Arizona mum Lori Vallow’s two youngest children had been missing for nearly nine months when police rolled up at the Idaho property of her husband, Chad Daybell, on June 9, 2020. At the time, Vallow was in jail on charges of desertion after failing to explain the disappearance of her kids, Tylee, 17, and Joshua “J.J.” Jaxon, 7. And as police began a grim dig in the backyard of her husband’s ranch property, Vallow called Daybell to see if he was OK.
“They’re searching the property, so we’ll see what transpires,” said Daybell, a Christian preacher and doomsday author. “What do you want me to do?” replied Vallow. “Pray?”
For the children, it was too late for miracles. Later that day, police located their remains in separate shallow graves, confirming the couple’s crimes in a bizarre, tragic mystery that has captivated the US.
In a case involving at least five suspicious deaths and some strange spiritual beliefs, Vallow, 49, and Daybell, 54, were charged with multiple offences including the murders of the children – who the couple allegedly claimed had been possessed by “dark spirits”. They will be tried separately, with Vallow’s trial started on April 3.
“I think there will be more surprises at Lori’s trial,” documentary filmmaker Skye Borgman, who chronicled the couple’s extremist life in the Netflix series Sins of Our Mother, tells WHO. “But I don’t think we’ll have all of our questions answered.”
This story is from the May 01, 2023 edition of WHO.
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This story is from the May 01, 2023 edition of WHO.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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