Lori Vallow sentencing - live: ‘Cult mom’ gets life in prison after claiming murder victims are ‘very happy’

“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.

Key points

• Lori Vallow sentenced for doomsday cult murders

• Victims’ families deliver impact statements in court

• Vallow speaks ahead of sentencing

• Did a doomsday cult really drive Lori Vallow to kill her children

• Voices — Lori Vallow finally broke her silence at the sentencing. It was too late

Lori Vallow: Mom-of-three, beauty queen – and convicted killer

05:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Mother of three, former game show contestant, a Mrs Texas Beauty Pageant entrant, a cult follower... and now a convicted killer...

Who is Lori Vallow? Mom-of-three, beauty queen – and convicted killer

Vallow breaks silence in bizarre sentencing statement

04:30 , Oliver O'Connell

A sobbing Lori Vallow shockingly claimed that “no one was murdered” as she broke her silence for the first time over the horrific murders of her two children and her lover’s wife in a chilling statement at sentencing.

In the bizarre remarks, the so-called “cult mom” read out a Bible quote, spoke of visiting “heaven” and continued to channel her doomsday cult beliefs while claiming “I have had many communications with Jesus Christ”.

While her victims’ loved ones were forced to listen in horror, she claimed that she had communicated with her murdered children Tylee Ryan and Joshua “JJ” Vallow as well as “her friend” Tammy Daybell from beyond the grave – and that they are “very happy”.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Lori Vallow claims ‘no one was murdered’ in bizarre sentencing statement

Timeline of ‘doomsday cult mom’ mystery case

03:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Here’s a timeline of the tragic and bizarre case:

Timeline of the Lori Vallow Daybell story

All the key revelations from Lori Vallow’s murder trial

02:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Rachel Sharp explains the most crucial moments so far in her high-profile trial, which ended with Vallow’s conviction for the murder of her two youngest children.

Lori Vallow case summary: Key revelations from ‘cult mom’s’ murder trial

Why one of Vallow’s accomplices will never face justice

01:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Rachel Sharp reports on how Alex Cox can never be brought to justice having dropped dead as the net closed in on the doomsday cult killings.

So was he an equal co-conspirator or was he – as he feared – Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell’s ‘fall guy’?

Lori Vallow had two alleged murder accomplices. One will never face justice

What happens next now that Lori Vallow has been sentenced to a life behind bars?

Monday 31 July 2023 23:30 , Oliver O'Connell

“Doomsday cult mom” Lori Vallow will spend the remainder of her days in prison after being convicted of the murders of her two children and conspiracy to murder her new husband’s first wife in a case that has horrified the nation for the last three years.

While her fate may mark the culmination of a chilling case that spans bizarre cult beliefs, missing children, murder and mystery deaths, the saga is still far from over.

Here’s what’s coming next in the shocking case:

Lori Vallow has been sentenced to life in prison. What happens next?

Vallow is ‘misunderstood’ and ‘all about love’, defence claims

Monday 31 July 2023 23:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Lori Vallow’s attorney claimed that the “cult mom” who murdered her two children and conspired to kill her new lover’s wife is “misunderstood” and is actually “all about love” as he asked the judge for leniency at her sentencing hearing.

Defence claims Lori Vallow is ‘misunderstood’ and ‘all about love’ at sentencing

Monday 31 July 2023 22:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Full story: Vallow sentenced to life in prison for murders of two children and Chad Daybell’s wife

Monday 31 July 2023 22:30 , Oliver O'Connell

“Cult mom” Lori Vallow will now spend the rest of her life behind bars for the murders of her two youngest children and conspiracy to kill her new husband Chad Daybell’s first wife, bringing some sort of conclusion to the disturbing case that shook America to its core.

‘Cult mom’ Lori Vallow sentenced to life in prison for children’s murders

Monday 31 July 2023 22:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Voices: Lori Vallow finally broke her silence at the sentencing. It was too late

Monday 31 July 2023 21:44 , Oliver O'Connell

Megan Sheets writes:

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.

Read on...

