Lori Vallow Daybell: Guilty | Full Episode | Forensic Files

foreign state of Idaho plaintiff versus Lori Noreen Balo AKA Lori Noreen davell defendant count one conspiracy to commit
first degree murder first degree murder count three conspiracy to commit first-degree murder or first-degree
murder count five conspiracy to commit first degree murder the crimes are unimaginable Lori
valadebell stood trial for the murder of her own children sixteen-year-old Tyler
and seven-year-old JJ she was also accused of killing Tammy dabell the wife of her current husband Chad the judge in
the case did not allow cameras in the Idaho courtroom during testimony but we have audio and transcripts of the
proceedings here was prosecutor Lindsey Blake money power move to get what she wanted
and if it was a person it didn't matter who Lori was a beauty contestant anybody you
spoke to who knew Lori back then said that she was like the mother of the year the problem really seems to have started
when Lori started following Chad daybell Chad was a podcaster and author of Doomsday novels then in late 2019 Lori's
two children mysteriously disappeared meantime Lori and Chad are on the beach in Hawaii having the time of their lives
they get married and they wouldn't talk to police at all and they wouldn't tell anybody where the
kids were even after Lori was arrested she still refused to say anything about where the kids were how come you're not
telling anybody where your kids are people looked all over the country for these kids months after Vanishing Into
Thin Air the remains of J.J valo and Tyler Ryan were found buried here and Chad day Bell's backyard what we have
gathered was that Chad had this belief that some people who were on this Earth weren't really the people they were
supposed to be they were zombies and the only way to release their Spirits was to
kill the bodies and if that's not disturbing enough Lori started referring to her children as zombies
she had this grading system where she could read people's auras and they were either dark or light and she had
described Tyler as having a dark spirit I feel like she's kind of a monster but defense attorney Jim Archibald claimed
there was no way for Laurie to have committed the crimes Lori valo was in her own apartment in Rexburg Idaho when
JJ mallow and Tyler Ryan died and Lori was in Hawaii when Tammy davil died I've thought a lot about why this story hit
such a chord with a wide variety of people and I think it's because these kids and then when you throw in the cult
aspect of this we've certainly seen movies with all of this but I'm not sure we've ever seen
anything like this in real life in true crime in regards to count one of the amended indictment
I meant to guilty count three guilty account for guilty count five guilty count seven guilty
foreign [Music] laughs [Music] can you tell me where your kids are did you do something to your children where
are your children welcome back Lori where are your kids anything you want to say Lori Lori
beginning in 2019 Lori vallo daybell spent months denying her missing children were in danger
many including her sister summer Shiflett believed her at the time something's not adding up here
where are they where is JJ and Tyler it's a great question we would love to know the answer to that we don't know
but we know we are very confident that Lori would never harm her children ever but during four weeks of testimony the
prosecution chipped away at the facade of the former Beauty contestant until it exposed Lori valoda Bell for the person
it claimed she really was prosecutors have painted a picture of somebody who was ruthless
Morgan Lowe is an investigative reporter and CBS News consultant somebody who would do anything to get what she wants
according to the prosecution Lori was a master Puppeteer pulling the strings in a heinous murder plot that left three
innocent people dead her 16 year old daughter Tyler Ryan her seven-year-old son JJ valo and Tammy daybell Chad
dabel's wife of almost 30 years it didn't matter what obstacle she had to remove
to get what she wanted 48 Hours has been following the Twisted Saga of the so-called cult mom and her
paramour Chad daybell since the story broke in 2019 months before the remains of her two children were discovered in
Shallow grapes in Chad dabel's backyard when we started it was almost inconceivable to friends like April
Raymond that she would harm her children she did everything for JJ everything for Tyler they were
the center of her world and so I'm not sure what hijacked that priority April met Lori in 2015 in
Hawaii at the time Lori was married to businessman Charles vallo the couple were raising two children Tyler Lori's
teenage daughter from her former marriage and their adopted son JJ who was diagnosed with autism JJ was very
difficult to take care of so I really admired how patient she was with him and how much care she took of
him his big sister was just as devoted to him says Tyler's best friend Vice I loved being around JJ and Tyler
was really protective over JJ and she was kind of like another Mama to him are you taking a video of my child your
child my child I just kind of loved how she would just play with him and just always have like
a really good time with him and I really love JJ he's the sweetest Soul I've ever met
but around 2017 friends say Lori's relationships with her kids began to shift about the time she started reading the
