Phoenix, Arizona — A jury in Arizona delivered a guilty verdict for Lori Vallow Daybell, convicting her of conspiring to kill her estranged husband, a crime that adds another layer of notoriety to her already scandal-ridden case involving religious doomsday beliefs and multiple murders.
Deliberations began on Monday afternoon and continued into Tuesday when the guilty verdict was pronounced. Vallow Daybell stood accused of orchestrating the 2019 murder of Charles Vallow in suburban Phoenix, an act prosecutors contended was premeditated and motivated by financial gain.
During the trial, which unfolded over two weeks, contrasting narratives emerged about the circumstances leading to Charles’ death at the home of Lori Vallow Daybell. Prosecutor Treena Kay argued that Lori, in collusion with her brother Alex Cox, meticulously planned the murder to claim Charles’ life insurance money and thereafter marry her then-boyfriend, Chad Daybell, an author known for his apocalyptic-themed writings.
“This was no spontaneous act of violence but a calculated and premeditated murder,” Kay told the jury in her compelling closing argument. Evidence presented included recordings and testimonies that portrayed Vallow Daybell as manipulating events to her favor, including an attempted claim on a $1 million life insurance policy that ultimately did not name her as the beneficiary.
Vallow Daybell, who is already serving three life sentences without the possibility of parole for the murder of her two youngest children and for plotting the death of a romantic rival in Idaho, represented herself in court. She maintained her innocence regarding Charles’ death, arguing that it was a familial tragedy rather than a criminal act.
“My family has endured great tragedy,” Vallow Daybell said during the proceedings. “I implore you not to compound this tragedy by turning it into a crime.”
The self-defense claim hinged on the testimony of Alex Cox. Cox, who died of natural causes months after the shooting, claimed he shot Charles Vallow in self-defense after Charles purportedly attacked Lori with a baseball bat. Prosecutors disputed this claim, suggesting Cox delayed calling emergency services to manipulate the crime scene in favor of their narrative.
Adding depth to the case was the testimony of Adam Cox, another brother of Lori, who expressed his belief that Lori and Alex were definitely behind the murder. According to Adam, the killing disrupted plans for a family intervention intended to steer Lori away from her extreme beliefs and back towards the mainstream teachings of their shared faith, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Months prior to his death, Charles Vallow had sought a divorce from Lori, citing her obsession with near-death experiences and claims of past lives on other planets. He also feared for his financial and physical safety, prompting him to request a mental health evaluation for Lori.
The complex web of Lori Vallow Daybell’s legal battles sees no immediate resolution as she faces another trial in June, this time for allegedly conspiring to murder Brandon Boudreaux, the former husband of her niece Melani Pawlowski. This case, also to be held in Arizona, promises to further explore the enigmatic and often sinister world surrounding Vallow Daybell, who has become a central figure in one of the most disturbing and convoluted criminal cases in recent times.