Lori Vallow Jailed for Life in Chilling Family Murder Case
Lori Vallow has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for the shocking deaths of her two children and her husband’s previous wife. The sensational trial, which gripped the nation for nearly four years, ended with her conviction in May. At sentencing, Vallow stunned the court, claiming a near-death experience let her speak to the “spirit world.”
‘They’re happy in Heaven,’ Vallow Claims
Vallow insists her children, Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 7, and Tylee Ryan, 16, along with Tammy Daybell, are “happy” in heaven. She told the court they had communicated with her from beyond the grave, reassuring her of their peace after their tragic deaths.
“I mourn with all who mourn my children and Tammy. Jesus Christ knows the truth—no one was murdered here. Accidents, suicides, and fatal medication side effects happen,” Vallow said.
The Grim Details Behind the Family Tragedy
- Tylee was Vallow’s biological daughter from her third marriage to Joseph Ryan, who died of a heart attack in 2018.
- Joshua was adopted by Lori and her fourth husband, Charles Vallow, in 2014.
- Lori and her fifth husband, Chad Daybell, obsessed over doomsday prophecies, believing in “zombies” possessed by evil spirits.
- Family members began searching for Tylee and Joshua in November 2019 after not seeing or speaking to them since September.
Authorities found the children’s remains on Chad Daybell’s Idaho property in June 2020. In a chilling twist, Joshua was buried in a pet cemetery. Tylee’s body was dismembered and burned in a fire pit.
Tammy Daybell, Chad’s previous wife, died under suspicious circumstances in October 2019. Originally ruled natural causes, an exhumation later confirmed homicide. Lori married Chad shortly after Tammy’s death, sparking accusations she conspired to murder Tammy so they could be together.
Dark Family Feuds and Fatal Fallout
Lori’s estranged fourth husband, Charles Vallow, uncovered her affair with Chad Daybell. Just weeks later, Charles was fatally shot by Lori’s brother, Alex Cox. Both claimed self-defence. Cox died in late 2019 from a pulmonary embolism, and Lori was charged with conspiracy to commit murder nearly two years afterward.
At sentencing, Kay Woodcock, Charles Vallow’s sister and Joshua’s grandmother, called Lori “undeniably a monster,” mourning the wreckage Lori left behind.