books of Chad daybell I've recently released my autobiography dabel was a former Gravedigger turned
doomsday novelist and podcaster from Rexburg Idaho he tapped into this prepper element out
there people who wanted to prepare for Armageddon Laurie met Chad for the first time in
2018 at a conference in St George Utah the first time Chad met Laurie he told her that they had been married in a past
life he said he was James and she was Elena and that they had lived this biblical life in the past and instead of
scaring her off that seems to have attracted her even though Lori was still married to
Charles valo and Chad was married to the mother of his five children Tammy dabell
Lori's friend Melanie Gibb testified the two soon began an affair did Lori ever tell you directly that she
and Chad would meet at hotels or motels yes did Lori ever indicate to you whether or not she and Chad were engaged
in an affair she would just share that they were intimate Witnesses testified that Lori took on
Chad's extreme religious beliefs says Morgan Lowe Lori believed that she was chosen to
lead the 144 000 after the Apocalypse to lead the survivors of the human race to an
eternal life while the rest of society burned she also believed she had been appointed
another more ominous role says April part of her mission on Earth was to eliminate the darkness the Demonic the
evil April says one of those evil spirits according to Lori was her then husband Charles valo the way she had
explained it to me about Charles was that Charles was already dead and that there was a demon living inside
of him for the first time we heard at trial that Lori held what she called casting
ceremonies it involved getting into a circle with other like-minded followers and casting out dark Spirits from people
getting rid of demons Laurie's friend zulema pastenas attended several of these castings there are certain spirits
that can only be cast out by prayer and fasting here she is on the stand talking
about one of the Demons Laurie claimed was living inside Charles that Spirit or Demon's name
I believe they called him Ned Ned Schneider to be precise why don't you come over here in January
of 2019 Charles was so spooked by Lori's ramblings about the demon named Ned he called police
what did she say yesterday she said you're not Charles I don't know who you are what you did with Charles their
conversation was recorded on the officer's body cam okay so what makes her a danger to herself and to others
threatened they murder me kill me threatened to murder you yes in the winter of 2019 Charles changed the
beneficiary of his 1 million dollar life insurance policy from Lori to his sister
Kay Woodcock JJ's biological grandmother after almost 13 years of marriage Charles filed for divorce
Charles valo had good reason to be scared thank you [Music] on the morning of July 11 2019 Charles
valo went to the Chandler Arizona home of his estranged wife Lori valo to pick up JJ and take him to school
he goes into the house Lori and Tyler and JJ are there and so is Alex Cox Alex Cox Lori's brother at trial Lori's
friend zulemma pastennis who would later marry Alex testified that Chad had assigned him a mission ordained by God
Chad had told him that he was going to be a warrior a Defender and the sole purpose for him coming to this Earth was
so that he could be Lori's protector and Defender did Alex believe this absolutely
shortly after Charles entered Laurie's home that summer morning in 2019 Alex Cox the defender shot him dead 9-1-1
where is your emergency at 8 36 a.m Alex calmly called 9-1-1 I can't tell he said I need to report a
shooting I shot my brother-in-law in self-defense he's not moving the police arrived and shot this video
of Alex on the curb outside the home Alex told them Charles and Laurie got into a fight so you both so you get an
argument what is it over Falls over Mrs my sister's uh getting physical with her
so my niece came out Alex told them he got between Charles and Laurie and shot Charles in the chest when Charles
charged at him at some point Lori Tyler and JJ got into the car and left Lori takes JJ to school and she comes back
later with Tyler police body cam caught the moment Tyler's face was blurred because she was
a minor how long have you lived here like three weeks oh geez yeah okay that's why the neighborhood gotcha like
Hi Neighbor sorry what was striking about the footage that we saw was that there's no remorse there's no
oh my gosh my husband's dead Lori Alex and Tyler were questioned at the police headquarters all told similar stories of
self-defense and were sent home three days later Chad and Lori were exchanging steamy texts here's FBI agent
Doug Hart reading one on the stand I need so badly to just gently kiss you for hours it would likely lead to other
activities likely or luckily it would luckily lead to nakedness but prosecutors say the lovers were in
for a big surprise they were about to find out that Charles had changed the beneficiary of that one million dollar
life insurance policy here's Detective Nathan Duncan reading Lori's text to Chad after she found out
I just got the letter from the insurance company saying that I am not the beneficiary
it's a spear through my heart this is one of the strongest points that prosecutors have made is that Lori was
motivated by money she wanted Charles's money according to prosecutors Lori started
drawing the Social Security death benefits JJ received from his father Charles vallo
