Lori Vallow trial - live: Court hears JJ was suffocated with plastic bag after jail call ‘confession’ revealed
The trial of “doomsday cult mom” Lori Vallow is underway in Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho, where the mother-of-three is accused of killing her two youngest children and her new husband Chad Daybell’s first wife.
The 49-year-old is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy, and grand theft over the deaths of her daughter Tylee Ryan, 16, son Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 7, and Mr Daybell’s first wife Tammy, 49.
Tylee and JJ were last seen alive in September 2019. In June 2020, their remains were found buried on the Daybell property. Tammy died one month after their disappearance in October 2019.
There is huge interest in the case’s string of mysterious deaths and murders, and the related bizarre cult beliefs of those involved. Ms Vallow allegedly also conspired to murder her fourth husband Charles Vallow and is charged separately in a case in Arizona.
On Wednesday, jurors heard details of JJ and Tylee’s autopsies and their causes of death — he had been suffocated with a plastic bag, and she had been murdered by “unspecified means”.
Earlier, a recording of a devastating call between Ms Vallow and her sister appeared to include an admission she knew of the timing of her children’s deaths.
Key points
Did Lori Vallow accidentally make a key confession about Tylee and JJ’s deaths in jail call?
JJ vanished after ‘knocking over picture of Christ’
Lori Vallow’s chilling response to question about missing daughter
Cult mom told friend her husband needed to die to prepare for Second Coming
Lori Vallow trial hears emotional prison call with surviving son
‘You ripped my heart out’
08:30 , Oliver O'Connell
The Lori Vallow trial heard a recording of an emotional prison call with surviving son Colby Ryan after the discovery of the bodies of his siblings.
Lori Vallow trial hears gut-wrenching prison call with surviving son Colby Ryan
Vallow’s chilling internet searches and trove of burner phones revealed
07:30 , Oliver O'Connell
Chilling internet searches have revealed that “doomsday cult mom” Lori Vallow shopped for life insurance policies for her children two months before they were murdered and buried on her new lover Chad Daybell’s property.
Rachel Sharp has the details.
Cult mom Lori Vallow’s chilling internet searches revealed
Everything we know about the Lori Vallow Daybell ‘doomsday cult’ murder trial
05:30 , Oliver O'Connell
Rachel Sharp delves into the deeply disturbing tale of suspected murders, unexplained deaths and apocalyptic cult beliefs about killing zombies which surrounds Lori Vallow and her doomsday author husband Chad Daybell.
What we know about the Lori Vallow Daybell ‘doomsday cult’ murder trial
Vallow’s cousin reveals haunting fear about Tylee and JJ's murders
03:30 , Oliver O'Connell
Lori Vallow’s estranged cousin has revealed one of her most haunting fears about the murders for which the so-called “cult mom” is currently on trial.
Megan Eyden, whose father is Ms Vallow’s uncle, spoke out about the bombshell case in an interview with NewsNation’s Ashleigh Banfield aired Friday night.
Megan Sheets has the story.
Lori Vallow’s cousin reveals haunting fear about children’s murders
Vallow’s chilling response to question about missing daughter
01:30 , Oliver O'Connell
A former friend of Lori Vallow has revealed the “cult mom’s” chilling response after being confronted about her missing teen daughter.
Andrea Blanco reports on what she said.
Lori Vallow’s chilling response to question about missing Tylee revealed
Timeline of ‘doomsday cult mom’s’ mystery case
Wednesday 26 April 2023 23:30 , Oliver O'Connell
Rachel Sharp compiled a timeline of this complex case.
Timeline of the Lori Vallow Daybell case
Court adjourns for the day
Wednesday 26 April 2023 22:34 , Oliver O'Connell
Judge Boyce adjourns court for the day.
Dr Christiansen’s testimony will resume tomorrow morning when the trial resumes at 8.30am MT.
Wednesday 26 April 2023 22:33 , Oliver O'Connell
The locations of the sharp trauma injuries are centered around Tylee’s pelvis with one right above the public region.
