Current:Home > InvestLori Vallow Daybell to be sentenced for murders of her 2 youngest children -Elevate Capital Network
Lori Vallow Daybell to be sentenced for murders of her 2 youngest children
View
Date:2025-04-18 23:10:34
An Idaho mother is set to learn her fate after being convicted in the murders of her two youngest children.
Lori Vallow Daybell will return to court in eastern Idaho's Fremont County on Monday for a sentencing hearing, according to Boise ABC affiliate KIVI-TV. She faces up to life in prison without parole. In March, before the trial began, a judge granted the defense's motion to dismiss the death penalty in her case.
Lori and her husband, Chad Daybell, were both charged with two counts of first-degree murder for the 2019 deaths of her two youngest children, 16-year-old Tylee Ryan and 7-year-old Joshua "J.J." Vallow. The children were last seen alive in September 2019 and were reported missing by extended family members that November. Their remains were found on Chad's property in Fremont County in June 2020, according to authorities.
MORE: Juror in murder trial of Lori Vallow Daybell breaks silence
The couple were also charged with conspiracy to commit murder in the death of Chad's ex-wife, 49-year-old Tamara Daybell, who died of asphyxiation of in October 2019, less than a month before Lori and Chad married. Chad was also charged with his former wife's murder.
Both Lori and Chad pleaded not guilty to their charges. In April, a Fremont County judge allowed their cases to be tried separately, with Lori's first and Chad's expected to start at a later date.
Lori was deemed fit to stand trial last year following a 10-month stint at an Idaho mental health facility. Her defense attorneys had said they did not plan to raise a mental health defense at the guilt-phase portion of the trial.
MORE: Lori Vallow Daybell found guilty in murder of her 2 children
During Lori's six-week trial, prosecutors argued that she and her husband thought the children were zombies and murdered them. Chad has authored many religious fiction books and is Lori's fifth husband. The couple both reportedly adhered to a doomsday ideology, with Lori at one point claiming she was "a god assigned to carry out the work of the 144,000 at Christ's second coming in July 2020" and didn't want anything to do with her family "because she had a more important mission to carry out," according to court documents obtained by ABC News.
The defense characterized Lori as a devoted mother who loved her children and Jesus, but that all changed near the end of 2018 when she met Chad.
Prosecutors argued that Lori set a plan for the children's murder in motion in October 2018 "using money, power and sex," and that she and her husband "used religion to manipulate others." Lori was additionally charged with grand theft related to Social Security survivor benefits allocated for the care of her children that prosecutors said were appropriated after they were reported missing and ultimately found dead. Meanwhile, Chad was additionally charged with two counts of insurance fraud related to life insurance policies he had on Tamara for which prosecutors said he was the beneficiary.
MORE: A string of family deaths surround tragedy of Lori Vallow’s children
Prosecutors also shared photographs of Lori and Chad dancing on a beach during their wedding in Hawaii when her children's bodies were buried in his backyard.
In May, a 12-member jury reached a verdict after two days of deliberations, finding Lori guilty on all charges. The defense declined to comment on the verdict at the time.
ABC News' John Capell and Meredith Deliso contributed to this report.
veryGood! (6)
Related
- 'Vanderpump Rules' star DJ James Kennedy arrested on domestic violence charges
- Young environmentalists won a landmark climate change ruling in Montana. Will it change anything?
- Umpire Ángel Hernández loses again in racial discrimination lawsuit against MLB
- Number of dead from Maui wildfires reaches 99, as governor warns there could be scores more
- What to watch: O Jolie night
- YouTube to remove content promoting harmful, ineffective cancer treatments
- As people fled the fires, pets did too. Some emerged with marks of escape, but many remain lost.
- Utah man accused of selling silver product as COVID-19 cure arrested after 3-year search
- Why Sean "Diddy" Combs Is Being Given a Laptop in Jail Amid Witness Intimidation Fears
- How U.S. Steel, Monday.com's share jumps may reignite stock market after weekslong slump
Ranking
- Federal hiring is about to get the Trump treatment
- The Surprising Moment Tom Pelphrey Learned Girlfriend Kaley Cuoco Starred in The Big Bang Theory
- 2 Missouri moms charged with misdemeanors for children’s absences lose their court battle
- Halle Berry has Barbie-themed 57th birthday with 'no so mini anymore' daughter Nahla
- Global Warming Set the Stage for Los Angeles Fires
- Deal over Florida’s redistricting plan could lead to restoration of Black-dominant district
- DeSantis’ appointees ask judge to rule against Disney without need for trial
- Lionel Messi, Inter Miami face Philadelphia Union in Leagues Cup semifinals: How to stream
Recommendation
Federal court filings allege official committed perjury in lawsuit tied to Louisiana grain terminal
Jury awards Texas woman $1.2 billion in revenge porn case
Biden says he and first lady will visit Hawaii as soon as we can after devastating wildfires
Group behind Montana youth climate lawsuit has lawsuits in 3 other state courts: What to know
Selena Gomez engaged to Benny Blanco after 1 year together: 'Forever begins now'
Florida students and professors say a new law censors academic freedom. They’re suing to stop it
CNN shakes up lineup with new shows for Chris Wallace, Abby Phillip, more
South Korea’s Yoon calls for strong security cooperation with US, Japan ahead of Camp David summit