she moved with her two kids to Rexburg Idaho not far from where Chad dabell lived with his wife Tammy Lori's brother
Alex Cox her designated Defender moved into the same complex he was there to take care of the
problems prosecutors alleged Laurie's first problem was her 16 year old daughter Tyler Ryan
according to zilema Lori told her that a demon named Hillary had taken over tylie's body now if somebody is
possessed by a demon are those people dangerous they're considered to be darkened to
bring only bad things to happen yeah so yes would be dangerous these are the last known pictures of Tyler Ryan on
September 8 2019 she was with Lori JJ and Alex at Yellowstone National Park the 16 year old was never seen again
Tyler was JJ's protector once she was gone JJ had nobody he had nobody to protect
him or watch out for him just two weeks later JJ Velo went missing this photo of JJ wearing red
pajamas was taken on September 22nd 2019. it is the last known photo of him Melanie Gibb who was staying at Lori's
house that evening says she saw Alex take JJ upstairs she believes to Lori's room but the little boy was nowhere to
be seen the next morning is that when she told you JJ was a zombie yes Melanie Gibb told prosecutors Alex Cox
believed JJ was a zombie as well he said he 100 believed it according to their religious teachings
a zombie had to be killed the body had to die and the body count was climbing according to prosecutors Lori and Chad
had identified another evil spirit in the way what we learned from witness after witness is that Chad told some
people that his wife was not going to be around much longer and that he was going
to have a life before Tammy and a life after Tammy [Music] [Music] foreign the week after JJ was last seen and two
months before the world would learn that the children were missing Lori was planning her fifth wedding
at trial prosecutors called an FBI specialist to the stand did you learn whether or not there was ever a
successful purchase of wedding rings there were on October 2nd 2019. there was just one problem Chad was
still married to Tammy dabell but that was about to change Garth dabel is one of five day Bell children
if I was asleep and I heard a thumb and heard my dad yell Garth Garth come quick
Garth found his mother 49 year old Tammy dabell lying half on the bed half on the
floor and just ran over and picked her up and put her back on the bed I had said to my dad I said I think she's
dead [Music] the corridor initially determined Tammy died of natural causes and the family
declined an autopsy [Music] Chad's neighbor Alice Gilbert testified that a week later he had already moved
on we asked him how he was doing and he said actually I'm doing really good and that he'd met the woman he was going
to marry did you find did it surprise you that he seemed to be doing so well yes we were shocked
Alex and her husband Todd Gilbert met Lori shortly after they came to the house and his arm was
around her and she was giggling and laughing and they look like teenagers Alice says the conversation turned to
Children then Chad said and she recently just lost a daughter so I told her oh I'm sorry and she said
thank you this is significant because at that time Lori is still telling her sister and
everybody else that the kids were okay this is like a slip up an early slip up an admission against interest here
it did not seem to worry Chad and Lori on their big day 17 days after Tammy dabell's death there was Lori dancing on
the beach in Hawaii as her new husband strummed his ukulele exchanging those Reigns according to investigators the
cost of the wedding trip was courtesy of the groom's dead wives life insurance little do they know that the clock is
now ticking soon after the newlyweds returned to Idaho the Rexburg police came knocking
on Lori's door Looking for JJ his grandmother Kay Woodcock had asked authorities to do a
welfare check the conversation was recorded on the officer's body cam here's Laurie talking about JJ he's with
one of my friends in Arizona who's the friend he's with my friend Chad called that friend Melanie Gibb who
testified he asked her not to pick up the phone when the police called later she says Lori asked her to lie and tell
the police that JJ was staying with her in Arizona and I felt in a very weird and
uncomfortable position and I really did not know what to do at first Melanie Gibb wasn't forthcoming
to the police but 12 days later she made a call to Lori and Chad and secretly recorded it
it is JJ's safe he is safe and happy Chad said they couldn't tell her where JJ was for her
own security [Music] Melody handed that secret recording to authorities and investigators launched a
nationwide search but not just for JJ they would soon learn that his big sister Tyler was also missing a search
for two children from Idaho listen up you may know something the children mysteriously disappeared
it was huge news especially to Laurie's new stepchildren when did you know that she had two kids
I first heard of her children when a detective came to my work and asked me about them I had never heard of them
before that point so even after your father Weds Lori you didn't know that there were two kids in the picture at
that point I did not as the hunt for the children intensified Lori and Chad again headed to Hawaii but
the honeymoon was over here Kawaii authorities caught up with Lori by the pool she would be arrested on
child abandonment charges and extradited to Idaho [Music] please be seated Chad the loyal Husband by her side
