death was orchestrated by God and Hiplos had been delivered to her and Alex.

Friday 14 April 2023 18:55 , Oliver O'Connell

Zulema tells the court that Lori said that the demon was so powerful that the castings were not working.

She said Charles moved to Texas because there were doctors to help people who were possessed by demons and they could help keep the bodies alive.

Alex was aware of all of this.

Zulema did ask Lori why she had gone to Texas with Charles given their marital problems and his demonic possession.

She said it was so she could get her finances straightened out.

Friday 14 April 2023 18:52 , Oliver O'Connell

While the casting on “Ned” worked, he had been replaced by “Hiplos” an even more powerful demon.

A third casting was arranged.

As Lori had moved back in with Charles in Texas (despite his being possessed by a powerful demon), this casting was conducted via conference call.

There were several castings done this way. Alex did not participate in these.

Friday 14 April 2023 18:49 , Oliver O'Connell

Later they said Alex had been exalted in other creations and had been in other creations and on other earths, multiple times.

This made him a powerful spiritual being, so he was allowed to participate in the second casting as a “warrior”.

Lori instructed everyone to fast beforehand. They were warned that if someone is possessed by a demon they are dark and only do bad things.

Powerful spiritual being Alex believed this.

Friday 14 April 2023 18:44 , Oliver O'Connell

A casting appears to involve “standing like warriors” with “hands out and their fingers shaped like guns”...

Afterward, Lori called Chad to see if it had worked.

He said it had but a more powerful and skillful demon named Ned had taken the place of Garrett and come into Charles.

So another casting was set up at Zulema’s house. This time, Alex Cox joined the group and Loris and Chad advised everyone that he was a “first creation” and some things couldn’t be discussed in front of him.

Friday 14 April 2023 18:36 , Oliver O'Connell

Zulema remembered Lori telling her that she and Charles had separated in March and she had taken his pickup, keys, and all of his stuff.

Lori also told the group she had been living in Hawaii and not at the house with Charles.

Zulema said that all the women believed they were doing something of value.

She describes Lori as “very convincing” with a “charming way of expressing things” to make you believe them, such as her visitations by heavenly beings.

“If someone is telling the truth about that, I wouldn’t be questioning them. I would believe they are telling the truth because I would never think that someone would lie about something as sacred as that.”

Photos of the castings are admitted into evidence. Sadly we will have to wait until the end of the trial to see them.

Friday 14 April 2023 18:32 , Oliver O'Connell

This sounds very reminiscent of teenagers at a slumber party.

The casting was for “Garrett” the evil spirit possessing Lori’s husband Charles.

Friday 14 April 2023 18:26 , Oliver O'Connell

Zulema says Lori told her she had received $65k in life insurance from the death of her third husband Joseph Ryan — Tylee’s father.

Talking about her fourth and then current husband Charles, Lori told Zulema she had slept with him twice without knowing he was possessed.

Lori wanted a group of women to meet up so she could show and teach them things. She led a class on the light/dark scale at Zulema’s house.

She talked about multiple probations and gave Zulema and the others a sticky note with their previous lives on it. She then asked that they do a casting on Charles.

Friday 14 April 2023 18:18 , Oliver O'Connell

Zulema’s next meeting with Lori was at Firebirds Grill for a lunch, during which Lori made a diagram explaining how many worlds there are, how many probations one person has, and how people are either light or dark. She assumed the source of this information was Chad.

Lori was rated as a 4.3 on the light/dark scale. Zulema was 4.2.

Lori also told Zulema that her husband Charles Vallow was possessed by a dark spirit named Garrett.

She said he had been acting differently, was more organised than before, and was a completely different person. She also said he looked shorter.

Friday 14 April 2023 18:13 , Oliver O'Connell

After the conference, Zulema continued to see Melanie Gibb at church and would visit her a lot.

One day there was a meeting with Chad, Lori, and Zulema at Melanie’s house where Chad had come to record a podcast with Lori and Melanie.

