Parents of Lori Vallow Daybell

• Janis Lee Cox
• Barry Lynn Cox

Janis and Barry Cox had multiple children, including Lori, Adam, Alex, Stacey, and Summer. They were involved in various family disputes, including legal battles.

Siblings of Lori Vallow Daybell

Adam Cox

• Born on 04/4/1969
  
• Brother of Lori Vallow Daybell.
• Had a distant and complex relationship with Lori.
• Some law enforcement records suggest Lori may have perceived Adam as a threat.

Alex Cox (Deceased)

• Born o1/18/1968
  
• Brother of Lori, known for his violent actions in her defense.
• Shot and killed Charles Vallow (Lori’s fourth husband) in July 2019, claiming self-defense.
• Was believed to be involved in the disappearance and deaths of Lori’s children, Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow.
• Died in December 2019 of what was determined to be natural causes (blood clots in his lungs).

Laura Lee Cox (Deceased)

• Died at 6 weeks of age on December 12, 1962
• Laura is buried in Hillside Memorial Park, Redlands, CA

Stacey Lynne Cox (Deceased)

• Born 06/24/71
• Stacey Lynn Cox Cope, who died suddenly on May 21, 1998 at the age of 31
• Divorce Record
• Stacy was found by Alex almost dead in Hawaii.
• While Stacy was at a facility dying, Alex was at home using her credit cards.
• Stacy passed away under unclear circumstances.
• Stacy Lynne Cox was a Mother of Melani Boudreaux Pawlowski, who later became involved in the case.

Summer Novelle Cox

• Born 09/23/75
• Sister of Lori, less publicly involved in the case.
• Defended Lori in interviews, denying her involvement in wrongdoing.

Timeline: Barry and Janis Cox’s Legal Battles & Anti-Government Views

1980s-1990s: Barry Cox’s Anti-Government and Tax Views Emerge

• Late 1980s – Barry Cox begins his battle with the IRS, refusing to pay federal income taxes.
• 1988-1990 – Barry admits to using false statements to avoid paying federal taxes.
• 1998 – Barry enters a plea agreement with the government over tax evasion.

2000s: IRS Lawsuit and Legal Consequences

• 2004 – The U.S. government sues Barry and Janis Cox, claiming they owe more than $300,000 in back taxes.
• 2008 – A court rules in favor of the IRS, affirming that Barry and Janis must pay the taxes owed.
• 2009 – Barry files an administrative claim refusing to pay, escalating the battle.
• 2010 – Barry sues the U.S. government, IRS, Treasury Department, and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, arguing that income tax collection is “unauthorized federal power” and that the IRS is a “rogue agency.”A judge dismisses Barry’s complaint, ruling in favor of the government.

2018: Unauthorized Practice of Law

• November 16, 2018 – The Arizona State Bar reprimands Barry Cox for falsely presenting himself as a lawyer and advertising legal document writing services.
  
• A Pinal County Superior Court judge issues a cease-and-desist order, barring him from engaging in unauthorized legal practices. Link
  

2019: Lori’s Children Go Missing & Barry Publishes Anti-IRS Book

• Barry Cox publishes How the American Public Can Dismantle the IRS, where he:
• Calls the IRS “an evil regime” imposing oppression on Americans.
• Spreads conspiracy theories about Barack Obama being “anti-Christian” and linked to a “Muslim education” and “LGBRQ [sic] society.”

Family Secrets: The Cox family’s dynamic—particularly the influence of religious extremism and Alex’s unwavering loyalty to Lori—played a crucial role in the unfolding of this tragic case.

Alex Cox Legal Troubles According to Adam Cox:

Barry Lynn Cox Goes to Jail

• Dad was imprisoned for writing a false document to a judge.
• To protect assets from the IRS, he put everything in Alex’s name.
• While Dad was in jail, Alex refinanced the house and took $250,000, spending it all.

Two Years Later

• Alex still had no job and continued to live at home.
• The family ignored past events as if nothing happened.
• Sister Stacy was found by Alex almost dead in Hawaii.
• While Stacy was at a facility dying, Alex was at home using her credit cards.
• The family covered up the situation again.

