A judge has sentenced Lori Vallow Daybell to life in prison for the murder of her two children and her husband’s previous wife.
The judge handed Daybell three consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole for the murders and additional terms for the other charges.
In May, an Idaho jury found Vallow guilty of first-degree murder in the killing of her children, 7-year-old J.J. Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan, and conspiracy to kill Tammy Daybell, her husband’s previous wife. The jury also handed down a conviction of grand theft for collecting her children’s life insurance benefits after their deaths.
On Monday, prosecutors read in court a victim impact statement from Colby Ryan, the children’s older brother, “Tylee and JJ brought so much light into this world. Tylee will never have an opportunity to become a mother, wife, or have the career she was destined to have. She’ll never be able to have the life she deserved. JJ will never be able to grow and spread his light with this world the way he did. He will never have a chance to grow up I want them to be remembered for who they were,” he added, “and not to be just a spectacle or a headline to the world.”
The children were last seen in September 2019, and Tammy Daybell died in October of 2019. Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell were married just weeks later.
Chad Daybell is scheduled to be tried separately with his trial beginning in April 2024. He has been charged with two felony counts of conspiracy to commit destruction; alteration or concealment of evidence; and two felony counts of destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence. He has pleaded not guilty.
“I miss my sister every day. I will grieve her … for the rest of my life. I will always remember that,” Samantha Gwilliam, Tammy Daybell’s sister, read in her victim impact statement in court. “As for you, I choose to forget you. And as I leave this courtroom today, I choose to never think of you again,” Gwilliam said to Lori Vallow Daybell.
Vallow Daybell has been in custody at the Madison County Jail as she was awaiting sentencing. She will be transferred to the custody of the Idaho Department of Corrections and it is believed she will serve out her time at the Pocatello Women’s Correctional Center.
Prior to moving to Idaho with her children, Lori was as the helm of several criminal situations in Arizona. Lori is expected to face charges in Arizona in connection to the death of her fourth husband Charles Vallow and also conspiracy to kill her ex-nephew-in-law Brandon Boudreaux.