Chad said he wanted to meet with Zulema to give her information about her previous lives and probations. He and Lori did not want Melanie to know.

He called her later and asid there was a way he rated people on a scale of light and dark. He gave Zulema a light rating and said she had other lives on the earth with the times and who she was in those prior lives.

In one, she was Lori’s daughter and was raped and killed at the age of 14. Her body had been dismembered by the Lamonites and she was killed at the same time Lori was when Lori was her mother.

Friday 14 April 2023 18:05 , Oliver O'Connell

At another PAP conference in Mesa where Chad Daybell had another table, Zulema says she went on her own.

“Lori had been ghosting me,” she tells the court.

But when Zulema saw Lori at the conference, she was invited to her house for a gathering. Charles had been told to make himself scarce so people could stay over from the conference.

Initially, Zulema was not going to go, but Chad said he wanted to give her a blessing at Lori’s home.

Back at the house, she felt like a third wheel to Chad and Lori in the backyard as Lori flirted again.

Chad ended up giving Zulema the blessing, during which he told her she was a very special person, she was going to do some amazing things in the future, and he was grateful to know her.

Lori was present for the blessing.

Friday 14 April 2023 17:46 , Oliver O'Connell

Zulema says that Chad told Lori in a previous life they had been married and he had been James the Less and she his wife, Elena. They looked this up in the scriptures during the drive back to Arizona with Melanie Gibb.

One of the scriptures they looked up was the idea that there will be 144,000 people who will usher in the return of Jesus atop Mount Zion.

Friday 14 April 2023 17:42 , Oliver O'Connell

An acquaintance became a friend and Zulema joined Lori on a trip to St George, Utah, for a “Preparing a People” conference which claims to teach about how to be prepared for anything that may happen, from disasters to the second coming of Jesus.

While Zulema had met Chad Daybell at a previous event, Lori only met him at this event for the first time, she believes and spent a lot of time at his table where he was selling his books.

Zulema says Lori was very flirtatious and was “putting the moves” on him. She said she would stay at the table until he had sold all of his books and they helped him pack up at the end of the conference.

Friday 14 April 2023 17:38 , Oliver O'Connell

Zulema confirms she lives in Gilbert, Arizona and has three children.

She tells the court she met Lori in November 2018 at Melanie Gibb’s house after being invited to hear Lori speak there. She knew Gibb through the local LDS church.

At the first meeting, Lori spoke about having visitations with angels and that she visited with Moroni who gave her instructions.

Zulema clarifies that to her if someone is getting visitations from such heavenly beings, then this person is very righteous and just spiritually above other people.

Most significantly, Zulema says Lori told them she was a witness of Jesus Christ, meaning Lori had seen Jesus — the highest spiritual experience a person could have. Lori also said angels put names in the computer for her to take to the temple.

Zulema says she believed her at the time.

New witness: Zulema Pastenes

Friday 14 April 2023 17:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Court resumes after the morning break with Judge Steven Boyce back at the bench.

The jury is brought in and Rachel Smith for the prosecution calls the next witness, Zulema Pastenes, an associate of Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell whom was briefly married to Lori’s brother Alex Cox in the final two weeks of his life in 2019.

Zulema and Lori have not seen each other since then.

Friday 14 April 2023 17:01 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Boyce says if Pastenes’s attorney is here as personal counsel in regard to matters in Arizona, it should be ok to have him in the courtroom during her testimony.

Her attorney is Garrett Smith, who also represented Melani and Ian Pawlowski.

Court adjourns for the mid-morning break.

Friday 14 April 2023 17:00 , Oliver O'Connell

However, the state says now intends to call Zulema Pastenes but here is an issue with a possible criminal conviction from the 1990s.

She has an attorney with her. There was a 1998 felony drug conviction in Maricopa County, Arizona, that was set aside in 2015 for a “withheld judgment”.

