Lori Vallow Daybell, a mother convicted of murdering her children in Rexburg, was sentenced to life in prison on Monday.
Lori was convicted in May for the murders of her two children: Tylee Ryan, 16, and Joshua Jaxon Vallow, 7. She was also convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in the death of her husband’s previous wife, Tammy Daybell.
After hearing multiple victim impact statements, sentencing recommendations from the prosecution and defense, and a statement from Lori herself, Judge Steven Boyce gave her multiple life sentences without the possibility of parole.
Taking into account her lack of remorse, Boyce sentenced her to three consecutive life terms, a move he said he rarely does but did today to provide justice for each victim.
In listing the aggravating factors that influenced the sentence, Boyce said that Lori “chose the most evil and disruptive path possible” to rid herself of her children.
“In Rexburg, you had a thousand random families to adopt children, but you killed them,” Boyce said.
Before her sentencing, Lori unexpectedly gave a statement in which she denied any wrongdoing saying that accidental deaths, fatal side effects from medication and suicides happen.
She claimed that she was friends with Tammy Daybell and that her deceased children have visited her in spirit to tell her to “stop worrying” and that she “didn’t do anything wrong.”
During the trial, evidence was presented that showed Lori consistently referring to her children and Tammy Daybell as “possessed.” In the months leading to their deaths, she called them “zombies” and said that they needed to be eliminated.
Multiple close friends to Lori testified at the trial that she and husband, Chad Daybell, told them they were called by God to gather the 144,000 in preparation for Christ’s coming.
The year before the three murders, Lori and Chad Daybell were involved in an affair.
During her statement, Lori clung to her assertion that she has communicated with angels and Jesus Christ.
“I don’t believe any God in any religion would want (these murders) to happen,” Boyce said in reference to her purported beliefs.
Lori was also sentenced to a ten-year term for grand theft.
At trial, law enforcement testified that prior to her children’s murders, Lori transferred the social security payments that JJ and Tylee were receiving for the deaths of their respective fathers to her own personal accounts.
Lori’s husband, Chad Daybell, will go on trial next April for the murders of JJ, Tylee and his first wife, Tammy.