Five Years Later

• The family was now living in Phoenix.
• Alex, now age 40, still lived with his parents.
• Lori had two small dogs but didn’t want them anymore.
• Alex took the dogs to the desert, threw them out of the car, and drove off.
• He frequently joked about this incident.

Timeline:

• 1992 Alex Cox married Debbie Cox
• 2007: Alex was convicted of aggravated assault for attacking Lori’s third husband, Joseph Ryan, with a stun gun. He served 90 days in jail.
• July 11, 2019: Alex shot and killed Charles Vallow, Lori’s fourth husband, in Chandler, Arizona. He claimed self-defense, but many believe it was a planned killing.
• September 2019: Alex was last seen with Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow before their disappearance. Phone records place him at Chad Daybell’s property, where their bodies were later found.
• October 2019: Alex was suspected of attempting to kill Brandon Boudreaux, the ex-husband of Lori’s niece, Melani Pawlowski.
• December 12, 2019: Alex Cox died suddenly at 51 years old from an apparent blood clot in his lung. Some speculate that his death was not natural.

Marriage to Debbie and Troubling Family Behavior:

In 1992 Alex Cox married Debbie Cox. Their marriage lasted only a few months before ending in divorce in 1993.

When the Daybell case broke, Debbie reached out to Chandler, Arizona, detectives, and in September 2020, she participated in a recorded interview with investigators.

Debbie told investigators:

“There were so many crazy dynamics in that family. … It caused a lot of issues right away, and it actually made me scared and nervous.”

She described disturbing behavior between Alex and his sister, Lori, saying that

they engaged in inappropriate sexual touching and would simulate sex acts in front of her and the rest of the family.

“He also talked about (how she was) hot, and he sexualized her quite a bit. He did touch her breast and things,”

According to Debbie, Alex saw nothing wrong with his behavior, which led to frequent arguments between them.

She also revealed that Alex struggled with controlling his sex drive, which ultimately led to his excommunication from the Mormon Church during their brief marriage.

“While he and I were married, he got excommunicated from the Mormon church. … He was always really convicted in the faith, but where Alex is weak is he was just sexually promiscuous, (and) he kept getting kicked out of the church because I think he was a sex addict.”

Debbie learned Cox slept with a 15-year-old girl, and the teen’s father began looking for him to take care of the problem on his own. She said there was “too much promiscuity surrounding sex in our marriage early on,” and that played into their divorce.

“Alex and I only lived together married about four or five months. Then I just knew that family was too weird and that I made a big mistake, so I got out.”

The marriage between Debbie and Cox lasted only a year, but the two kept in touch for years, according to Debbie. She says the last time she spoke to Cox was shortly after he got out of jail for attacking Daybell’s third husband, Joseph Ryan, in Texas.

These revelations shed light on the deeply unsettling family dynamics within the Cox household, reinforcing suspicions about Alex’s unwavering loyalty to Lori and his troubling behavioral history.

Marriage to Zulema Pastenes

• Two weeks before his sudden death in December 2019, Alex Cox married Zulema Pastenes.

She later testified at Lori Vallow Daybell’s trial and provided statements to Chandler Police.

• Zulema revealed that Chad and Lori had urged her and Alex to move to Rexburg, Idaho, where they were gathering their followers. In hindsight, she believes that if she had relocated, she “would not be alive today.”

“I now (see) that they had a real nefarious plan to do something to me or Alex or that we were the final piece to move to Rexburg, and by the grace of God, I didn’t move there.”

• Zulema’s testimony suggests that Chad and Lori saw Alex as disposable, reinforcing theories that he was a key enforcer in their crimes—but was ultimately expendable

Idaho court documents show Cox’s phone placed him at the location where the remains of JJ and Tylee were found around the time they disappeared. No one has been charged in the kids’ deaths, but Chad and Lori Daybell are charged with felonies related to the concealment, alteration and destruction of their bodies.

Nelson Yanes (First Husband)

• Married her high school sweetheart at 19.
• Married 1992
• Marriage ended in divorce.