This is especially inconsistent with dismemberment.
Wednesday 26 April 2023 22:26 , Oliver O'Connell
Dr Christensen explains bone trauma, saying there is blunt trauma, sharp trauma, and high-velocity trauma.
She identified sharp trauma on three of Tylee’s bones, on the left and right hip bones, and the back of her pelvis. The tool that caused this trauma would have a “small service area” with a beveled edge or point.
Dr Christiansen says sharp traumas from dismemberments occur around joints, but these traumas are not from dismemberment.
Wednesday 26 April 2023 22:21 , Oliver O'Connell
Photographs, images, and scans taken from the examination of Tylee’s bones are submitted into evidence and displayed to the court.
Dr Christiansen says she found evidence of “carnivore activity” on the back of Tylee’s femur.
The first photo is shown on the big screen. It shows portions of Tylee's left and right femur. On the backside of these bones is where Christensen found the carnivore activity.
— Nate Eaton (@NateNewsNow) April 26, 2023
Wednesday 26 April 2023 22:12 , Oliver O'Connell
Dr Christensen says her report shows at least one bone was bent at or around the time of death and there was extensive thermal damage.
Christensen says thermal damage was apparent on the bones, making them more brittle. The bones she examined were tanned and dark, evidence of burns. Some parts of the skeleton had more burn damage than others.
— Alex Caprariello (@alcaprari23) April 26, 2023
New witness: Dr Angi Christensen, FBI forensic anthropologist
Wednesday 26 April 2023 22:06 , Oliver O'Connell
The next witness for the prosecution is Dr Angi Christensen, a forensic anthropologist for the FBI who works in Quantico, Virginia.
She can give an in-depth examination of a skeleton but cannot determine the cause and manner of death of an individual. She would begin with a visual examination of the bones before progressing to the use of a microscope or X-rays.
The Ada County Coroner requested help from Dr Christensen. SHe did the initial visual assessment, measured the bones, looked at some items with a microscope, and did a CT scan of the bones.
Dr Christensen examined around 100 bones belonging to Tylee Ryan, representing all the major parts of the skeleton. They were fragmented and burned. Three bones had sharp edges as if impacted with a tool, others were bent.
Wednesday 26 April 2023 21:31 , Oliver O'Connell
Dr Warren is asked about the bruising on JJ’s arms and confirms that the bruises would have been inflicted either at or in the hours before death. A healing bruise from days before would be a different colour.
Thomas has no further questions for Dr Warren. He is dismissed but kept under subpoena in case he is needed again.
The court goes on its afternoon break.
Wednesday 26 April 2023 21:29 , Oliver O'Connell
There is a bizarre exchange in which Thomas says the theories he is putting forward are based on what he sees in movies...
Thomas is throwing out all kinds of theories. None of them make much sense with what we have seen. He tells the medical examiner they'll have to disagree. The witness says I guess we will. #lorivallow @LawCrimeNetwork
— Pretty Lies & Alibis🎙 (@PrettyLiesAlibi) April 26, 2023
Wednesday 26 April 2023 21:25 , Oliver O'Connell
Talking about JJ’s cause of death (asphyxia), Dr Warren is asked if he swabbed JJ’s sinuses, to which he says no; or his throat, to which he says “yes”.
Thomas asks if there were traces of microplastics and is told that they would not have found that.
He asks how he concluded that JJS wss strangled with a plastic bag.
Dr Warren explains that here was evidence of struggle and the bag was duct-taped, but adds that it is possible.
Asked if the bag could have been put on after death, he concedes that it is possible, however, he says if you have a person with a plastic bag taped over his head and the autopsy shows nothing else, you would assume it was asphyxia.
Wednesday 26 April 2023 21:17 , Oliver O'Connell
Thomas as Dr Warren about his training and expertise in the field of forensic pathology before asking more specific questions about evidence collection.