but now Chad himself was Under Suspicion with the children missing that's when the police took a closer look at the
death of Tammy [Music] her body had been exhumed on December 11 2019. the Utah State medical examiner
immediately saw bruising on her body and he determined that Tammy died of asphyxiation
the medical examiner testified that that bruising was consistent with somebody being restrained
meaning she was held down and suffocated Alex's wife zulema pasteles says that when she heard about Tammy she started
pressing Alex for Answers by then she says Lori and Chad had cut Alex off here she is on the stand talking about when
she asked Alex what was happening what did he say he was very quiet and unresponsive and then he said I think
I'm being their Fall Guy I said Fall Guy for what what is it that that you have done what what have you
done that you would be the Fall Guy for and then he said either I am a man of God or I am not
here's the prosecutor addressing that mysterious statement what exactly Alex meant by this or what
he knew we may never know because Alex Cox died the next day on December 12th of 2019.
and a truth is Stranger Than Fiction plot twist the man Lori and Chad designated her Defender her brother Alex
Cox suddenly dropped dead an autopsy determined of natural causes that was a jaw-dropping moment right before his
death it does look like Alex was second guessing what he had done and why Chad and Lori had asked him to do what he did
they say dead men don't talk but this one did Alex Cox's cell phone harbored a tale of Horrors waiting to be discovered
in Chad dabel's backyard and it would give prosecutors the evidence they had been waiting for
[Music] on June 9 2020 law enforcement descended on Chad Abel's backyard according to the
prosecution Alex Cox's cell phone data placed him here for two hours the day after Tyler Ryan was last seen
authorities later discovered her remains in this same spot it was an area the dabel family once
used as a pet cemetery it now contained Tyler's badly burned remains she had been dismembered detective Ray hermosio
took the stand and described finding what was left of Tyler there was a partial human skull underneath
the melted bucket Alex's cell phone led them to another section of the yard about 50 yards away under a shade tree
investigators started digging they removed a layer of rocks beneath the Rocks they found wooden planks below
that a layer of black plastic one of the crime scene investigators cut a hole in
the top of this plastic and beneath the black plastic was some white plastic like plastic bag and they cut through
that and that's when we were able to see what appeared to be brown human hair sticking out from the white plastic
it was JJ he was still dressed in his red pajamas and covered head to toe in duct tape
several layers of duct tape from his chin to his forehead area his arms were duct taped with several
layers of duct tape his feet were also duct taped and bound forensic pathologist Garth Warren
testified how JJ had died I determined the cause of death to be asphyxia my plastic bag over the head and duct
tape covering the mouth it's unimaginable what his last minutes of Life were like
experts couldn't determine Tyler's cause of death because of the condition of her
remains but prosecutors alleged the way in which both children were killed aligned with Chad and Laurie's teachings
about demons and zombies the Lemma testifies that if they're trying to cast a demon or a zombie out of somebody
there's two minutes after the casting where another demon can enter that person and the only way to prevent that
is to burn the person or bind them Tyler was burned JJ was bound despite all the talk of zombies and
demons prosecutors argued that Lori's true motive to murder her kids was much more mundane Kylie had already lost her
father and she received Social Security benefits because of that Tyler had money
Lori wanted it Tyler's gone JJ also was entitled to Social Security benefits the defendant didn't want to have to
take care of JJ anymore she wanted the money JJ's gone while the prosecution's case was mostly circumstantial DNA
matching Tyler's profile was found on a shovel and pickaxe in a garage on the Debo property a forensic specialist
testified they also found a finger and palm print belonging to Alex Cox on one of the black plastic bags that covered
JJ investigators also found one strand of hair that was stuck in the tape that was
around the bag DNA showed that that hair belonged to Lori valo that's significant because that's really
the only physical evidence they have that ties Lori to JJ at the time of his death some of
the most powerful testimony and the prosecution's case came from Lori's own family they played an emotional
jailhouse phone call between Lori and her only surviving child son Kobe Ryan you ripped my heart out and you ripped
out everyone's heart then Laurie's sister summer schifflett took the stand she told prosecutors that
she believed Lori when she told her the children were safe did that change yes why
I felt line too and my trust in my sister was broken prosecutors played a jailhouse phone
call between summer and Lori after the children's bodies were found [Music] this phone call is painful to listen to
summer is screaming at Lori [Music] that's what I thought Lord [Music] I don't know you
toward the end of its case the prosecution put on Lori's former friend Audrey baratero
