Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell: ‘Sins of Our Mother’ Reveals Details About ‘Doomsday Couple’s Trial
Netflix‘s Sins of Our Mother has many people talking about Lori Vallow. Dubbed the “Doomsday Mom” because of her religious beliefs, Lori became a household name after the bodies of her two children, Tylee Ryan and Joshua Jaxon “J. J.” Vallow, were found on Chad Daybell’s property in 2020. Here’s a breakdown of Lori’s case thus far, plus the update regarding the couple’s joint trial as revealed in the new docuseries.
[SPOILER ALERT: Spoilers regarding Sins of Our Mother ahead.]
Lori’s murder trial was put on hold because of her mental competency
Lori and her husband Chad were charged with murder in May 2021. Chad was also indicted on a first-degree murder charge and insurance fraud regarding the death of his former wife, Tammy Daybell (via NBC News).
J.J. and Tylee were 7 and 16, respectively, when they disappeared. On June 9, 2020, authorities found human remains on Chad’s property. The remains were later confirmed to be the bodies of J.J. and Tylee.
In June 2021, an Idaho district judge ordered Lori to a state mental health facility, temporarily suspending the criminal case after her mental competency was called into question (via Court TV). The judge said Lori was “incapable of assisting in the defense of this case.” He also said Lori lacked the “capacity to make informed decisions about treatment.”
In October 2021, Lori’s lawyer filed a motion alleging her caretakers were manipulating her at the psychiatric facility she was in (via Court TV). According to Sins of Our Mother, Lori was found competent to stand trial on April 11, 2022.
Tylee Ryan and J.J. Vallow’s cause of death
As explained at the end of Sins of Our Mother, the cause of death for Tylee and J.J. has not been released to the public. Similarly, the cause of death for Chad’s former wife Tammy Daybell has also not been disclosed.
Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell’s trial will continue in 2023
At publication, Lori is still in jail. “I think she’ll be there the rest of her life,” Janis Cox, Lori’s mom, admits in Sins of Our Mother. “There is going to be justice done.”
Lori’s trial was initially set to continue in October 2022. However, it was moved due to the “complexity” of the case (via KIFI News). Per the outlet, the judge was concerned Lori’s team had little time to prepare, as her legal team was formed hastily.
As revealed in Sins of Our Mother, Lori and Chad’s joint trial will continue in 2023 in Ada County, Idaho. In both cases, prosecutors are going after the death penalty.
‘Sins of Our Mother’ explores Lori Vallow’s impact on her surviving son Colby Ryan
Unlike previous documentaries and movies about Lori, Sins of Our Mother gives viewers a closer look at Lori’s eldest son, Colby Ryan. Colby’s father is Lori’s second husband William LaGioia.
“My dad and my mom were in a bad relationship,” Colby says in the three-part docuseries. “She didn’t feel like she wanted me to be in that [bad relationship] so she took me from that situation.”
Hear more about Colby’s story in Sins of Our Mother on Netflix.
