The Verdict Looms: Jury Instructions Conclude, Vallow's Next Move Under Scrutiny.
Also, a day to day breakdown of the trail so far.
The Lori Vallow Daybell trial is reaching its climax as jury instructions were wrapped up on the eighth day. The prosecution has made its case against Vallow Daybell, and all eyes are now on her as she faces a crucial decision on Monday: will she take the stand or rest her case without presenting any evidence or witnesses in her defense?
While I watched today. It appeared as if she would, in fact, rest her case. Vallow Daybell, who uniquely chose to represent herself despite lacking legal training, has encountered hurdles in her quest to call witnesses. To say the least... While she has successfully served subpoenas to a few individuals, a judge removed two others from her list, and several more remain untraceable. The judge also removed these subpoenas today because she decided to rest.
The stakes are extraordinarily high. Prosecutors have accused her of conspiring with her brother, Alex Cox, (now dead) to eliminate her estranged husband, Charles Vallow. Their motive? To cash in on his life insurance policy and pursue a future with Chad Daybell. An author who has captivated audiences with his writings about prophecies and the end of the world. Tragically, Cox, who had asserted he acted in self-defense when he shot Vallow, passed away five months later. A day after they exhummed Tammy Daybell's, Chad's wife, body. SUS!
Vallow Daybell, pleading not guilty, faces a potential life sentence if convicted, with a minimum of 25 years before even dreaming of parole. This is not her first trial; she has already faced judgment in Idaho for the murders of her two youngest children and the conspiracy to kill a romantic rival, resulting in 2 life sentences.
Just last week in Arizona, her brother, Adam Cox, took the stand for the prosecution, compelling jurors with his belief that Lori was behind Charles’s death. As this trial focuses on that tragedy, it’s only the first of two criminal proceedings for Vallow Daybell—she is slated to stand trial in June for allegedly conspiring to murder Brandon Boudreaux, the ex-husband of her niece.
As the clock ticks, Lori Vallow Daybell’s choice to rest her case came as a surprise to me. This was all made away from the jury’s gaze during a brief consultation with her counsel. Although she has yet to summon any witnesses, there’s still a chance she could reverse her decision and take the stand herself. Thpugh I highly doubt she will. She seemed confident in court today she would rest. She has voiced her belief that the state lacks sufficient evidence, even filing a "Rule 20" motion for acquittal due to this perceived inadequacy.
After some back and forth because shes NOT a lawer; the judge concluded that there was enough evidence for a reasonable jury to consider Vallow Daybell guilty.
Here’s a captivating day-by-day breakdown of the insights I gathered!
**Day 1 of the Lori Daybell Trial**
On the first day of the trial, Deputy Maricopa County Attorney Treena J. Kay argued that Lori Daybell had contacted her brother, Alex Cox, shortly before the killing of Charles Vallow. Kay stated that Lori's reasons for the act included financial gain and her new relationship with Chad Daybell. Kay also claimed that Lori believed Charles was possessed by an evil spirit, which motivated both Lori and Alex to eliminate him.
Lori Daybell, representing herself in court, acknowledged that she faced charges of conspiracy. However, she insisted there was no evidence of a plan to commit the crime. She talked about her marriage to Charles, which began in February 2006. This was her fourth marriage and his third. Together, they raised five children and had life insurance policies, with Lori as the sole beneficiary of Charles' new policy.
Lori explained that the family moved to Kauai in 2014. She claimed that during their separation, Charles pulled their son, JJ, out of his special school, which upset her greatly. On July 11, 2019, the day of the incident, Lori described how Charles came to pick up JJ for school. Tensions rose, leading to a confrontation that involved Alex and a bat. In a critical moment, Alex shot Charles, which Lori claimed was an act of self-defense.
In closing, Lori argued that self-defense and family tragedies should not be called crimes. She stated that having life insurance as a spouse is not illegal. She maintained that the charges against her resulted from a tragedy, not from any intent to harm. The day's proceedings also included testimony from first responders, including a sergeant, a police officer, and a firefighter/paramedic.
**Day 2 Highlights**
The courtroom was tense as Capt. Kent Keller (retired), a veteran of the Chandler Fire Department, took the stand. His testimony was critical; he confirmed that Charles Vallow was indeed deceased before he even stepped into the house. While he couldn't definitively state whether CPR had been attempted prior to their arrival, he expressed skepticism about its likelihood, emphasizing the chaotic nature of the scene.
