The Vallow–Daybell murders were a series of killings – including child murder, filicide, and spousal murder – committed by American couple Lori Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell. Chad and Lori led a small, apocalyptic religious group that was described in the media as a doomsday cult. Media coverage initially focused on the pair's religious beliefs, but investigations revealed that the murders also had a financial motive. Ultimately, Chad, Lori, and Lori's brother, Alex Cox, killed four people and attempted to kill another.
At the time of the murders, Chad and Lori were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, their beliefs had deviated significantly from mainstream Mormonism. Chad, an apocalyptic author and publisher, claimed to have visions of the future and prophesied that the world would end in July 2020. Lori, dubbed "Doomsday Mom" in later media coverage, adopted his fringe beliefs; she became convinced that she was a deity destined to play a role in the coming apocalypse and that her family was obstructing her mission.
The killings began in July 2019, when Cox shot Lori's estranged husband, Charles Vallow. Lori's daughter Tylee Ryan and adopted son J.J. Vallow were last seen alive in September 2019, near their home in Rexburg, Idaho. Their remains were found on June 9, 2020, on a property owned by Chad. In October 2019, Lori's nephew-in-law Brandon Boudreaux survived a murder attempt, just weeks before Daybell's wife, Tammy, was murdered at their Rexburg home. Lori and Chad married two weeks after her death.
The case was set in motion by the children's disappearances. In late November 2019, after police questioned Lori about J.J.'s whereabouts, she and Chad abruptly vacated their homes in Idaho and left for Hawaii. As police searched for J.J., they discovered that Tylee was also missing. A connection was then made between the children's disappearance, the deaths of Charles and Tammy, and the murder attempt on Brandon Boudreaux. On February 20, 2020, Lori was arrested for desertion and non-support of her children. The discovery of their remains on June 9 the same year led to Chad's arrest. Cox, who the authorities believe to have participated in all crimes, died before he could be arrested. On May 25, 2021, Chad and Lori were charged with the first-degree murders of Tylee, J.J., and Tammy. Prosecutors said that the couple had conspired with Cox to commit the murders in part due to their apocalyptic beliefs, but also to remove obstacles to their affair and to collect life insurance money and the children's Social Security benefits.
Lori and Chad were tried separately. Lori was found guilty of all charges related to the killings of Tylee, J.J., and Tammy, and given multiple life sentences without the possibility of parole. Chad was also found guilty of all charges and sentenced to death. After her sentencing in Idaho, Lori was extradited to Arizona to stand trial there twice, for the murder and attempted murder of Charles Vallow and Brandon Boudreaux, respectively. She was again found guilty and given two additional life sentences. Both Chad and Lori have appealed their sentencings.