Pastenes was married to Alex Cox for a few weeks before his death. She has not spoken publicly before about her role in the Vallow case so what she might say is a bit of an unknown.

The defence team says they will not bring up the drug conviction.

Friday 14 April 2023 16:53 , Oliver O'Connell

Attorney John Thomas does not have any questions for Det Duncan arguing again that the testimony is inadmissible under rule 404.

Mid-morning recess is called.

Friday 14 April 2023 16:51 , Oliver O'Connell

Another email exchange is read out between Chad and “Karen Walker” from April 2019 about having him come and speak to a youth group in Houston.

The sender asked for Chad to come that month and share his stories at a youth conference, stressing they need an urgent response.

Chad responds that he will talk with “Karen” later about the flight. Lori was living in Houston at the time having briefly reconciled with Charles.

Direct examination of Det Duncan ends.

Friday 14 April 2023 16:44 , Oliver O'Connell

Det Duncan also looked at the phone of Zulema Pastenes, Alex Cox’s wife.

He reads out messages from Lori to Zulema from 29 May 2019.

“Perfect. I found out there are four. One is a level four entity. His name is Hiplos.”

Hiplos was a spirit they believed inhabited Charles’s body.

There is a series of texts in which they say they will use their powers to go after Hiplos.

Chad also texts Zulema to thank her for her “amazing work”.

Two days after Charles’s death he says he will give Zulema a blessing, adding: “It's crazy about Charles but such a relief.”

Friday 14 April 2023 16:32 , Oliver O'Connell

A text from Alex to Lori on 3 September 2019 reads: “Network name is anti-laman. pw [password] is 2manykids.”

Lori responds: “Funny!”

Friday 14 April 2023 16:31 , Oliver O'Connell

Another week later and a message from Chad to Lori reads: “I’m a grown-up version of Harry Potter, who has to live with the Dudleys in his little space under the stairs.

“Every few weeks I get to escape and have amazing adventures with my Goddess lover but then I have to return to my place under the stairs, feeling trapped. But I sense permanent freedom is coming!”

Friday 14 April 2023 16:29 , Oliver O'Connell

A week after the murder of Charles, Lori texts Chad having found out she is not the beneficiary of her late husband’s will.

“I just got the letter from the insurance company saying that I am not the beneficiary. It’s a spear thru my heart. Who do you think he changed it to Brandon or probably Kay. He left nothing for JJ,” she texts.

Chad replies: “Wow. That’s terrible. There is no way to find out.”

Further, Chad says: “I love you. This is terrible but it is probably another step in bringing down the Gadiantons, especially Brandon.”

Lori says the insurance company told her the beneficiary was changed in March 2019.

"It was probably Ned before we got rid of him,” says Lori. “They can't tell me to who of course but it's done. I'll still get the 4000 a month from SS."

Friday 14 April 2023 16:25 , Oliver O'Connell

Det Duncan says there were several messages on Lori’s phone that were not located in the iCloud, which is not uncommon. The texts were between Lori and Chad and occurred right before the murder of Charles Vallow.

Chad to Lori 7/11 6:12 AMLori to Chad 7/11 7:01 AM Lori to Chad 7/11 7:33 AM

Friday 14 April 2023 16:23 , Oliver O'Connell

Another iCloud account belonging to Lori was found, “Lollytime”. It is linked to two cell phone numbers with 480 (Mesa, Arizona) and 602 (Phoenix, Arizona) area codes.

Det Duncan confirmed the account belonged to Lori and found texts between her and Alex Cox.

On 9 July 2019, she wrote: “So the plot thickens. Call me when you can.”

Lori texts Alex later: “Going to need you to stay close Mel too she can’t go to UT. They want Mel out of the way so I am left alone.”

“...Lots to do. Thank you for standing by me. It’s all coming to a head this week. I will be like Nephi I am told and so are you.”

Friday 14 April 2023 16:18 , Oliver O'Connell

Next, the court is shown Lori’s iCloud account, “Lori4style”.