Next up was Daniel Coons, a retired detective from Chandler PD, who held up a baseball bat briefly for identification. His insights into the case were striking—he opined that Charles was lying on the ground at the moment the second shot rang out, painting a grim picture of the scene.
As the proceedings continued, the atmosphere grew heavy with silence, punctuated only by the unsettling display of crime scene photos that laid bare the harrowing reality of the events in question.
**Day 3 Highlights**
The courtroom buzzed with tension as Daybell pressed Chandler PD Detective Daniel Coons on the crucial details surrounding the physical evidence. She focused intently on whether the floor had been tested and whether her husband’s expensive bamboo shirt, valued at $200, could have played a role in "shoring" the wound he sustained.
Nancy Jo Hancock took the stand next, recounting her brief encounter with Charles Vallow just before his tragic demise. The two had met on an LDS dating site in July 2019, and they excitedly arranged to meet in person on July 10. Hancock recalled their dinner as warm and friendly, with Charles eagerly looking forward to seeing his son, JJ, the following day. During their meal, he mentioned changing his life insurance beneficiary to his sister, Kay Woodcock. Hancock, sensing the importance of open communication, advised him to share this news with Lori. Despite the separation between Charles and Lori, Hancock noted that he spoke of her with kindness.
However, the mood shifted when Hancock sought to reconnect with Charles on July 11, only to find that her messages went unanswered. A heart-wrenching realization followed when she learned of his death in December 2019—their date had occurred less than 12 hours before his life was abruptly cut short.
As the courtroom drama unfolded, Lori pressed Hancock with a question: Did she know that Lori was unaware of her husband’s online dating activities? Hancock revealed, “He was under the impression you were having an affair,” cutting through the tension with a chilling clarity.
Next, Christina Atwood opened up about several gatherings with Lori and other women, where Lori expressed her deep-seated fears that Charles was possessed by “dark spirits.” Atwood recounted a particularly unsettling conversation during a June 2019 meeting: Lori’s brother, Alex Cox, chillingly declared that he wished he could kill Charles. Even more alarming, Lori confided in Atwood about her attempts to cast out the dark spirits from Charles, even resorting to using JJ’s medication to drug him. The room fell silent as the weight of those words sank in, leaving everyone questioning the tumultuous events that had led to this point.
**Day 4 highlights**
In a gripping account, Lori’s brother, Adam Cox, revealed the unsettling transformation in Charles Vallow’s demeanor as he grew increasingly worried about Lori’s radical religious beliefs. She claimed to be on a path to immortality and insisted that Charles was being haunted by a malevolent spirit named “Ned.” In a desperate attempt to intervene, Adam flew to Phoenix in July 2019. However, things took a mysterious turn when Alex Cox, who had agreed to help with the intervention, suddenly went silent. The very next day, tragedy struck—Charles was dead.
Sarena Sharpe took the stand and shared her firsthand experiences attending spiritual gatherings with Lori Vallow Daybell in late 2018 and early 2019. At these gatherings, she witnessed Lori express beliefs that sharply diverged from traditional LDS teachings, including the controversial notion that repentance was unnecessary. Sharpe recalled how Lori even orchestrated a group prayer aimed at exorcising what she claimed was an evil spirit tormenting Charles—whom Lori labeled as “dark” and possessed.
Kay Woodcock, Charles’s younger sister and the grandmother of JJ Vallow—the adoptive son of Charles and Lori—gave a poignant testimony about the unraveling of Charles and Lori’s marriage. She recounted how, in early 2019, Charles had voiced serious concerns for his safety after Lori abruptly vanished for an extended period. Woodcock’s heart sank as she revealed that she learned of Charles’s death not through a phone call, but through a Google search—just two days after the tragic event. Adding to the distress, she disclosed that Lori had Charles cremated and his ashes sent to her office. Woodcock also confirmed a crucial detail: Charles had changed the beneficiary of his life insurance policy from Lori to her in early 2019—a decision that Lori later acknowledged in a text, tinged with evident frustration.
**Day 5: highlights**
On this pivotal day, Dr. Derek S. Bumgarner, an MD at the Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner, meticulously conducted the autopsy on Charles Vallow, revealing chilling details about his untimely demise. The examination uncovered that a bullet had pierced through his heart—an injury that, while severe, doesn’t always lead to immediate death. Astonishingly, Dr. Bumgarner confirmed that Charles could have lingered in a state of consciousness for several seconds to even a minute after being shot, potentially capable of movement or speech during that critical moment.
