Lori Vallow Daybell, a woman accused of killing her two children, has been found guilty of murder. The verdict was delivered on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, in an Idaho courtroom after a trial that lasted several weeks.
Daybell’s two children, Tylee Ryan, 17, and Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 7, disappeared in September 2019, sparking a nationwide search. Daybell was arrested in Hawaii in February 2020, along with her fifth husband, Chad Daybell. The children’s remains were later found on Chad Daybell’s property in Idaho.
Lori Vallow Daybell faced two counts of first-degree murder, one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and one count of grand theft. She was found guilty on all counts.
The verdict came after a dramatic trial that included testimony from family members, law enforcement officials, and forensic experts. The prosecution argued that Daybell killed her children as part of a religious belief system that included the idea that her children were zombies.
Daybell’s defense team argued that she was not guilty by reason of insanity, claiming that she was in the grips of a delusion at the time of the killings. However, the jury ultimately rejected that argument and found Daybell guilty of murder.
The verdict brings closure to a case that has captivated the nation for nearly two years. Daybell is expected to be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Her husband, Chad Daybell, is scheduled to stand trial later this year on similar charges.