Dr Warren says he was trained on getting nail swabs, fingernail clippings, and getting clothes off bodies, but he was not trained in collecting trace evidence such as a strand of hair.
He explains that while it is law enforcement’s responsibility to collect evidence at the scene of a crime, it is his to collect evidence off of the body itself. He explains that other law enforcement officials and coroners are present at the autopsy, and it’s a team effort.
Wednesday 26 April 2023 21:05 , Oliver O'Connell
After the photos have been shown and described in court, Wood has no further questions for Dr Warren.
Defence attorney John Thomas will now cross-examine the pathologist.
Wednesday 26 April 2023 20:58 , Oliver O'Connell
As photos of Tylee’s remains are displayed, Lori appears to be avoiding looking at the screen.
Lori has her neck bent down - almost chin to chest. We are on Tylee's photos. I can't see if she is writing or not #lorivallow @LawCrimeNetwork
— Pretty Lies & Alibis🎙 (@PrettyLiesAlibi) April 26, 2023
Wednesday 26 April 2023 20:37 , Oliver O'Connell
Unlike the photos of JJ’s autopsy, some of Tylee’s photos will be shown on the big screen in court.
“But there are some photographs in here, not all of them, in order to minimize the inflammatory effect should not be shown on the large projector screen,” Boyce says.
Wednesday 26 April 2023 20:31 , Oliver O'Connell
The court is reminded that Tylee’s remains came for autopsy in three separate bags. In bag two was a single strand of hair along with the melted green bucket.
Multiple pieces of soft tissue, skeletal muscle, the liver, and other organs were sent off for potential DNA analysis along with the hair.
The state submits 30 photos of Tylee’s autopsy as evidence.
Wednesday 26 April 2023 20:28 , Oliver O'Connell
Wood begins by asking Dr Warren what the criteria are for a death to be ruled a homicide by unspecified means.
“There are specific guidelines and criteria used dealing with the cause of death. Number one: It has to be objectively suspicious circumstances - dismembered body, body is burned, body is buried out of site - and others. This case clearly fits number one. Number two: No findings at autopsy to explain the death.”
Dr Warren adds that he found no drugs or other substances in the toxicology report to explain Tylee’s death.
Therefore her case met all of the qualifications to say she died by homicide by unspecified means.
“This is a homicide, I just can’t tell you exactly why,” he says.
Asked if there is anything in her medical records that could indicate a reason for her death, he responds: “No.”
Court resumes after lunch
Wednesday 26 April 2023 20:23 , Oliver O'Connell
Court is back in session after lunch with Judge Boyce back on the bench and the jury back in their seats.
Prosecutor Wood will continue to question forensic pathologist Dr Gareth Warren.
As a recap, Alex Caprariello of News Nation tweets:
We adjourned after Warren revealed his two conclusions related to their causes of death: JJ died by asphyxia from a bag placed over his head & duct tape over his mouth. Tylee died by “homicide by unspecified means.” Her body & bones were found dismembered & badly burned.
Did Lori Vallow accidentally make a key confession about Tylee and JJ’s deaths in jail call?
Wednesday 26 April 2023 19:41 , Oliver O'Connell
Lori Vallow’s high-profile trial took an unexpected turn this week when jurors heard a dramatic jailhouse phone call in which the “doomsday cult mom” appeared to make a key confession about her children’s murders.
The distressing call between the accused killer and her sister Summer Shiflet on 20 June 2020 was played in Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho, on Tuesday, where Ms Vallow is on trial for the murders of her daughter Tylee Ryan, son JJ Vallow and new husband Chad Daybell’s first wife Tammy.
In the call, an inconsolable Ms Shiflet is heard confronting her sister about JJ and Tylee’s deaths – just days after the children’s remains were discovered in a shallow grave on Mr Daybell’s property in Salem, Idaho.
Read more...
Did Lori Vallow make a key confession about children’s deaths in a jail call?