Lori Vallow finally broke her silence. It was too late

Full story: A doomsday cult, murders and children buried in a pet cemetery

Monday 31 July 2023 21:30 , Oliver O'Connell

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

Monday 31 July 2023 21:00 , Oliver O'Connell

What drove Vallow to kill?

Monday 31 July 2023 20:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Rachel Sharp reports on the thirst for power, money, and sex that drove Lori Vallow to kill.

Did a doomsday cult really drive Lori Vallow to murder her children?

‘Monster’ Lori Vallow is confronted by victims’ sobbing families at sentencing

Monday 31 July 2023 20:00 , Oliver O'Connell

“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”.

The 50-year-old convicted killer appeared in Fremont County Courthouse in Idaho on Monday morning to be sentenced for the murders of her two youngest children Tylee Ryan, 16, and Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 7, and conspiracy to murder her new husband Chad Daybell’s first wife Tammy Daybell.

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.

Rachel Sharp reports.

‘Monster’ Lori Vallow is confronted by victims’ sobbing families at sentencing

Monday 31 July 2023 19:37 , Oliver O'Connell

Vallow has the right to appeal to the Idaho Supreme Court within 42 days.

The hearing concludes.

Vallow appeared to show no emotion according to those in court.

Monday 31 July 2023 19:35 , Oliver O'Connell

Vallow will never be free again.

Three of her life sentences will run consecutively.

Lori Vallow sentenced to life with no parole

Monday 31 July 2023 19:32 , Oliver O'Connell

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.

‘Cult mom’ Lori Vallow sentenced to life in prison for children’s murders

Monday 31 July 2023 19:28 , Oliver O'Connell

“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.”

Monday 31 July 2023 19:27 , Oliver O'Connell

“Tammy Daybell was murdered as a result of your conspiracy. She was by all accounts a happy, healthy mother and wife and you were out shopping for wedding rings to marry her husband while she was still alive. You were planning a wedding. You haven’t shown any remorse for any of your actions.”

“JJ and Tylee’s lives were cut way too short because of you...It is a loss for everyone that you took them away from this world. It is the most shocking things I can imagine that a mother killed their own children and you simply have no remorse for it. There is no remorse for what you did.”

Monday 31 July 2023 19:26 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Boyce says she used the “blood money” from the deaths of her children to fund a new life in Hawaii as the search for her children went on.

He notes: “You wanted to be excused and not have to watch the evidence and were find to let everyone else in the courtroom — including the jurors — sit through that.”

While commending the jury for keeping their emotions in check, he observes that they had disgust on their faces when they saw pictures of Lori and Chad in Hawaii while her children were buried in shallow graves.

There are images he will never get out of his mind and he was just seeing pictures whereas law enforcement had to see all this in person.

Monday 31 July 2023 19:23 , Oliver O'Connell

“You came here from east Idaho where I’ve spent my life and came here from somewhere else to make your children disappear. You removed your children, alienated them from friends and family. You moved to Rexburg — a community where you could find 1,000 random families to take your children — and you brought them here to murder them. You had so many other options. You chose the most evil and destructive path possible. 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.”

Monday 31 July 2023 19:21 , Oliver O'Connell

“Having considered all the evidence I saw at trial, it’s been a difficult task for me to narrow down and articulate all the aggravating factors because there are so many here.”

Monday 31 July 2023 19:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Boyce continues: “You’ve been convicted of and committed the more serious crimes possible and those crimes deserve the most serious punishment.”

Monday 31 July 2023 19:16 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Boyce explains the factors he considers in handing down a sentence including the likelihood to re-offend, time served, and her life story.

He adds that he also considered Vallow’s mental health and notes that she has been diagnosed with mental disorders and her own family has said she is not the person they knew. The change occurred when she met Chad Daybell.

Monday 31 July 2023 19:11 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Boyce says that he has reviewed Vallow’s criminal history and she has none except two pending charges in Arizona.

“It is somewhat incredible in this case seeing you have gone from no criminal history in your life to first-degree murder charges and additional counts in another state.”