There are four phone numbers associated with the account from area codes 808 (Hawaii), 480 (Mesa, Arizona), and 512 (Austin, Texas).

There are texts between Lori and Alex regarding “Ned” which the jury is told refers to the so-called dark spirit residing in Charles.

In March 2019 they talk about Ned being gone and Ned still being alive.

There are then texts between Lori and her friends (including Melanie Gibb) talking about the death of Tammy Daybell on 19 October 2019.

Another text is to her son Colby Ryan saying she told Ty [Tylee] to send money from her Venmo account.

“I text Ty to send it but I haven’t heard back yet. She will probably just do it before she tells me. Hope you got the Venmo.”

This was on 22 November 2019. Tylee had not been seen since September.

Friday 14 April 2023 16:07 , Oliver O'Connell

The next set of messages are between Charles and Lori’s other brother Adam Cox on the morning of 11 July 2019 — shortly before Charles was killed by Alex Cox.

Charles tells Adam “Al is here.”

The message was sent from Lori’s home at 7.35am, not long before Charles was shot.

Adam responds: “They are planning something.”

He also revealed that he was supposed to stay at the house the night before but Lori blocked that from happening.

Charles responds: “Absolutely.”

There are no further messages from him.

Friday 14 April 2023 16:03 , Oliver O'Connell

While Lori did not always respond to Charles’s messages, occasionally she did, including when he threatened to go to Idaho to see Tammy in person on 1 July 2019.

Lori replied: “She won’t listen to you. She is my friend.”

Charles asked rhetorically why she had written the “BS email” about ghostwriting a book.

"There is no reason for it other than to get him in Arizona and have an excuse for his wife."

Friday 14 April 2023 16:01 , Oliver O'Connell

In more texts to Lori on 30 June 2019, Charles said:

"You accused me of infidelity but it's you who has been having an affair. It keeps killing me but maybe that's your goal...The fact you will continue to go to the temple after all you've done shocks me. There really is something wrong with you. You have to be exposed for what you really are."

“You have destroyed me. I have never been lower in my life. Please explain. We have a son to raise but that’s all we have in common. You owe me an apology for all the false accusations you’ve made. I've been entirely faithful to you since the first day we met. I deserve an apology from you. Please respect that much."

Friday 14 April 2023 15:59 , Oliver O'Connell

Charles then emailed Chad directly demanding to be told what was going on.

Friday 14 April 2023 15:58 , Oliver O'Connell

In his email to Tammy, alerting her to the affair between their spouses, he wrote: “I apologise to be the one sending this but something has to be done. I feel it’s best to shed some light on this issue.”

In another, he wrote: “Your husband and my wife are having an affair. It’s devastating, I know.”

Friday 14 April 2023 15:56 , Oliver O'Connell

A series of texts were exchanged between Charles and Lori.

He confronted her about her affair with Chad, called her evil, and said he would take JJ back to Texas.

“Just so you know I have Tammy’s email address. I will send a copy of my email you sent. Tammy will know what you’re up to. You better explain.”

He sent several messages saying she needed to explain herself or he was going to contact Tammy and even speak with her in person if he had to.

Charles told Lori the “game was up”.

He then sent two emails to Tammy. One to her personal email and one to her work email address.

Friday 14 April 2023 15:53 , Oliver O'Connell

How do we know the email came from Lori and not Charles?

Det Duncan explains that the email came from the address kkwalker75@yahoo.com. He served a search warrant to Yahoo and found that the name associated with the account was a Karen Walker and the related IP address came back to an area in Katy, Texas.

The phone number and birthday associated with the account were linked to Lori Vallow.

Charles then discovered the email at the end of June 2019 and sent it to Adam Cox, Lori’s brother, and then confronted Lori about the email. Charles had no relationship with Chad Daybell at all.

Friday 14 April 2023 15:46 , Oliver O'Connell

The first slide of the deck is an email Lori wrote as if she was Charles inviting Chad Daybell to Arizona to ghostwrite a book.

