Vallow–Daybell doomsday murders

The Vallow–Daybell doomsday murders consist of a series of killings—including child murder, filicide, and spousal murder—committed by an American couple, Lori Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell. Chad and Lori led a Mormon religious sect described in the media as a "doomsday cult". The murders started when Lori's estranged husband, Charles Vallow, was shot dead by her brother Alex Cox on July 11, 2019, in Chandler, Arizona. Next, Lori's daughter, Tylee Ryan (16), and adopted son, Joshua Jaxon "J. J." Vallow (7), disappeared from their home in Rexburg, Idaho on September 9 and 23, 2019, respectively. Their remains were found on June 9, 2020. They had been buried on a property owned by Chad, who was Lori's lover at the time of their deaths and had become her husband by the time their bodies were found. On October 2, 2019, Lori's nephew-in-law Brandon Boudreaux survived a murder attempt in Gilbert, Arizona. On October 19, Chad Daybell's wife Tammy was murdered at their home in Rexburg. Lori's brother Alex Cox, who is believed by authorities to have participated in all the crimes, died before he could be brought to trial.

At the time of the murders, Chad and Lori were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). However, their beliefs had deviated significantly from mainstream Mormonism. Chad was an apocalyptic author and publisher who claimed to have visions of the future and to have lived through multiple past lives, and prophesied the world would end in July 2020. Lori had come to share his fringe beliefs; she became convinced that she was a deity destined to play a role in the coming apocalypse and that her family was getting in the way of her mission. Lori was later nicknamed "Doomsday Mom" by the media.

The case was set in motion by the children's disappearances. Tylee was last seen alive on September 8, 2019, and J.J. on September 22, 2019. In late November 2019, after police questioned Lori about J.J.'s whereabouts, she and Chad abruptly vacated their homes in Idaho and left for Hawaii. As police searched for J.J., they discovered that Tylee was also missing. Investigations revealed that Tylee and J.J.'s disappearances had been preceded and followed by the suspicious deaths of Lori and Chad's respective spouses and by the attempt on Brandon Boudreaux's life. Lori and Chad had married two weeks after the death of Chad's first wife Tammy. After the children's disappearances became known, Tammy's body was exhumed by law enforcement. She was autopsied and her death was ruled a homicide.

On February 20, 2020, Lori was arrested for desertion and non-support of her children. On June 9, police discovered the remains of Tylee and J. J. during a search at Chad's property. Chad was then arrested. On May 25, 2021, he and Lori were charged with the first-degree murders of Tylee, J.J., and Tammy. Prosecutors said that the couple had conspired with Cox to commit the murders as part of their apocalyptic beliefs, but also to remove obstacles to their affair and to collect life insurance money and the children's Social Security benefits, using religion to justify their crimes.

Lori and Chad were tried separately. On May 12, 2023, Lori was found guilty of all charges related to the killings of Tylee, J.J., and Tammy. On July 31, she was given multiple consecutive life imprisonment sentences without the possibility of parole. On May 30, 2024, Chad was also found guilty of all charges. On June 1, he was sentenced to death. After her sentencing in Idaho, Lori was extradited to Arizona to stand trial there twice, first for the murder of Charles Vallow and then for the attempted murder of Brandon Boudreaux. Lori acted as her own attorney during both of her Arizona trials, causing multiple incidents with the court. On April 22, 2025, she was found guilty of conspiring to murder Charles Vallow. On June 12, she was found guilty of conspiring to murder Brandon Boudreaux. On July 25, she was given two additional life sentences. Both Chad and Lori have appealed their sentencings.