The trial of Lori Vallow, the mother who has been charged with murdering her two children, hiding their bodies and then reporting them missing has been postponed after the defense reignited their claim that Vallow is not competent to stand trial.
In court documents released on Thursday, Idaho District Judge Steven W. Boyce suspended the so-called “Doomsday Mom,” case until Vallow’s competency can be determined. Her trial was set to start in January 2023. The formal request documents detailing the defense’s request were sealed and the hearing on the matter was closed to the public.
In 2021, a grand jury indicted Vallow and Daybell for the murders of Vallow’s two children Tylee Ryan, 17, and Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 7. Tylee and JJ went missing in September 2019, and Vallow and Daybell married two months later. In June 2020, the remains of both children were found on Daybell’s property in Fremont County, Idaho.
While Vallow and her husband, Chad Daybell were both indicted for murder more than a year ago, their trial had been delayed over concerns on Vallow’s competency. Daybell has entered a not guilty plea to the charges he is facing.
On April 11, 2022, Judge Stephen Boyce ruled Vallow was in fact competent, and plans were made to move forward with the trial. However, the same judge on Thursday ruled that that new information from the defense aligned with the necessary step of Vallow to be reevaluated before the case proceed.
The judge’s ruling could impact Daybell’s case as well. Both he and his wife Lori are co-defendants, and are being tried together. In September, Daybell’s attorney filed a motion to have his trial postponed and be separated from Lori’s.
In addition to the children’s murder charges, Lori has also been charged with conspiracy to commit murder in Arizona with the death of Charles Vallow. Her previous husband was shot and killed by Lori’s brother, Alex Cox, who at the time claimed it was self-defense. Cox later died of natural causes. The Arizona case is on until the Idaho case is finalized.
Both Daybell and Vallow could be sentenced to the death penalty if convicted.
