CrimeOnline’s Nancy Grace will be following the proceedings live exclusively at Fox Nation.
“Cult mom” Lori Vallow denied that she killed her children or conspired to kill her husband’s previous wife, Tammy Daybell, during the sentencing phase of her murder trial Monday, before an Idaho judge sentenced her.
As CrimeOnline reported, Idaho District Court Judge Steven Boyce sentenced Vallow to life without parole for the murder her children, Tylee Ryan, 15, and Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 7, and conspiring to murder Tammy Daybell.
Both children wee found dead in shallow graves on Chad Daybell’s Rexburg, Idaho, property in 2020, nine months after they were reported missing. Tammy Daybell was found murdered in her bed in 2019.
Chad Daybell is Vallow’s fifth husband.
Vallow, who spoke on her own behalf before sentencing, read a Bible quote, breaking out in tears momentarily as she claimed to mourn her children who “rest safely in the arms of Jesus,” adding that Tammy Daybell is her eternal friend.
“Jesus Christ knows the truth of what happened here. Jesus Christ knows that no one was murdered in this case. Accidental deaths happen. Suicides happen. Fatal side effects from medications happen.”
“I have had many communications with Jesus Christ the savior of this world. Because of these communications, I know for a fact that my children are happy and busy in the spirit world… because of…communications with my friend Tammy Daybell, I know that she is also very happy and extremely busy,” she said.
Vallow also said that she passed away momentarily when she gave birth to Tylee, and experienced her spirit moving out of her body and into “her real home.”
“As I stood in heaven, I did not want to go back because I was peaceful and happy and home. But then I was told by Jesus that I needed to go back that I had covenanted or promised to do before I was born,” Vallow said.
“I knew heaven was my real home… I knew what I needed to do. I am homesick for Heaven everyday. Heaven is more wonderful than you can ever possibly imagine.”
Vallow added that JJ, who prosecutors said had been smothered with a plastic bag, came to her in spirit and told her, “you didn’t do anything wrong mom.”
She said Tylee, who was found dismembered and charred, lived a life of physical pain and emotional trauma from sexual abuse before she died, implying that the child’s death subsequently removed her from the trauma and pain.
“I am the only person on this earth who knows how much Tylee suffered in her life,” Vallow said. “She had pain every single day. She never felt good. Her body did not work right.”
Boyce, who said he didn’t agree with Vallow’s religious ideology that “God or any religion” would want children murdered, addressed Vallow directly prior to sentencing.
“You had so many other options – you could have gotten divorced. You could have found someone to take care of those kids,” Boyce said. “You killed those children to remove them as obstacles and profit financially. You justified all this to go down a bizarre religious rabbit hole and clearly you are still there.”
“I don’t think you have any remorse for the effort and heartache you caused.”
Boyce added that is was “the most shocking thing” that a “mother killed her own children and you simply have no remorse for it — even sitting here today, there’s no remorse for what you did.”
“You may not believe to this day that you’ve done anything wrong. But I don’t believe that any god in any religion would want to have this happen, what happened here. And your crimes are heinous and egregious and that alone and constitute a major aggravating factor.”
Vallow Daybell received the following sentences, to be served consecutively:
- Tylee Ryan’s first-degree murder: Life without parole
- conspiracy: Life without parole
- J.J. Vallow’s first-degree murder: Life without parole
- conspiracy: Life without parole
- Conspiring Tammy Daybell’s first-degree murder: Life without parole
- Grand theft by deception (2 counts): 5-10 years in prison
Chad Daybell, is facing the same charges but he has not yet stood trial.
Vallow was convicted in May. She did not take the stand, nor did her legal team call any witnesses. The defense abruptly rested their case after claiming that they wanted the charges dismissed because prosecutors failed to prove their case. Judge Steven Boyce denied the motion, meaning the jury weighed the case without any testimony from the defense’s witnesses.
Prosecutors said that Vallow Daybell killed her two kids in September 2019 but never reported them missing so she could still receive their Social Security payments. Within weeks of Tammy Daybell’s suspicious death in October 2019, she and Chad Daybell got married in Hawaii.
“Well, make it count for Lori Vallow that Tylee Ryan will never go to college. That her remains were buried and put in a bucket. Make it count for Lori Vallow that JJ Vallow, a boy with special needs, had a plastic bag over his head and fought for his life,” prosecutor Rob Wood said during closing arguments. “And make it count for Lori that Tammy Daybell had to die so Lori could get to that money.”
For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast. Listen to the latest episode:
[Feature Photo: JJ and Tylee/Family Handouts]
