Additional Coverage:
- ‘Doomsday mom’ Lori Vallow shares why she made unusual legal move for 2nd murder trial: ‘Fighting for my life’ (foxnews.com)
Lori Vallow, dubbed the “Doomsday Mom,” is representing herself in an Arizona court on murder conspiracy charges related to the 2019 death of her fourth husband, Charles Vallow. In a recent interview, Vallow claimed she is “fighting for her life.”
Vallow’s brother, Alex Cox, shot Charles Vallow after an altercation at Vallow’s Phoenix home. Vallow’s daughter, Tylee, had intervened in the argument with a baseball bat, reportedly trying to protect her mother.
Cox claimed self-defense and was never charged. He died of natural causes months later.
Prosecutors allege Vallow conspired with Cox in the first-degree murder of Charles Vallow. Vallow, now facing trial, maintains it was “a domino effect of tragedies,” not a crime.
This upcoming trial follows Vallow’s conviction and life sentence in Idaho for the murders of her two children, J.J. and Tylee, and conspiracy to murder Chad Daybell’s wife, Tammy. Daybell, Vallow’s fifth husband, was also convicted and sentenced to death in the Idaho case.
Vallow’s decision to represent herself, while not unprecedented, adds an unpredictable element to the already high-profile case. Legal experts suggest this strategy gives Vallow maximum control, particularly given her existing life sentence.
She claims to have a deep understanding of her case, having “worked on it for five years.” However, some speculate her self-representation is an attempt to create a spectacle.
Vallow denies these claims, stating she is unaware of public opinion due to limited access to news while incarcerated. She maintains her current charges stem from a “family tragedy,” not criminal intent.