Judge Boyce adds that she did not cooperate in the pre-sentencing investigation that left him without information that could have assisted in the report.

Monday 31 July 2023 19:08 , Oliver O'Connell

Vallow refers to Tammy as her “eternal” and “wonderful” friend.

She says they are all resting in the arms of Jesus and she looks forward to the day they are together in the arms of Jesus.

Vallow finishes her remarks to the court.

Monday 31 July 2023 19:07 , Oliver O'Connell

Vallow says Tylee is free of pain now and her daughter was often in pain during her life.

“I am the only person on this earth who knows how much Tylee suffered in her life,” she says as she starts to cry.

“She had pain every single day. She never felt good. Her body did not work right.”

Vallow adds that Tylee and JJ have visited her and told her she did nothing wrong.

She says JJ appeared as an adult spirit and was very tall.

“He is busy, he is engaged and he is happy where he is. JJ’s life was short and it was meaningful.”

Monday 31 July 2023 19:02 , Oliver O'Connell

Vallow says she is homesick for heaven.

Monday 31 July 2023 19:01 , Oliver O'Connell

Vallow tells the court she briefly died in labour in Tylee and was in the spirit world and has been in communication with Jesus.

Lori Vallow address the court

Monday 31 July 2023 19:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Vallow decides to address the court ahead of sentencing.

She begins by quoting John 8:7 “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast the stone.”

“Jesus knows me. and Jesus Understands me. I mourn with all of you who mourn my children and Tammy. Jesus Christ knows the truth. Jesus Christ knows no one was murdered in this case. Accidental deaths happened. Suicides happened. Fatal side effects of medications happened.”

Monday 31 July 2023 18:55 , Oliver O'Connell

“We collectively have saved the life of Lori,” says Mr Thomas, saying they shouldn’t take credit for death being taken off as it was a collective effort that led to the court’s decision.

Mr Thomas gets emotional and says saving her life is a win for all humanity. They ask for life. If the court chooses we can give her a fixed term to serve and after deliberation, we would ask to sentence her to 20 year fixed term with an indeterminate term of life.

Why give her any hope at all, he asks, adding that it’s not about her. He argues that giving her hope is for all of us saying her hope will benefit society. If you give her life you will throw her away and there is no incentive to rehabilitate.

“If we give her a fixed term we protect her from society until her 70s and she helps other inmates and becomes a better person.”

Monday 31 July 2023 18:49 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Thomas argues that Vallow has redeeming qualities, that she is a misunderstood person, and that her overarching theme is about love.

“She has redeeming values. Kay Woodcock sang her praises today — that Lori was a great mom,” Mr Thomas says. “There’s a lot of confusion and misunderstanding about how this ultimately came to pass and that’s probably not going to change any time soon. There will be a lot confusion and misunderstanding for a while.”

Monday 31 July 2023 18:43 , Oliver O'Connell

“My heart aches - as does the rest of our team - for the victims. People are hurt. That hurt can sometimes be manifested as hate. I think Lori Daybell is the most hated woman in America right now and maybe in the world. That hate will never bring closure to the victims.”

Court resumes

Monday 31 July 2023 18:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Boyce is back on the bench and the defence is now giving its sentencing recommendations.

John Thomas is giving the recommendation and notes he used to be a prosecutor and understands the need for the state to prove the burden of proof in cases.

Monday 31 July 2023 18:29 , Oliver O'Connell

Monday 31 July 2023 18:10 , Oliver O'Connell

Monday 31 July 2023 17:57 , Oliver O'Connell

Court breaks for a 30 minute recess ahead of the defence team’s sentencing recommendation.

Monday 31 July 2023 17:54 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Wood asks that Vallow pay a $5,000 fine to the next of kin of the victims. He asks for restitution to be paid to the Department of Treasury — the money stolen in Social Security from the US Government.

The prosecution asks for $50,000 fines on each murder count, totalling $250,000. Mr Wood says the state has essentially asked for the maximum sentence under the law.

Monday 31 July 2023 17:50 , Oliver O'Connell