Friday 14 April 2023 15:43 , Oliver O'Connell

Duncan says that in January of 2020 his team was working with law enforcement in Idaho to help find JJ and Tylee in addition to working on evidence in the case of the death of Charles Vallow. He was also looking for anything related to the attempted murder of Brandon Boudreaux.

Part of the evidence was cell phone data and an iCloud account that belonged to Mr Vallow.

This has been summarised in a Powerpoint presentation that is now entered into evidence and will be shown to the court.

Court resumes

Friday 14 April 2023 15:41 , Oliver O'Connell

The testimony of Detective Nathan Duncan will continue this morning. He led the investigation into the death of Charles Vallow in Arizona and the prosecution’s direct examination of him in relation to Lori Vallow’s case was interrupted at the end of Thursday.

Judge Steven Boyce is on the bench and the jury is brought in.

Lindsey Blake is questioning Det Duncan.

Listen: The blessing Chad Daybell have Alex Cox

Friday 14 April 2023 15:17 , Oliver O'Connell

Thursday’s court sketches

Friday 14 April 2023 14:59 , Oliver O'Connell

Melanie Gibb, Lori Vallow, Det Nathan Duncan, and John Thomas, as captured by the court sketch artist.

ICYMI: Tammy Daybell’s cause of death revealed

Friday 14 April 2023 14:15 , Rachel Sharp

The cause of death of Mr Daybell’s first wife Tammy was revealed for the first time during opening statements.

Ms Blake told jurors that Tammy, 49, died “at the hands of another and died of asphyxiation,” citing the Utah medical examiner.

Tammy died suddenly on 19 October 2019. Mr Daybell declined an autopsy – despite her young age and lack of health concerns – and her death was ruled natural causes.

Tammy and Chad Daybell were married in 1990. He is now accused of conspiring with Lori Vallow to kill her

The prosecutor said that, 10 days before her death, Tammy had called 911 to report that someone had taken a shot at her in the driveway of her home.

When Tammy then died, Cox raised concerns about being made the “fall guy” for her death by the doomsday couple.

One day after he made that comment – on 11 December 2019 – Cox also died suddenly at the age of 51. His death was also ruled natural causes, however the overdose drug Narcan was also found in his system.

After the investigation into the missing children ramped up, Tammy’s body was exhumed and an autopsy carried out.

Why the death penalty is off the table for Lori Vallow:

Friday 14 April 2023 13:45 , Rachel Sharp

In August 2021, prosecutors in Idaho vowed to seek the death penalty against Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell for the murders of JJ, Tylee and Tammy Daybell.

However, this March – just weeks before she was due to stand trial – a judge in Idaho ruled that she will not face the death penalty for allegedly killing her two children and conspiring to kill Mr Daybell’s ex-wife.

Ms Vallow’s defence had requested the death penalty be taken off the table because they wouldn’t have time to fully review the vast trove of evidence handed over in recent weeks.

Mr Daybell still faces the death penalty at his trial.

Lori Vallow confronted by best friend about JJ lies and relationship with Chad Daybell

Friday 14 April 2023 13:15 , Oliver O'Connell

A phone call between “cult mom” Lori Vallow and her former best friend was played in court during her ongoing trial for the murders of two of her children.

The trial of Ms Vallow, 49, continues at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho, almost three years after she was charged with killing her son Joshua “JJ” Vallow and daughter Tylee Ryan and conspiring to murder her doomsday preacher’s husband Chad Daybell’s first wife.

On Thursday, prosecutors played a phone conversation between Mr Daybell, Ms Vallow and her then-best friend Melanie Gibb, who was on the stand testifying for the state. In the early December 2019 call, which she recorded secretly, Ms Gibb delved into the couple’s bizarre cult beliefs and later confronted them for asking her to lie to the police about JJ’s whereabouts.

Andrea Blanco reports.

