Lori Vallow Daybell Found Guilty in Arizona Case \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Lori Vallow Daybell has been found guilty of conspiring to murder her estranged husband, Charles Vallow, marking her second major conviction. Already serving multiple life sentences in Idaho, she now faces another life term in Arizona. Prosecutors say she plotted the killing with her brother to cash in on life insurance and marry Chad Daybell.
Quick Looks
- Lori Vallow Daybell was convicted of conspiring to murder her husband, Charles Vallow.
- She had previously been convicted in Idaho for killing her two children and a romantic rival.
- Prosecutors allege Vallow conspired with her brother, Alex Cox, who later died in 2019.
- The motive included life insurance money and her desire to marry Chad Daybell.
- Vallow defended herself at trial and claimed self-defense on behalf of her brother.
- Jurors deliberated just three hours over two days before reaching a verdict.
- She faces another trial in June for conspiring to kill Brandon Boudreaux, her niece’s ex-husband.
- Vallow allegedly believed Charles was possessed by a zombie prior to his death.
Deep Look
Lori Vallow Daybell, the woman at the center of a chilling series of murders tied to religious extremism and doomsday beliefs, has once again been convicted—this time in Arizona, where a jury found her guilty of conspiracy to commit murder in the 2019 killing of her estranged husband, Charles Vallow.
Already serving life sentences in Idaho for the murders of her two youngest children and romantic rival Tammy Daybell, Vallow Daybell now faces another potential life sentence after jurors quickly reached a verdict in this latest case.
A Plot Fueled by Money, Death, and Doomsday Beliefs
Prosecutors argued that Lori Vallow plotted with her brother, Alex Cox, to kill Charles Vallow at her home in Chandler, Arizona, in July 2019. Their alleged motive: collect life insurance money and clear the path for her to marry Chad Daybell, a fringe religious author she’d become romantically involved with.
Cox, who claimed he shot Charles in self-defense after an altercation, died unexpectedly just five months later from what was officially ruled a pulmonary embolism. However, his credibility has long been questioned due to inconsistencies in his account of the shooting and his deep involvement in Vallow Daybell’s violent schemes.
“Not knowing if she’d ever face justice for this particular crime, it’s a huge relief to see this verdict,” said one legal analyst familiar with the case.
Vallow’s Self-Defense Claim Fails to Convince Jury
In an unusual legal move, Vallow Daybell chose to represent herself during the trial, forgoing legal counsel. She told jurors that Charles had become aggressive during a confrontation, chased her with a bat, and that Alex Cox intervened to protect her.
But the jury wasn’t swayed. After just three hours of deliberations over two days, they returned a guilty verdict, affirming the prosecution’s claim that the killing was premeditated and part of a broader pattern of conspiracy and deception.
Religious Delusions and Pre-Murder Warnings
The trial included powerful testimony from Adam Cox, another sibling of Lori and Alex. He told jurors that Vallow had become radicalized by doomsday beliefs, obsessed with near-death experiences, and claimed her husband was possessed by a zombie. These bizarre beliefs, according to Adam, alienated her from the family and were central to the escalating violence.
In fact, Charles Vallow had filed for divorce four months before his death, citing concerns over her mental state. He had reportedly sought a mental health evaluation for Lori, telling authorities that she had threatened to kill him and believed she had lived past lives on other planets.
More Legal Trouble Ahead
This Arizona conviction marks just one of two trials Vallow Daybell faces in the state. She is also charged with conspiracy to murder Brandon Boudreaux, the ex-husband of her niece, Melani Pawlowski. That trial is set to begin in early June.
Prosecutors allege Vallow also helped orchestrate that failed murder attempt as part of a broader campaign to eliminate those she believed interfered with her spiritual mission or threatened her relationships.
She will not be sentenced for Charles Vallow’s murder until the second Arizona trial concludes—but she already faces multiple life sentences in Idaho, where she was convicted in 2023.
A Legacy of Tragedy and Manipulation
The Lori Vallow Daybell saga continues to grip the nation—not only for the horrific nature of the crimes, but for the web of religious fanaticism, manipulation, and betrayal that underpins them.
From the alleged belief that her husband was possessed, to the murders of her own children, the chilling reality is that Vallow’s crimes were not crimes of passion, but rather of ideology, delusion, and cold calculation.
The final chapter has yet to be written, but Tuesday’s conviction adds another damning entry into the story of one of America’s most disturbing modern criminal cases.
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