It’s a shocking twist.
Lori Vallow Daybell, already serving life sentences for the murders of her two children and the wife of her current husband, is now on trial in Arizona for the 2019 death of her fourth husband, Charles Vallow. Acting as her own lawyer, Vallow Daybell delivered an opening statement in which she portrayed the fatal shooting by her brother, Alex Cox, as a spontaneous act of self-defense. She claimed that Charles had become aggressive toward her daughter, Tylee, during a visit to pick up his son, leading to a physical altercation that ended with Cox shooting him to protect the family.
Prosecutors, however, argue that the killing was premeditated and motivated by Vallow Daybell’s desire to eliminate Charles as an obstacle in her life. They allege she manipulated religious beliefs to justify the murder and conspired with Cox, who died later that year. Evidence shows that Charles had expressed serious concerns about his safety and mental health of his wife before his death. He told police she had threatened to kill him and was becoming increasingly unstable.
During the earlier investigation, law enforcement did not pursue criminal charges or mandate a mental health check, despite Charles’s warnings. Just six months later, he was dead. Prosecutors believe this negligence allowed Vallow Daybell to continue unchecked, ultimately leading to further tragedies. Her defense, meanwhile, insists the events were a tragic but unplanned outcome of family conflict.
This trial follows Vallow Daybell’s 2023 conviction for the murders of her children, JJ and Tylee, whose remains were later discovered on the Idaho property of her current husband, Chad Daybell. He, too, has been convicted and sentenced to death for his role in their deaths and that of his former wife, Tammy Daybell. Witnesses during the trials revealed that Vallow Daybell believed some people, including her own children, were possessed and referred to them as “zombies.”
In a recent interview, Vallow Daybell continued to claim innocence and said divine revelation would eventually prove her and Chad’s exoneration. She is also facing additional charges for allegedly conspiring to kill her niece’s estranged husband. No trial date has been set for that case. Despite the gravity of the accusations and the mounting evidence, Vallow Daybell has maintained a confident and defiant stance throughout the legal proceedings.
