REXBURG, Idaho — Lori Vallow Daybell was found guilty by a jury on all counts against her in the deaths of her two youngest children and her husband's former wife — but the process is far from over.
Daybell was convicted Friday for the murders of 7-year-old Joshua "JJ" Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan. She was also found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder in the deaths of the two children and her husband's ex-wife, Tammy Daybell.
Lori married Chad Daybell just weeks after the death of Tammy — Chad's wife of nearly 30 years — in late 2019. Prosecutors believe Lori's children were killed in September of that year.
On Friday, after Lori's conviction was announced, an Idaho judge ordered that she be transported back into the custody of the Fremont County Sheriff's Office within one week. In March, she was moved to the Ada County Jail in Boise, where the trial was moved at the defense's request for a fair jury selection and trial.
Although Lori's case was being prosecuted out of Fremont County — the county where JJ and Tylee's bodies were found buried on Chad's property, and where Tammy died at home — she will be held in the Madison County Jail in Rexburg. According to CourtTV, that's where female inmates from Fremont County are housed.
Lori lived in Rexburg before her arrest in 2020. Chad Daybell lived in Fremont County, just north of the Fremont-Madison county line near the town of Salem, Idaho.
It was confirmed Monday that Lori had been transferred to Madison County Jail.
Lori will now await her sentencing hearing, which could take months to schedule. Victims' families often get the chance to speak directly to the judge and perpetrators during these hearings before it's announced how long the sentence will be.
After sentencing, however, Lori will be facing two new cases in Arizona.
She is charged with the murder of her then-estranged husband, Charles Vallow, who was shot and killed by her brother, Alex Cox, in Chandler on July 11, 2019. It was initially ruled as self-defense until details about the deaths of her children were discovered, along with communications between Lori, Chad and others.
In addition, the Maricopa County (Arizona) Attorney's Office said it intends to prosecute Lori for an incident in Gilbert on Oct. 2, 2019. Although prosecutors have not specified, this may be connected to the attempted shooting of Brandon Boudreaux, who was married to Lori's niece Melani (now surnamed Pawlowski) at the time. Boudreaux said he arrived home and saw the muzzle of a gun from a Jeep parked nearby, then a bullet shattered his car window but missed him.
"After the defendant [Lori] is sentenced and transferred to the Idaho Department of Corrections, at the request MCAO, the extradition process will begin," the Maricopa County Attorney's Office wrote in an announcement Friday. "The extradition can take from several weeks to several months. Because this is a pending matter, this office will not provide any further comment, including any charging decisions made by this office."
Janis Cox and Summer Shiflet (Lori's mother and sister, respectively) have also issued a statement on behalf of their family. It reads:
“We want to thank each person that has offered kindness, support, and prayers on behalf of our family and the other victim’s families. That support is deeply felt and appreciated.
"We sincerely appreciate the time and dedication of the jury in this case.
"We also appreciate all the time and effort that dedicated law enforcement, attorneys and Judge Boyce has taken to adjudicate this case. We acknowledge countless hours put into this case and also time away from their families. We thank you.
"We fully accept the determined decision in our justice system. We understand this is just one step towards justice for the beloved victims in this case.
"Despite today’s verdict, we are left with our grief and sorrow over the loss of Tylee and JJ who are irreplaceable. Our family will always feel this loss and will never be the same. We will continue to honor their memories to the best of our ability.
"We send our deepest sympathy to Tammy's family and Charles' family who have also been devastated by the loss of Tammy and Charles who are also irreplaceable.
"We share your grief and offer our heartfelt prayers for healing for all who have been hurt by these horrific crimes. We hope this outcome can offer you a measure of peace and comfort.
"We will continue to firmly put our faith in Jesus Christ, and seek for His Mercy and Grace for all of those involved."
The Tammy Douglas Daybell Foundation also shared a statement on behalf of her family:
"We are relieved and grateful that justice has been served with the guilty verdict of the co-conspirator in Tammy’s tragic murder. While this cannot bring Tammy, JJ, and Tylee back, we are glad that the justice system has done its job in holding the responsible person accountable for her actions.
"We hope this verdict brings some measure of closure for all of us. We will continue to honor Tammy’s memory by furthering her legacy of getting books into the hands of kids. We love you, Tammy. You will never be forgotten."
Larry Woodcock, JJ's grandpa, spoke with news media after the guilty verdict was announced. His comments can be watched below:
Chad Daybell is still in the Fremont County Jail in St. Anthony, Idaho, also charged in connection with the deaths of Tammy, Tylee and JJ. His trial is not yet scheduled.
