In a highly anticipated trial, Lori Vallow Daybell, known for her apocalyptic religious beliefs, faces closing arguments in Arizona on charges of conspiracy to murder her estranged husband, Charles Vallow, in Chandler, a suburb of Phoenix. Opting to represent herself, Vallow Daybell plans to conclude her defense without presenting witnesses or evidence. The prosecution contends that she and her brother, Alex Cox, plotted the murder to benefit from Charles Vallow’s life insurance and to facilitate her marriage to Chad Daybell, an Idaho author of religious novels.
Alex Cox, who claimed self-defense in the fatal shooting of Charles Vallow, died five months after the incident from a reported blood clot. His self-defense claim has been scrutinized, and Vallow Daybell has pleaded not guilty. A conviction could result in a life sentence, with eligibility for release not possible until at least 25 years are served.
During opening statements, Vallow Daybell recounted that Charles Vallow pursued her with a bat, leading to the alleged self-defense shooting by her brother. This Arizona trial follows her conviction in Idaho for the murder of her two youngest children and for conspiring to kill a romantic adversary, resulting in a life sentence.
Last week, Adam Cox, another brother, provided testimony for the prosecution, asserting both Vallow Daybell and Alex Cox were responsible for Charles Vallow’s death. Adam Cox indicated that an intervention was being planned to reconcile Vallow Daybell with the mainstream doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He noted that before his death, Vallow Daybell had declared Charles Vallow dead and possessed by a ‘zombie.’
Before his demise, Charles Vallow had initiated divorce proceedings, accusing Vallow Daybell of obsession with near-death experiences and claiming past lives on other planets. He alleged threats to his life and financial ruin and sought a mental health evaluation for her.
The trial for Charles Vallow’s murder is the first of two criminal proceedings in Arizona involving Vallow Daybell. She is also slated for trial in June on charges of conspiring to murder Brandon Boudreaux, the ex-husband of her niece, Melani Pawlowski.