Witnesses in the courtroom were gripped by Detective Cassandra Ynclan's testimony, where she detailed Lori's unsettling demeanor during the police car ride following Charles’ death. Rather than displaying grief or shock, Lori appeared almost upbeat—chipper, even—engaging in light conversation as if nothing tragic had transpired.
Throughout the day, the courtroom echoed with chilling audio and video clips, including Lori's police interviews and unsettling exchanges with the insurance company. Additional testimonies came from a forensic scientist, a claims examiner from the insurance sector, and an investigator from the Social Security Administration, all contributing pieces to this complex and haunting puzzle. The atmosphere was heavy with tension, as each revelation deepened the mystery surrounding Charles Vallow's final moments.
**Day 6 highlights**
As the courtroom settled, Det. Cassandra Ynclan concluded her gripping testimony, setting the stage for the next witness. Det. Ariel Werther took the stand, launching into a narrative that complicated Lori's claims about her whereabouts during the critical moments of the shooting.
"Despite Lori's assertion that she was home when the shots rang out," Det. Werther explained, "the timeline paints a different picture." He revealed that Lori had been seen at Burger King at 7:54 a.m. Before the clock struck 8:36 a.m., when 911 was called, police were already in motion, arriving on the scene by 8:42 a.m. Remarkably, Lori was captured on body cam footage just six minutes later at 8:48 a.m., all while supposedly transporting JJ to school—a journey of seven miles.
In a tense moment, Lori questioned Det. Werther regarding his purpose for searching Charles’ phone. Det. Werther clarified that he was specifically looking for location data. When Lori brought up a date with Nancy Jo Hancock scheduled in Charles’ calendar, the judge swiftly deemed it irrelevant, striking a blow to Lori’s line of questioning.
The atmosphere in the courtroom crackled with tension as the trial continued to unfold, weaving a complex tapestry of facts and uncertainties.
**Day 7: highlights**
Chandler Police Detective Nathan Duncan finished his testimony today in a case that began in 2020. Inside the home, he found Charles Vallow dead on the floor, with his arms at his sides and little blood around him. A bullet hole in the floor below Charles’ shoulder matched the path of the wound, suggesting that he was already down when the shot was fired.
Text messages revealed significant details. On July 11, Charles texted Adam Cox at 7:37 AM to let him know he was picking up JJ. Adam warned him, “they’re planning something.” Charles replied, “absolutely.” That message was not read until 12:13 PM, hours after Charles had died. Duncan testified that Lori had Charles’ phone at that time.
Duncan also mentioned that Lori and her brother Alex called Charles “Ned,” referring to him as a “dark spirit” in their beliefs. On July 9, at 9:50 PM, Lori texted Alex, “I’m going to need you to stay close to me the next couple days… they are planning some kind of intervention… it’s all coming to a head this week. I will be like Nephi I am told! And so will you.”
Further texts involved life insurance. Lori sent Chad Daybell images of Charles’ policy, including a beneficiary change, saved under the name “Bubby.” Duncan confirmed that the phone number matched Chad’s from a business call. On July 18, Lori texted Chad, saying she learned Charles had changed the beneficiary in March.
Duncan noted that after the shooting, Lori and Chad’s messages became romantic. Chad shared stories that described their relationship using characters “James” and “Elena.” He referred to their bond with the phrase “loin to loin.” The jurors also saw a marriage document showing that Lori and Chad got married in Hawaii on November 5, 2019, just four months after Charles’ death.
Lori’s questioning of Duncan was unusual and chaotic, with the State’s objections often upheld by Judge Beresky.
Late Wednesday afternoon, the State rested its case. Daybell then requested acquittal under Rule 20, saying there was not enough evidence of conspiracy. Judge Beresky denied this request, stating that there was sufficient evidence for the jury to consider the charge of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.
**Day 8 highlights**
Exciting developments ahead! A charge conference is on the calendar for Thursday. Mark your calendars! Meanwhile, the jury is set to reconvene on Monday, April 21, for the closing arguments. In a notable moment on Wednesday, Lori informed the judge that she has decided not to present any evidence. It is also important to note that just because she doesn't call any witness or take the stand, does NOT mean she is guilty. Lori tried to get her right to a speedy trail by noting the date this was supposed to be over. But because she is set to take trail again, in June, and cant be incocled in 2 trials at once, the judge set a date for April.
Mark your calendars for Monday, April 21, as closing arguments are set to unfold—did she seal her own fate by representing herself? The suspense is palpable. And remember she's NOT done in AZ. There's another trial that will take place in JUNE!