Additional Coverage:
- Brother of ‘doomsday mom’ Lori Daybell testifies against her in latest murder trial (abcnews.go.com)
Phoenix, AZ — Lori Daybell, the so-called “doomsday mom” currently serving a life sentence for the murders of her two children, is now on trial in Arizona, facing charges of conspiring to kill her fourth husband, Charles Vallow. A key witness for the prosecution, Daybell’s brother Adam Cox, took the stand Thursday, offering compelling testimony.
Cox stated unequivocally that he believes his siblings, Lori and Alex Cox, conspired in Vallow’s death. Alex Cox, who died of natural causes months after the incident, admitted to shooting Vallow during a confrontation at Lori Daybell’s Chandler home in July 2019. While Lori Daybell, representing herself in the trial, claims the shooting was self-defense, prosecutors allege it was a calculated move to collect on Vallow’s $1 million life insurance policy and pave the way for her marriage to Chad Daybell.
Adding a chilling layer to the narrative, prosecutors contend that Lori Daybell used religious beliefs to justify the murder, granting her brother “religious authority” to kill Vallow, who they believed was possessed by an evil spirit.
Cox’s testimony detailed a planned intervention by himself and Vallow, aimed at addressing Lori Daybell’s increasingly concerning religious beliefs. He described Vallow’s desperation to “shake Lori loose” from what he perceived as a harmful influence.
Cox also revealed a series of text messages exchanged with Vallow on the morning of the shooting, expressing suspicion about Alex Cox’s unexpected presence at Lori Daybell’s home. He told the court he learned of Vallow’s death days later through a Google search, describing the discovery as one of the worst feelings of his life.
During a brief cross-examination, Lori Daybell, addressing her brother formally as “Mr. Cox,” established that they had not been close for the past two decades. She also pointedly asked if he had personally witnessed her conspiring with Alex Cox to murder her husband, to which he responded, “No.”
This trial unfolds against the backdrop of Lori Daybell’s existing life sentence for the murders of her children, Joshua “J.J.” Vallow and Tylee Ryan.
Chad Daybell is also serving time, sentenced to death for the murders of the children and his first wife, Tamara Daybell. This latest trial adds another chapter to a complex and disturbing saga, as the court seeks to determine Lori Daybell’s role in the death of Charles Vallow.