Lori Vallow confronted by best friend about JJ lies in secret recording

ICYMI: Jailhouse call reveals Daybell warning Vallow as police close in

Friday 14 April 2023 12:45 , Rachel Sharp

Jurors heard a jailhouse phone call where Mr Daybell warned Ms Vallow that police were closing in on the day that her children’s remains were discovered buried on his property.

In the call, made at 11.03am on 9 June 2020, Mr Daybell is heard telling his new wife that law enforcement were on the scene searching his property in Rexburg, Idaho.

At the time, Ms Vallow was behind bars in Madison County Jail after she failed to meet a court order to present the children.

“They are searching the property,” a forlorn-sounding Mr Daybell says.

He later adds: “So, we’ll see what transpires.”

Just around one hour later, the remains of JJ and Tylee were discovered buried on Mr Daybell’s property.

Key revelations from Lori Vallow’s murder trial so far

Friday 14 April 2023 12:15 , Oliver O'Connell

After lengthy delays – due to the pandemic and Ms Vallow’s admission into a mental health facility – her trial is finally under way in a courtroom in Boise, Idaho.

Here are the key revelations from the trial – so far:

Cult beliefs and charred remains: Key revelations from Lori Vallow’s murder trial

ICYMI: State of Tylee’s remains meant autopsy was impossible

Friday 14 April 2023 11:53 , Rachel Sharp

Tylee’s body was so badly burned that an autopsy to determine her cause of death was impossible, jurors heard.

The 16-year-old had been dismembered, burned and her body parts were dispersed around the grounds.

“Eventually we uncovered bits and pieces of Tylee, whom we assumed was Tylee, that had been burned. There were pieces of bone, charred flesh, just globs of flesh that were falling apart,” he said.

Jurors gasped and JJ’s grandparents sobbed as harrowing images were shown in the courtroom of both the burial site and images taken JJ’s autopsy.

At one point, Ms Vallow’s attorneys asked the judge to allow her to be excused from the court while the graphic testimony and photos were shown. The judge swiftly denied the request.

CATCH-UP: Lori Vallow’s ex-best friend Melanie Gill takes the stand

Friday 14 April 2023 11:18 , Rachel Sharp

Chad Daybell warned Lori Vallow of police search for children’s remains

Friday 14 April 2023 10:15 , Oliver O'Connell

A jailhouse phone call captured the moment Chad Daybell warned “cult mom” Lori Vallow that police were closing in on the day that her children’s remains were discovered buried on his property.

In the call, made on 9 June 2020 and played in court during Ms Vallow’s high-profile double murder trial on Wednesday, Mr Daybell is heard telling his new wife that law enforcement were on the scene searching his property in Rexburg, Idaho.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Lori Vallow trial hears jailhouse call with Chad Daybell on day bodies found

Lori Vallow trial hears horror of her children’s murders

Friday 14 April 2023 08:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Graphic photos shown at “cult mom” Lori Vallow’s murder trial revealed how her slain son JJ was still wearing his red pyjamas and a nighttime diaper when his remains were found buried in a shallow grave on Chad Daybell’s property in Rexburg, Idaho.

Rachel Sharp has been following the case for The Independent.

Lori Vallow’s son JJ was found buried in red pyjamas and diaper

Brandon Boudreaux breaks down speaking about identifying JJ’s remains

Friday 14 April 2023 06:15 , Oliver O'Connell

“Cult mom” Lori Vallow’s former nephew-in-law broke down in tears on the witness stand as he testified about the moment he had to identify the remains of her murdered seven-year-old son.

During an emotional first day of testimony in Ms Vallow’s murder trial on Monday, Brandon Boudreaux told jurors about the moment that he learned Joshua “JJ” Vallow, seven, and Tylee Ryan’s remains had been found buried on Chad Daybell’s property.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Lori Vallow’s nephew-in-law Brandon Boudreaux breaks down at murder trial

Everything we know about the Lori Vallow Daybell ‘doomsday cult’ murder trial

Friday 14 April 2023 04:15 , Oliver O'Connell

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.