she delivered some of the most damning testimony of the trial she threatened to kill me okay
did she say how yes she said that she would cut me huh something about that she wasn't in the
mental place to do that whether she would get herself in that place to be able to do it
but that she didn't want to have to because it'd be so messy so much blood I think that the bleach and something
about trash bags and that she would marry me worse would ever find me Audrey baratero's testimony is critical
because this is a first-hand description of Lori being ruthless with the threat to kill her this is the first time
anyone in Lori's group of friends really described her as being capable of killing
on cross the defense aggressively tried to discredit baratero's testimony so you
now want the jury to believe that even though you previously testified under oath and nothing of this sort was talked
about that you come here today and say you're so scared that's why you didn't previously testify about it objection
you're on our argumentative it's overruled what was your question you want the jury
to believe that you did just didn't make this last crap up I did not make it up after 60 Witnesses and four weeks of
testimony the prosecution rested its case the defense declined to call any Witnesses
your honor after consultation with my client we don't believe the state has proven its
case so the defense rests each side would get a last chance to persuade the jury
in closing arguments on May 11 2023 defense attorney Jim Archibald stood before the jury and argued for his
client's innocence who is Lori Ballo what happened where did it happen when did it happen
why did it happen that's what you've been asked to figure out Archibald painted a picture of Lori as a
devoted mother someone not capable of murder he pointed to this early testimony from Lori's sister summer
schifflett I think Lori was a loving mother and Tyler adored her mother are you ever concerned about the safety
of Tyler around Lori no would you ever imagine your sister wanting to kill her kids
no he also directed The Jury to this testimony from Lori's son Kobe Ryan you said my mom has spent her whole life
protecting us kids yes after she met Chad day Bell she changed I don't remember but yes you never once
thought your mom would hurt someone is that fair to say yes Archibald argued that there is no
evidence tying Lori to the murders of tiley or JJ and he said that hair stuck on the duct tape used to wrap JJ's body
means nothing Lori was Raising JJ JJ was living at Laurie's house the defense can
easily argue that that hair could have gotten on JJ for a hundred reasons none of them having anything to do with
murder instead Archibald shifted the blame towards Lori's husband Chad dabel and her brother Alex Cox I remember all
the GPS data Laurie's not in the backyard when Chad and Alex are she's not there there's not one Smoking
Gun that ties Lori to any of these murders and in order to explain Lori's lies to the police while the children
were missing Archibald suggested that Lori was manipulated by Chad how can someone have that much control
over you reason and common sense just go out the window sometimes when religious
principles are involved Laurie sees Chad as if Chad is Jesus Chad sold his Spiel to Lori and she
bought it and about Tammy dabel's death the defense question whether that was even a
crime was she even murdered is it a natural death all they need to do is raise a couple of questions in a couple
of the jurors but prosecutor Rob wood would get the last word Lori's lies tell us she's guilty the innocent don't
mean to lie the guilty lie don't let Lori pin this all on one other person she was 100 involved in this
you must convict her when the case went to the jury they deliberated for seven hours over the
course of two days before returning with a verdict the Corp shared video of Lori
valadebell as she learned her fate the defendant would please rise right man because Laurie Noreen Balo not
guilty or guilty of first-degree murder of Kylie run s her guilty in regards to count for the amended
indictment is Lori Narine Bellow not guilty or guilty of first degree murder of Joshua Jackson ballow
uncert guilty in regards to count five of the amended indictment is Lori Noreen vallo not guilty or guilty of conspiracy
to commit or stream murder of Tamara Tammy davil answered guilty guilty on all counts
Lori appeared emotionless she will be sentenced at a later date JJ's grandparents Larry and K Woodcock
exited the courthouse the crowd outside greeted them by singing JJ's favorite song We Will Rock You
[Music] thank you Larry Woodcock had been playing the song while awaiting the verdict
love always wins JJ I love you Papa Papa wish you were here Tyler loves you Tammy you are part of our life
my heart hurts for these three this is what this has been all about why Lori why Lori
why power sex and greed for what for what it's been nearly four years since the world lost highly a freckle-faced
teenager her baby brother JJ and Tammy a mother of five we'll never know the lives they would
have gone on to live but we do know what they left behind happy family their smiles
their laughter their Grace [Music] an intruder came into her house and attacked her stabbing her repeatedly a
woman's Iron Will there's no earthly reason why I'm alive none and the thin line between life and death the amount
of strength that goes into that is just unimaginable 48 hours Saturday on CBS and streaming on Paramount Plus