William Lagioia (Second Husband)

• July 16, 1995 Arrest Warrant for William LaGioia for Assault and Battery on Lori.
• October 22, 1995 Married,
• Had one son: Colby Ryan (Born in 1996).
• February 25, 1998 Divorced

Joseph Ryan (Third Husband)

• Married Lori in 2001.
• Charles had two children through his previous marriage to Cheryl Wheeler.
• Father of Tylee Ryan (Born in 2002).
• Had a contentious custody battle over Tylee.
• Died in April 2018 of an apparent heart attack, though some suspect foul play.

Charles Vallow (Fourth Husband, Deceased)

• Marriages: Previously married and had two sons
• Married Lori in 2006.
• Converted to Lori’s Religious Beliefs: Initially, Charles was a devout Catholic, but he later converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormonism) after marrying Lori.
• 2014 Adopted JJ Vallow (Biological grandson of Charles’ sister, Kay Woodcock).
• 2018: Lori became obsessed with apocalyptic and doomsday prophecies, claiming she was a “translated being” and that Charles was possessed by a dark spirit named “Nick Schneider.”
• January 31, 2019 Filed for divorce, citing Lori’s religious extremism and erratic behavior. He claimed Lori threatened to kill him, saying she had been chosen by God to prepare for the Second Coming of Christ.
  
• Killed by Alex Cox (Lori’s brother) in July 2019.

Chad Daybell (Fifth Husband)

• Married Lori in November 2019, shortly after his first wife Tammy Daybell died under suspicious circumstances.
• A religious author who promoted doomsday prophecies.
• Together, Chad and Lori were suspected of orchestrating the murders of Tylee Ryan, JJ Vallow, and Tammy Daybell.

Children of Lori Vallow Daybell

Colby Ryan (Born 1996)

• Son of Lori and William Lagioia.
• Only surviving child of Lori.
• Spoke out against Lori after his siblings’ deaths were uncovered.

Tylee Ryan (Born September 24, 2002 – Murdered in September 2019)

• Daughter of Lori and Joseph Ryan.
• Last seen alive on September 8, 2019, during a family trip to Yellowstone National Park.
• Her burned and dismembered remains were found in Chad Daybell’s backyard in June 2020.

Joshua “JJ” Vallow (Born May 25, 2012 – Murdered in September 2019)

• Adopted son of Lori and Charles Vallow.
• Last seen alive on September 23, 2019.
• His remains were found buried in plastic and duct tape on Chad Daybell’s property.

Biological Parents of JJ Vallow

• Todd Trahan (Biological father)
• Mandy Leger (Biological mother)

JJ was the biological grandson of Kay Woodcock, Charles Vallow’s sister. Due to their inability to care for JJ, he was adopted by Lori and Charles Vallow.

Biological “Grandparents” (Paternal)

• Larry Woodcock
• Kay Woodcock
  Kay and Larry raised concerns about Lori’s behavior after Charles’ death and were instrumental in raising awareness about JJ’s disappearance.

Before marrying Lori, Chad Daybell was married to:

Tammy Daybell (Born May 4, 1970 – Died October 19, 2019)

• She died suspiciously at home in Salem, Idaho, just weeks before Chad married Lori.
• Chad initially claimed she died in her sleep.
• Her body was exhumed, and an autopsy later suggested homicide.

Children of Chad and Tammy Daybell

• Garth Daybell (Son)
• Emma Murray (Daughter)
• Seth Daybell (Son)
• Mark Daybell (Son)

Chad and Tammy’s children were not involved in the crimes but were reportedly unaware of their father’s activities.

Melani Boudreaux Pawlowski (Lori’s Niece)

• Daughter of Lori’s deceased sister, Stacey Cox.
• Left her husband, Brandon Boudreaux, and became deeply involved with Lori’s religious beliefs.
• Brandon was shot at in October 2019, allegedly by Alex Cox.

Brandon Boudreaux (Ex-Husband of Melani)

• Survived an assassination attempt in October 2019.
• Believed Lori’s family was trying to kill him.

Zulema Pastenes (Wife of Alex Cox)

• Married Alex Cox in November 2019, just weeks before he died.
• Cooperated with law enforcement.