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.

What we know about the Lori Vallow Daybell ‘doomsday cult’ murder trial

Timeline of ‘doomsday cult mom’s’ mystery case

Friday 14 April 2023 03:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Here’s a timeline of the tragic and bizarre case being heard in Boise, Idaho:

Timeline of the Lori Vallow case

ICYMI: Vallow abruptly leaves court after trial hears of discovery of JJ and Tylee’s bodies

Friday 14 April 2023 02:15 , Oliver O'Connell

“Cult mom” Lori Vallow suddenly left the room where she is standing trial for the murders of her daughter and son after the court heard graphic details on how the children’s remains were recovered in a pet cemetery.

Ms Vallow’s ongoing trial in Boise, Idaho, was delayed on Tuesday when her defence attorneys asked Judge Steven Boyce for a moment to speak with their visibly upset client, KUTV reported. Ms Vallow and the rest of the court had just returned from a lunch break after hearing disturbing details about the way her children JJ, seven, and Tylee, 16, were discovered buried on her doomsday preacher husband Chad Daybell’s property.

Andrea Blanco has the story.

Lori Vallow abruptly leaves court after trial hears grisly details about crime scene

Tammy Daybell murder revealed as asphyxiation

Friday 14 April 2023 01:15 , Oliver O'Connell

The cause of death of Chad Daybell’s first wife Tammy has finally been revealed as “cult mom” Lori Vallow’s high-profile murder trial gets underway in Idaho.

In opening statements in Ada County Courthouse on Monday morning, Fremont County prosecutor Lindsey Blake told jurors that Tammy, 49, died by asphyxiation – and not peacefully in her sleep as was originally claimed.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Lori Vallow trial hears how Chad Daybell’s first wife Tammy was killed

Vallow was driven by ‘money, power and sex’ to murder kids, prosecutor says

Friday 14 April 2023 00:15 , Oliver O'Connell

“Cult mom” Lori Vallow was driven by “money, power and sex” to murder her two children and her new husband’s then-wife, prosecutors told her murder trial – as jurors were shown graphic images of the children’s charred and buried remains.

Read more:

Lori Vallow was driven by ‘money, power and sex’ to murder kids, prosecutor says

Secret recording: Vallow confronted by best friend about JJ lies and relationship with Chad Daybell

Thursday 13 April 2023 23:15 , Oliver O'Connell

A phone call between “cult mom” Lori Vallow and her former best friend was played in court during her ongoing trial for the murders of two of her children.

The trial of Ms Vallow, 49, continues at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho, almost three years after she was charged with killing her son Joshua “JJ” Vallow and daughter Tylee Ryan and conspiring to murder her doomsday preacher’s husband Chad Daybell’s first wife.

On Thursday, prosecutors played a phone conversation between Mr Daybell, Ms Vallow and her then-best friend Melanie Gibb, who was on the stand testifying for the state. In the early December 2019 call, which she recorded secretly, Ms Gibb delved into the couple’s bizarre cult beliefs and later confronted them for asking her to lie to the police about JJ’s whereabouts.

Andrea Blanco reports.

Lori Vallow confronted by best friend about JJ lies in secret recording

Court adjourns for the day

Thursday 13 April 2023 22:33 , Oliver O'Connell

Det Duncan clarifies that this blessing was recorded on 24 November 2019.

Alex died on 12 December 2019.

Questioning of the detective will continue tomorrow at 8.30am MT.

Judge Boyce adjourns the court for the day.

Thursday 13 April 2023 22:29 , Oliver O'Connell

The blessing closes with a promise to Alex that he is moving toward translation and transfiguration and an “Amen” from both Chad and Lori.

Thursday 13 April 2023 22:25 , Oliver O'Connell

Some of the language appears to shock members of the jury.

Thursday 13 April 2023 22:22 , Oliver O'Connell

The record features sniffles from Alex and Chad begins to cry as he recites the blessing.

Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website