Lori Vallow Daybell Faces New Murder Trial in Arizona

PHOENIX, Arizona — Lori Vallow Daybell, already serving three life sentences for the murders of her children, is on trial once again, this time facing charges of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the death of her husband, Charles Vallow. The trial, which began Monday, is centered on allegations that Vallow Daybell conspired with her late brother, Alex Cox, to kill her husband in 2019 to collect on a $1 million life insurance policy.

Prosecutors allege Vallow Daybell had a motive to kill Charles Vallow as she sought to marry another man, Chad Daybell. In a clear assertion of her defense, Vallow Daybell has pleaded not guilty and is representing herself in court, assisted by advisory attorneys. Court proceedings are being livestreamed following a ruling by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Justin Beresky.

The case has gained significant media attention due to the extraordinary circumstances surrounding it. Prosecutors claim Vallow Daybell used bizarre religious beliefs, including ideas about zombies and the end of the world, to rationalize her actions—an argument that has formed part of her previous convictions for the murders of two children and her husband’s former wife, Tammy Daybell.

On July 11, 2019, Alex Cox called 911 to report that he had shot Charles Vallow, claiming it was self-defense. He was not charged with a crime. Months prior to the shooting, friends reported that Lori Vallow Daybell had made disturbing statements, suggesting she believed her husband was no longer alive and was possessed by a spirit named ‘Ned.’

Arguments that ensued in court highlighted Vallow Daybell’s insistence that motives attributed to her were misconstrued. “They are alleging that insurance money was my motive. Social Security was my motive. Spouses having insurance policies is not a crime,” Vallow Daybell told the jury. “A family tragedy is not a crime.”

In her defense, Vallow Daybell cited the life insurance policy taken out by her late husband and highlighted that collecting Social Security benefits is not illegal. However, prosecutor Treena Kay asked the jury to consider the evidence of premeditated murder, pointing to Vallow Daybell’s messages and actions, including a text sent to Chad Daybell, claiming her husband had changed his life insurance policy without her knowledge, removing her as the beneficiary.

The prosecution’s opening witnesses included firefighters who responded to the shooting and described their attempts to revive Charles Vallow at a Chandler, Arizona, residence, recapping the tragic scene of a husband shot in his own home.

This murder trial occurs nearly two years after a jury found Vallow Daybell guilty on charges related to the deaths of her two youngest children, Tylee Ryan and Joshua Vallow, and the conspiracy to murder Tammy Daybell, who was found deceased in October 2019. Shortly after Tammy’s death, Lori Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell married in Hawaii.

The children’s bodies were discovered buried on Chad Daybell’s property months after they were reported missing. Lori Vallow Daybell now faces additional charges in Arizona stemming from these unlawful actions. The trial is projected to continue through May.