Doomsday Mom Returns to Court as Arizona Sentencing Unfolds

In a courtroom marked by silence and stares, Lori Vallow Daybell—already branded by tragedy and infamy—now faces fresh sentencing in Arizona for conspiring in two chilling murder plots. Convicted earlier this year of planning the killing of her fourth husband and her niece’s ex-husband, Daybell returns to court as her complex legal tale stretches across state lines. Once a suburban mother, now a convicted conspirator, she stands accused of using distorted beliefs and dark motives to pave a path of irreversible loss. Justice, once delayed, seeks its next chapter.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Lori Daybell convicted in Arizona for two murder conspiracies in 2019

• Already serving a life sentence for killing her children in Idaho

• Prosecutors say financial gain and apocalyptic beliefs drove the crimes

• Sentencing underway in Phoenix with emotional victim statements

• Daybell represented herself in court and denied any wrongdoing

Lori Vallow Daybell, the woman at the center of one of America’s most disturbing and bizarre criminal sagas, returned to court Friday—this time in Arizona—for sentencing in two separate murder conspiracy convictions linked to deadly and near-deadly incidents in 2019.

Already serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole in Idaho for the murders of her two children, Daybell now faces the consequences of crimes committed months before those killings. In a Maricopa County courtroom, she awaits sentencing for plotting the murder of her then-estranged husband, Charles Vallow, and for conspiring in a failed attempt to murder Brandon Boudreaux, the former husband of her niece. Both incidents took place in 2019, and prosecutors say they were driven by a blend of financial motives and distorted religious beliefs.

The sentencing, overseen by Judge Justin Beresky, comes after two separate trials earlier this year in which Daybell was found guilty on two counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. Each conviction carries the possibility of life in prison with the chance of parole after 25 years, according to prosecutors.

In the first Arizona case, prosecutors argued that Daybell orchestrated the murder of Charles Vallow in July 2019, enlisting her brother, Alex Cox, to carry out the shooting inside her Chandler home. The motive? A $1 million life insurance policy and the desire to unite with Chad Daybell, an author of fringe religious fiction whom she would marry just months later. Authorities said Daybell and her brother believed Charles Vallow was possessed by an evil spirit they referred to as “Ned,” a belief that gave them what they claimed was religious justification for murder.

“She gave him [Alex Cox] the religious authority to carry out the killing,” prosecutors told the court. “They believed they were ridding the world of a dark spirit, not taking the life of a man.”

In her defense, Daybell maintained that her brother acted in self-defense. But the jury disagreed, delivering a guilty verdict after a brief deliberation.

The second trial focused on a failed attempt to kill Brandon Boudreaux, who narrowly survived a drive-by shooting outside his home in Gilbert, Arizona, three months after Charles Vallow’s death. The shooter, according to authorities, was also Alex Cox. The Jeep used in the attack was traced back to Daybell’s family. Though Boudreaux survived, prosecutors said the trauma lingered.

In a court filing before sentencing, they noted:

“Brandon Boudreaux continues to live with the fear that Alex Cox might return to finish the job, even though Cox died months later of natural causes.”

Throughout the legal process, Daybell chose to represent herself, often clashing with Judge Beresky during proceedings. At times, her courtroom behavior was combative. During her second trial, she was briefly removed from the courtroom for refusing to follow courtroom decorum, especially when she insisted on portraying herself as someone of “great character.” The judge had warned her that doing so would allow prosecutors to present evidence of her past convictions.

Daybell’s efforts to delay or reverse the outcomes of her Arizona trials were unsuccessful. Her appeals for retrials were denied, and her motion to remove Judge Beresky on claims of judicial bias was also rejected.

In the Idaho case that garnered national attention, Daybell was found guilty of murdering her 7-year-old adopted son, Joshua “J.J.” Vallow, and 16-year-old daughter, Tylee Ryan. Their remains were found in June 2020, buried on the property of Chad Daybell in Fremont County, Idaho. She was also convicted of conspiracy to kill Chad Daybell’s first wife, Tamara Daybell, who died just weeks before Lori and Chad were married in Hawaii. Chad Daybell, tried separately, was sentenced to death earlier this year and remains on Idaho’s death row.

The emotional impact of the crimes was made vividly clear during Friday’s sentencing hearing. Several family members of the victims spoke before the court, providing victim impact statements that laid bare the grief and devastation left in the wake of Daybell’s actions.

Colby Ryan, Daybell’s only surviving child from a previous marriage, addressed the court virtually. He reflected on the man his stepfather, Charles Vallow, had been.

“My father, Charles Vallow, cared for his family,” Ryan said. “He took care of us and made sure we had a good life.”

Ryan also recalled the moment he learned the truth about his father’s death, after being initially told it was due to a heart attack.

“I’m here to tell you the effect that this has had on me,” he continued. “In simple terms, each one of my family members was taken from us all in one swoop.”

About his mother, Ryan said her denial of wrongdoing continues to deepen the pain:

“Rather than being able to acknowledge the pain that she has caused, she would rather say that Charles, Tylee and JJ’s deaths were a family tragedy and not her evil doing. Quite frankly, I believe that Lori Vallow herself is the family tragedy.”

Susan Vallow, Charles Vallow’s sister, also addressed the court, describing the long-lasting effects of her brother’s death.

“The day Charles died changed my life forever,” she said. “My brother’s death was a deliberate act of evil and self-seeking financial gain. Your greed has caused so much pain to this day.”

As the sentencing hearing continues, Lori Daybell stands as one of the most complex figures in recent criminal history—embroiled in a web of religious fanaticism, financial deception, and tragic violence. What began as mysterious disappearances evolved into a multilayered criminal case spanning several states, multiple victims, and an unrelenting search for justice.

As Lori Vallow Daybell awaits her final sentencing in Arizona, her journey through the American justice system underscores a saga defined by deception, death, and deeply unsettling beliefs. From the mysterious disappearance of her children to her calculated involvement in two separate murder plots, each courtroom has unveiled a darker layer of intent. While she now stands convicted across two states, the emotional toll on the families remains beyond measure. For many, this sentencing may not erase the pain, but it marks another decisive step toward long-overdue accountability.

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