Ian Pawlowski (Husband of Melani)

• Initially followed Lori and Chad’s beliefs but later worked with the FBI.

Joseph Lopez

• Connected to Lori’s group but role unclear.

Key Deaths Linked to Lori and Chad

1. Joseph Ryan (April 2018) – Alleged heart attack.
2. Charles Vallow (July 2019) – Shot by Alex Cox.
3. Tylee Ryan (September 2019) – Murdered.
4. JJ Vallow (September 2019) – Murdered.
5. Tammy Daybell (October 2019) – Suspicious death.
6. Alex Cox (December 2019) – Died of natural causes.

Lori Norene Cox was born on June 26, 1973, in San Bernardino, California. She was raised in a religious household and grew up as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).

She married multiple times, with her relationships becoming increasingly tumultuous. Over the years, she became deeply involved in extreme religious ideologies, particularly after meeting Chad Daybell.

Marriages and Family

Lori was married five times:

1. Nelson Yanes – A brief marriage in the early 1990s.
2. William Lagioia – Married in 1995; they had a son, Colby Ryan, but divorced in 1998.
3. Joseph Ryan – Married in 2001; they had a daughter, Tylee Ryan, but divorced in 2005. Joseph Ryan later died in 2018 under suspicious circumstances.
4. Charles Vallow – Married in 2006; they adopted Joshua “JJ” Vallow, Charles’s grandnephew, in 2013. Charles filed for divorce in 2019, claiming Lori believed she was a “god” sent to prepare for the Second Coming. He was shot and killed by Lori’s brother, Alex Cox, in July 2019.
5. Chad Daybell – Married in November 2019, just weeks after Chad’s wife, Tammy Daybell, died under mysterious circumstances.

• 1973: Lori Norene Cox born in San Bernardino County CA
• 1991 – Lori Cox graduates high school in Rialto, CA (Newspapers.com)
• 1992 – Lori marries her 1st husband while she is still a teenager fresh out of HS. This relationship ends in divorce.
• 1995 – October 22, 1995 Lori marries 2nd husband, William John Lagioia in Travis County, TX (Lori’s eldest son Colby Ryan is born during this relationship). (according to court records)
• 1994 – December 17, 1996 Lori’s 2nd husband files for divorce in Bexar County, Texas
• 1997 – Chad hears voice while working in cemetery telling him to write his books.
• 1998 – February 25, 1998 Lori’s 2nd divorce finalized.
• 1998 – May 25, 1998 Stacey Lynn Cope (sister to Lori and Alex, mother to Melani Boudreaux) dies of diabetic shock. Alex Cox was the only one home. Alex was using Stacey’s credit card while she was dead.
• 2001 – Lori marries Joseph Anthony Ryan Jr
• 2002 – September 24, 2002 Tylee Ashlyn Ryan is born.
• 2004 – February 23, 2004 Lori is listed on a General Warranty Deed for the home she shares with Joe Ryan in Driftwood, TX. 
• 2004 – August 13, 2004 Joe Ryan files for divorce from Lori in Hays County, TX
• 2005 – May 18, 2005 Lori and Joe’s divorce finalized in Hays County, TX.
• 2005 – September 6, 2005 Lori is listed on a Trustee Deed for the home in Driftwood, TX
• 2006 – Lori Ryan marries her fourth husband, Charles Vallow. Lori enters the marriage with her son, Colby, and Tylee Ryan (her daughter with Joseph Ryan Jr.).
• 2006 – August 8, 2006 Joe Ryan files in the 22nd District Court of TX for custody enforcement/modification in the interest of Tylee.
• 2007 – August 5, 2007 While dropping off Tylee from visitation Joe Ryan was assaulted by Alex Cox. He was hit twice by a taser while attempting to flee. Alex threatened to kill Joe. The events were witnessed by a neighbor. Alex was arrested (Offense Report: 2007-2171206) and charged with Aggravated Assault. He spent 90 days in jail. Police Report Joseph Ryan
  