Wednesday 26 April 2023 19:07 , Oliver O'Connell
Court adjourns for lunch and will resume at 1pm MT.
Wednesday 26 April 2023 19:05 , Oliver O'Connell
WARNING: Graphic description
Due to the state of the remains, the autopsy took a lot longer as there is an extended process identifying which bones and soft tissue are present. Everything is x-rayed for foreign objects (e.g. pieces of a weapon or projectiles).
Skeletal muscle samples allowed for a toxicology sample to be taken and analysed.
The toxicology results were positive for ibuprofen (a common decomposition product), carbon monoxide, (Carboxyhemoglobin saturation level) and iron. The carbon monoxide level was extremely low indicating that Tylee was already dead when burned.
“There is no evidence to support that Tylee was alive when she was burned,” says Dr Warren.
A number of Tylee’s organs were found including her heart, connected to her right and left lung, one kidney, and portions of her bowel, liver, and brain.
“These organs had severe decomposition, significant burning artifacts, they were charred and shrunken. Presumably the rest of hte organs burned away or were never found,” he says.
As for her skeleton, they found her pelvis with the first portion of the femur attached, portions of skull (superior portion of eye orbit), fragments of skull, jawbone with some teeth still intact, multiple vertebrae, both clavicles, tibia and fibula, radius and ulna, part of her sternum, and multiple rib fragments.
TRIGGER WARNING:
They found her pelvis with 1st portion of the femur attached, portions of skull (superior portion of eye orbit), fragments of skull, jawbone, some teeth still intact, multiple vertebrae, both clavicles, tibia and fibula, radius and ulna, part of sternum,…— Pretty Lies & Alibis🎙 (@PrettyLiesAlibi) April 26, 2023
They were blackened and charred by the fire and damaged during dismemberment.
Tylee’s cause of death designated as “homicide by unspecified means”.
Wednesday 26 April 2023 18:57 , Oliver O'Connell
WARNING: Graphic description
Questioning moves on to the autopsy of Tylee.
“This autopsy was different. The vast majority of the time when I perform an autopsy I get an entire body and there’s a process we go through. Tylee’s case was different. Her remains were received in three separate sealed bags. Two of the bags were black body bags and the third was a large brown paper bag that was sealed. Within that contacted five other paper bags within it. So I essentially received Tylee’s remains in multiple different bags,” Warren says.
Wednesday 26 April 2023 18:55 , Oliver O'Connell
There is a “heavy” feeling in the courtroom Nate Eaton of East Idaho News reports.
Dr Warren is asked about whether the bruises on JJ’s body came pre- or post-death. He answers that they came before JJ died.
Wood asks Warren if the bruises on JJ's body were from before or after he died. Warren says they were premortem because when someone dies, there is no circulation so bodies can't bruise.
— Nate Eaton (@NateNewsNow) April 26, 2023
Wednesday 26 April 2023 18:42 , Oliver O'Connell
Gigi McKelvey of Law & Crime believes Lori is now looking at the defence team’s monitor.
I think Lori is looking at the photos on the defense monitor. She is crying and grabbing tissues.
— Pretty Lies & Alibis🎙 (@PrettyLiesAlibi) April 26, 2023
Wednesday 26 April 2023 18:36 , Oliver O'Connell
Alex Caprariello of News Nation tweets:
Looking over at Lori and she is now crying and wiping her eyes. She is not looking at the screen but is clearly emotionally drained from this presentation and the things she’s hearing.
Wednesday 26 April 2023 18:30 , Oliver O'Connell
The descriptions of the pictures coming from the courtroom are extremely graphic.
Some jurors are grimacing and one is looking away towards the witness, prosecutors or ceiling. Lori is not looking at the screen in front of her.
There is a large amount of duct tape used to bind JJ’s face and body.
Most of the jurors are looking at their monitors and showing little emotion - but the one I referenced earlier is looking at the witness, at the ceiling, at the prosecutor or looking down.
— Nate Eaton (@NateNewsNow) April 26, 2023
