In a significant legal outcome, Lori Vallow Daybell has been found guilty by an Arizona jury of conspiring to murder her estranged husband, Charles Vallow. This decision adds another potential life sentence to Daybell’s record, already complicated by her recent convictions in Idaho for the murders of her two youngest children and a romantic rival.

The Evidence Presented

During the trial, prosecutors alleged that Daybell collaborated with her brother, Alex Cox, in the shooting death of Charles Vallow, which occurred in July 2019 at her residence in Chandler, a suburb of Phoenix. The prosecution argued that Daybell’s motivations included financial gain from a life insurance policy and plans to marry her then-boyfriend, Chad Daybell, an author known for his writings on doomsday prophecies.

Alex Cox claimed self-defense as the reason for the fatal shooting. However, he passed away five months later from a blood clot, and his assertions faced scrutiny as the case unfolded.

Trial Details

Jurors took about three hours over two days to deliberate on the case. In her defense, Daybell, who opted to represent herself, contended that Charles Vallow had threatened her with a bat, prompting her brother to act in self-defense after she had exited the house.

This trial represents only the first of two criminal proceedings against Daybell in Arizona. She is set to face another trial in June regarding charges of conspiracy to murder Brandon Boudreaux, the ex-husband of her niece, Melani Pawlowski. Boudreaux survived this attempt on his life.

Broader Context and Family Testimony

While testifying for the prosecution, Adam Cox, Daybell’s brother, expressed his belief that both Daybell and Alex Cox played pivotal roles in Charles Vallow’s death. He stated that just prior to Vallow’s murder, the family was planning an intervention to reconnect Daybell with their church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. According to Adam, prior to her husband’s death, Daybell had expressed beliefs that he was effectively dead and that a “zombie” inhabited his body.

In the months leading to the tragedy, Charles Vallow filed for divorce, citing unsettling changes in Daybell’s behavior, which he attributed to her growing obsession with near-death experiences and claims of having lived previous lives on other planets. He even sought a mental health evaluation for her, fearing for his safety.

Sentencing and Future Proceedings

Lori Vallow Daybell is currently serving a total of three life sentences for her earlier convictions in Idaho. Following the conclusion of her upcoming trial in June, she will face sentencing in the Arizona case, potentially resulting in another life sentence.