Lori Vallow Daybell, already serving a life sentence for the murders of her two children, has now been found guilty of conspiring to murder her fourth husband, Charles Vallow, in Arizona in 2019. The verdict came after the jury deliberated for three hours over two days, according to the Associated Press.
Another Conviction in a Long Trail of Tragedy
Lori’s latest conviction marks another chapter in a chilling series of crimes that have captivated and horrified the nation. This Arizona case centered around the shooting death of Charles Vallow, which Lori had long claimed was an act of self-defense committed by her brother, Alex Cox. The incident occurred on July 11, 2019, and was originally described as an altercation that escalated after Charles arrived at Lori’s home to pick up their son, Joshua “J.J.” Vallow.
According to Lori, Charles became aggressive when she refused to give him his phone. Her daughter, Tylee Ryan, allegedly tried to defend her with a baseball bat, leading to a physical struggle. Lori said Cox intervened and shot Charles in an attempt to protect her and Tylee.
Prosecutors Paint a Different Picture
However, prosecutors rejected Lori’s version of events, alleging that the killing was a calculated move to benefit from a life insurance payout and to free Lori to marry Chad Daybell, her future husband and co-conspirator. During the trial, prosecutor Treena Kay described the scene as a “staged murder”, pointing out inconsistencies in the physical evidence, such as the bullet trajectories and Charles’s injuries, which suggested he was already on the ground when the fatal shots were fired.
Lori Represented Herself
In a dramatic turn, Lori chose to represent herself during the trial, delivering her own opening statements to the jury. She maintained her claim that Charles was the aggressor and that the shooting was done in defense of herself and her children. Notably, Alex Cox, the alleged shooter, was never charged in connection with the death and died later in 2019, reportedly of natural causes.
A Pattern of Death and Deceit
This verdict adds to Lori’s previous convictions in Idaho, where she and Chad Daybell, her fifth husband, were found guilty of murdering her children—J.J. Vallow, 7, and Tylee Ryan, 16—and Chad’s former wife, Tammy Daybell, who died from asphyxiation in October 2019. Their remains were later found buried on Chad’s property in 2020.
While Lori is already serving a life sentence without parole, Chad Daybell was sentenced to death for his role in the killings of Tammy, J.J., and Tylee.
Lori Vallow Daybell’s conviction in Arizona further solidifies her role in a web of disturbing and deadly events. What began as a seemingly typical custody dispute and religious obsession turned into one of the most tragic and complex criminal cases in recent memory. With her guilty verdict now official, justice continues to unfold for the victims, including Charles Vallow, whose life was cut short under suspicious and now criminally proven circumstances.
