Moment Lori Vallow sentenced to life in prison with no parole for murders of her children
“Cult mom” Lori Vallow has been sentenced to life in prison with no parole for the murders of her two children in a dramatic case that gripped the nation.
Vallow, 50, was convicted in May of killing her seven-year-old son Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 16-year-old daughter Tylee Ryan, who vanished without a trace in September 2019. She was also found guilty of conspiring to kill her husband Chad Daybell’s first wife, Tammy, who died in October 2019.
The verdict came after prosecutors convinced a jury that Vallow and Mr Daybell conspired with her brother Alex Cox to murder Tammy, JJ and Tylee as part of their bizarre cult beliefs – but also for financial purposes so that they could collect Tammy’s life insurance money and the children’s social security and survivor benefits.
Before the sentence was handed down, the court heard victim impact statements from several family members devastated by the harrowing saga that’s seen countless twists and turns over four years.
To the surprise of many, Vallow spoke herself and appeared to show no remorse for the deaths of her children and Tammy, claiming they were “busy” and “happy” in heaven.
She appeared emotionless as the sentence was handed down.
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Lori Vallow gives court statement as she faces life in prison
Oliver O’Connell31 July 2023 22:00
Voices: Lori Vallow finally broke her silence at the sentencing. It was too late
Lori stunned the court when she made an unprecedented move to defend herself publicly for the first time. At her sentencing on 31 July, Lori sobbed in a bizarre statement where she denied that any murders took place and insisted that her victims are “very happy”.
Having followed this tragic case in near-obsessive detail, I could spend endless hours analysing each line of her sentencing statement. But perhaps the most important aspect is that it came far, far too late; her fate was already sealed by the years of silence that preceded it.
Oliver O’Connell31 July 2023 21:44
Full story: A doomsday cult, murders and children buried in a pet cemetery
Rachel Sharp delves into the deeply disturbing tale of murders, unexplained deaths and apocalyptic cult beliefs about killing zombies which surround Lori Vallow and her doomsday author husband Chad Daybell.
What we know about the Lori Vallow Daybell ‘doomsday cult’ murder case
As ‘cult mom’ Lori Vallow faces sentencing for the deaths of her children and her spouse’s first wife, Rachel Sharp delves into the deeply disturbing tale of murders, unexplained deaths and apocalyptic cult beliefs about killing zombies which surround her and her doomsday author husband Chad Daybell
Oliver O’Connell31 July 2023 21:30
Listen: Family give emotional impact statements as Lori Vallow sentenced
Oliver O’Connell31 July 2023 21:00
What drove Vallow to kill?
Rachel Sharp reports on the thirst for power, money, and sex that drove Lori Vallow to kill.
Oliver O’Connell31 July 2023 20:30
‘Monster’ Lori Vallow is confronted by victims’ sobbing families at sentencing
“Cult mom” Lori Vallow was confronted by her victims’ sobbing family members at her sentencing hearing where they branded her a “monster” and described her 1,841-day “cruel campaign of terror”.
Sitting slouched cross-legged at the defence table, Vallow kept her head down and refused to look her victims’ devastated family members in the eyes as they gave heartwrenching impact statements to the court.
Oliver O’Connell31 July 2023 20:00
Vallow has the right to appeal to the Idaho Supreme Court within 42 days.
Vallow appeared to show no emotion according to those in court.
Oliver O’Connell31 July 2023 19:37
Vallow will never be free again.
Three of her life sentences will run consecutively.
Oliver O’Connell31 July 2023 19:35
Lori Vallow sentenced to life with no parole
Vallow is sentenced to life imprisonment with no possibility of parole for the murders of her children, Tylee and JJ.
She is also sentenced to life imprisonment with no possibility of parole for the three conspiracy charges of conspiracy to murder her children and Tammy Daybell.
Vallow is also sentenced to five years fixed, and five years indeterminate for the grand theft charge.
Oliver O’Connell31 July 2023 19:32
“You may not believe to this day that you’ve done anything wrong but I don’t believe a God in any religion would want to have this happened what happened here.”
Oliver O’Connell31 July 2023 19:28
