Jury Selection Begins in Arizona Trial of “Doomsday Mom” Lori Vallow Daybell
Jury selection is set to commence on March 31, 2025, in the Arizona trial of Lori Vallow Daybell, the Utah woman convicted in Idaho for the 2019 murders of her two children.
In Arizona, she faces a charge of conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the death of her fourth husband, Charles Vallow.
Vallow Daybell, who has pleaded not guilty, is representing herself in the proceedings, a decision that could complicate the trial’s trajectory.
Background: The Idaho Convictions and Murder Allegations
Vallow Daybell was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the murders of her children, Tylee Ryan and Joshua Jaxon “JJ” Vallow. Tylee, from a previous relationship, and JJ, adopted by Vallow Daybell and Charles Vallow in 2012, disappeared within two weeks of each other in September 2019. Their remains were discovered in June 2020 on property owned by her fifth husband, Chad Daybell.
Prosecutors argued that Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell—an author of doomsday fiction—held extreme apocalyptic religious beliefs, which they used to justify the killings of Tylee, JJ, and Daybell’s first wife, Tammy Daybell. Chad Daybell was found guilty of these murders and sentenced to death.
The Charles Vallow Case: What Happened?
Lori Vallow Daybell was married to Charles Vallow from 2006 to 2019. During their separation in early 2019, Charles expressed concerns about Lori’s mental state, telling police that she believed she was a “god” preparing for the end times and had threatened to kill him.
In July 2019, Charles Vallow was shot and killed by Lori’s brother, Alexander Cox, in Chandler, Arizona. Cox claimed self-defense and was never arrested. However, prosecutors now allege that Vallow Daybell conspired with Cox to murder her husband. Cox later died in December 2019 from a pulmonary blood clot, though his wife testified that he feared he was being set up as a “fall guy.”
The Arizona Trial and Its Challenges
The Arizona trial will be held in Phoenix and will be livestreamed. In December 2024, a judge ruled that Vallow Daybell was mentally fit to stand trial. Despite this ruling, her decision to represent herself has raised concerns. During a March 18 hearing, she appeared to struggle with the logistics of her defense, citing difficulties in communicating with her legal team while in jail.
Judge Justin Beresky acknowledged that self-representation will complicate jury selection, and Vallow Daybell’s inexperience in legal proceedings may affect the trial’s progression. She claims to have studied case law and gained courtroom experience while in prison.
If convicted, Vallow Daybell faces life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years. However, given her existing life sentences from Idaho, this case will likely serve as an additional layer of legal accountability rather than a determinant of her future incarceration.
Additional Legal Troubles: The Attempted Murder of Brandon Boudreaux
Vallow Daybell is also charged with conspiracy to commit murder in the attempted shooting of her niece’s ex-husband, Brandon Boudreaux.
In 2019, Boudreaux was shot at near his home but survived. Prosecutors allege that Alexander Cox carried out the shooting on Vallow Daybell’s orders. She has pleaded not guilty.
Vallow Daybell’s “Dateline” Interview: A Defiant Defense
In a jailhouse interview with NBC’s “Dateline,” aired in March 2025, Vallow Daybell denied involvement in any of the murders, made baseless claims, and was combative toward interviewer Keith Morrison.
She attempted to shift blame, suggesting Tylee was responsible for JJ’s death—a claim contradicting investigators’ findings that Tylee died first.
Morrison described her demeanor as aggressive and evasive, reinforcing the perception that she remains defiant in the face of overwhelming evidence.
Conclusion
Lori Vallow Daybell’s Arizona trial will add another chapter to the legal saga surrounding her, one of the most disturbing criminal cases in recent memory.
As she attempts to navigate the complexities of self-representation, legal experts anticipate a challenging trial with significant procedural hurdles.
Her prior convictions, coupled with the Arizona conspiracy charge, ensure that she will remain incarcerated for life. However, this trial will serve to hold her accountable for yet another life lost in the web of crimes tied to her and Chad Daybell’s apocalyptic ideology.