A jury in Idaho found Lori Vallow Daybell guilty on all charges, including the murders of her two children and conspiracy to commit murder in the death of her husband's first wife. "48 Hours" contributor Jonathan Vigliotti takes you inside the case that gripped the nation. Watch more full episodes of "48 Hours" on Pluto TV.

Case update: On May 30,. 20204, Chad Daybell was convicted of first-degree murder in the deaths of his first wife, Tammy Daybell, 7-year-old Joshua "JJ" Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan, two children of his current wife, Lori Vallow Daybell. He was also found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder in his wife's death, conspiracy to commit murder in the deaths of JJ and Tylee, and insurance fraud.

Crime. Social justice. Impact. "48 Hours" investigates the most intriguing crime and justice cases that touch on all areas of the human experience including greed and passion. "48 Hours," which premiered in 1988, has developed a rich history of original reporting and impact journalism that has helped exonerate wrongly convicted people, caused cold cases to be reopened and solved, and along the way changed lives.

Brief Summary

Lori Vallow Daybell's trial reveals shocking details about her children's murders and her manipulative relationship with Chad Daybell.

Key points

Chad Daybell's Beliefs. Chad Daybell believed some people were zombies and needed to be killed to release their spirits.
The Disappearance of JJ and Tylee. Lori Vallow's children mysteriously disappeared in late 2019, leading to a nationwide search.
Lori's Transformation. Friends noticed a shift in Lori's relationship with her children around 2017, coinciding with her interest in Chad Daybell's teachings.
The Murder of Charles Vallow. Lori's estranged husband, Charles Vallow, was shot dead by her brother Alex Cox in July 2019.
Tammy Daybell's Mysterious Death. Tammy Daybell's death was initially ruled natural causes but later revealed signs of foul play.
JJ's Discovery. Investigators uncover a body wrapped in plastic, revealing a tragic fate.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

I feel like she's kind of a monster.

2:49WatchMay 16, 2023

Tension

85/ 100High tension

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