Vallow-Daybell murders
two Idaho children who disappeared in 2019 and found deceased in 2020
The Vallow–Daybell murders were a series of killings – including child murder, filicide, and spousal murder – committed by American couple Lori Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell. Chad and Lori led a small, apocalyptic religious group that was described in the media as a doomsday cult. Media coverage initially focused on the pair's religious beliefs, but investigations revealed that the murders also had a financial motive. Ultimately, Chad, Lori, and Lori's brother, Alex Cox, killed four people and attempted to kill another.
At the time of the murders, Chad and Lori were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, their beliefs had deviated significantly from mainstream Mormonism. Chad, an apocalyptic author and publisher, claimed to have visions of the future and prophesied that the world would end in July 2020. Lori, dubbed "Doomsday Mom" in later media coverage, adopted his fringe beliefs; she became convinced that she was a deity destined to play a role in the coming apocalypse and that her family was obstructing her mission.
The killings began in July 2019, when Cox shot Lori's estranged husband, Charles Vallow. Lori's daughter Tylee Ryan and adopted son J.J. Vallow were last seen alive in September 2019, near their home in Rexburg, Idaho.
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