Lori Vallow sentenced to 3 life terms in prison for deaths of 2 of her children and husband’s first wife

BOISE, Idaho (TCD) — A judge sentenced Lori Vallow to three life sentences in prison for the deaths of her 16-year-old daughter, her 7-year-old son, and her husband’s previous wife even though she claims “no one was murdered.”

Vallow was convicted in May of two counts of first-degree murder for the slayings of 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan, three counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and grand theft. The conspiracy charges stem from her plan to kill her husband Chad Daybell’s first wife, Tammy. Her trial began in April and lasted several weeks.

NBC News reports Judge Steven Boyce ordered the life sentences to be served consecutively. At her sentencing hearing, Vallow reportedly said she could speak with the “spirit world” and believed JJ and Tylee weren’t sad about being dead.

She reportedly said, “Jesus knows me and Jesus understands me. I mourn with all of you who mourn my children and Tammy. Jesus Christ knows the truth of what happened here, Jesus Christ knows no one was murdered in this case. Accidental deaths happen, suicides happen, fatal side effects from medications happen.”

Judge Boyce, however, told Vallow she hasn’t “shown any remorse,” adding, “You haven’t said you’re sorry. You haven’t done anything to seek leniency from this court.”

According to The Associated Press, Judge Boyce argued Vallow went “down a bizarre religious rabbit hole, and clearly you are still down there.”

JJ and Tylee were last seen Sept. 23, 2019, in Rexburg, Idaho. Tammy Daybell was found dead Oct. 19, 2019, and officials initially ruled her death natural. Two months later, however, her body was exhumed after investigators determined she might have died under suspicious circumstances. It was later reported that Tammy Daybell had been suffocated.

Tylee and JJ’s bodies were found on Chad Daybell’s property. JJ’s hands and legs had reportedly been tied together, and he had a plastic bag over his head, whereas Tylee had been dismembered and burned.

Chad Daybell’s trial is scheduled to begin in April 2024.

You can check out more articles and podcast episodes about the Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell case here.