PHOENIX — After several hours of deliberation, a jury has found Lori Vallow Daybell guilty of conspiracy to commit murder in the 2019 death of her husband, Charles Vallow. Vallow Daybell, who is representing herself in court, was convicted after a lengthy trial.
This conviction comes on the heels of her previous sentencing for the murders and conspiracy to murder her two children, Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 7, and Tylee Ashlyn Ryan, 16. She is currently serving five consecutive life sentences for those crimes.
Gerry Vallow, the brother of Charles Vallow, expressed relief after the verdict was read. “It’s been a long journey, and I’m glad it’s over. My whole family is glad it’s over,” he said. “I just want to thank everyone, especially the Arizona prosecutor’s office, for helping us through all of this.”
The trial featured testimony from several witnesses, including family members and a woman who revealed she had gone on a date with Vallow Daybell the night before Charles was killed. First responders who arrived at the scene of the shooting also provided testimony.
During her closing arguments, Vallow Daybell insisted, “Don’t let them turn my family tragedy into a crime,” as she continued to deny any involvement in her husband’s death.
Charles Vallow’s sister, Kay Woodcock, spoke to reporters after the verdict, calling Vallow Daybell’s courtroom behavior manipulative. “She’s an actress. She turns on this persona, and then boom, she flips it off. The real her is not someone I knew.”
Prosecutors argued that Vallow Daybell, in conjunction with her brother Alex Cox, meticulously planned and executed the murder of Charles Vallow. “This was a planned, premeditated murder,” prosecutor Treena Kay stated during her closing remarks.
Witnesses testified that Charles Vallow had recently discovered that Lori Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell were having an affair. In response, he had changed his life insurance beneficiary to his sister, Kay Woodcock. Charles had traveled to Arizona to confront Lori about her increasingly unorthodox religious beliefs, which had diverged from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His intervention was planned with Vallow Daybell’s brothers, but only Alex Cox arrived at the home.
The morning after his arrival, Vallow Daybell claimed that Charles came to pick up JJ, and an argument ensued. She told police that Alex Cox shot Charles twice, killing him. She also stated that she fled the scene immediately after the incident.
According to cell phone records, a 911 call was not made for over 40 minutes after the shooting.
Adam Cox, Vallow Daybell’s other brother, testified during the trial, saying that he became suspicious of the events after learning that Lori had told others that Charles had “died” and that a “zombie” now inhabited his body. Cox stated that after several attempts to reach Alex by text, he concluded that the death was no accident. “There’s no doubt in my mind that they killed him,” Cox said.
The sentencing phase of the trial is expected to take place in the near future, though no date has been set as of yet. ABC4 will provide further updates as they become available.
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