• 2008 Melani Cope (Alex and Lori’s niece, daughter of Stacey) marries Brandon Boudreaux.
• 2008 – March 2008 Lori and Charles sign a “lien release form” together in Travis County, TX.
• 2008 – December 19, 2008 Joe Ryan requested dismissal of an appeal against Lori in the 3rd Court of Appeals, 245 District Court of Travis County, TX; the court granted his request.
• 2009 – January 26, 2009 Lori and Charles sign forms for authorization for someone to pay property tax on their behalf in Travis County, TX. (Court records)
• 2009 – July 17, 2009 Joseph Ryan again files a custody suit against Lori in the state of Texas. This suit is carried over to the AZ courts and a note about it in Maricopa County, AZ records reads: “From The State of Texas Interlocutory/of 7/17/09 in Suit to Modify Parent-Child Relationship” (Court records)
• 2011 – August 5, 2011 Joseph Ryan files “Petition to modify child custody, parenting time and child support” in Maricopa County, AZ Family Court.
• 2012 – May 25, 2012 Joshua Jaxon “JJ” Vallow is born in Louisiana to Charles Vallow’s grand-nephew. JJ is later diagnosed with special needs (Autism and ADHD) and prescribed medication.
• 2012 – June 5, 2012 Joseph Ryan files more petitions against Lori to modify child custody and child support arrangements for Tylee in Maricopa County, AZ
• 2013 – Charles and Lori adopt Joshua “JJ” Vallow, the grandson of Charles’ sister, Kay Woodcock.
• 2014 – June 1, 2014 Joseph Ryan wins his ongoing court battle with Lori as court records read: “Stipulation To Credit (Offset) Petitioner/Father’s Child Support Obligations for Seven (&) Months Commencing June 1, 2014”.
• 2014 – August 1, 2014 The Vallow family moves to Kauai,
• 2014 – December 8, 2014 Charles and Lori register business called “Juice Island Hawaii LLC” in Princeville, HI
• 2015 – January 12, 2015 Charles and Loris register business called “JUICE ISLAND – PRINCEVILLE LLC” in Princeville, HI.
• 2015 – February 2015 Daybells moved to Salem, Idaho
• 2015 – June 25, 2015 – Tylee tweets a photo with friend captioned: “4 more days until Hawaii with this chick” .
• 2015 – August 4 2015 Charles and Lori register a business “JUICE ISLAND – LIHUE LLC” in Princeville, HI.
• 2016 – February 1, 2016 Lori posts photo to Instagram from Anini Beach, Kalihiwai, HI.
• 2016 – June 18, 2016 Tylee posts photo to her photography Instagram taken in Kakaha, HI.
• 2016 – July 20, 2016 Lori gets a traffic ticket for using her phone while driving in Kauai, HI
• 2016 – September 28, 2016 Lori dissolves one of the 3 Hawaii business entities (Juice Island – Lihue LLC). Note: The other Juice Island LLCs are listed as DELINQUENT for 2016, 2017, and 2018 due to no filings and the state administratively dissolved the entities in 2018
• 2016 December 2016 Tylee listed on the Honor Role as a freshman at Kapaa High School in Hawaii.
• 2017 – Lori and children move from HI to AZ.

2018

• April 3, 2018 – Joseph Ryan Jr. Tylee’s father, died, and it was ruled as a heart attack. Later in the year, she began receiving Joseph’s Social Security survivor benefits. Those benefits were originally direct-deposited into a bank account Tylee and Lori shared. Death Report
  
• April 18, 2018 – JJ Vallow is last seen by a dentist
• October 26, 2018 – Chad and Lori met at a religious conference in St. George, Utah. Chad and Lori make their first recorded podcast together on Preparing a People titled “Time to Warrior Up.” The podcast series focuses on end-times prophecies.
• Late October 2018 recording of Lori Daybell saying she “was going to murder” Joseph Ryan, her third husband. Ryan died of an apparent heart attack six months before Daybell made the comments. His sister, Annie Cushing, shared the recording in hopes that police would open an investigation.
• October 30, 2018 – Chad Daybell emailed Lori Vallow a document regarding the “Church of the First Born,” ranking individuals numerically. Melani Boudreaux was included in this ranking.
• December 5, 2018 – Time to Warrior Up sequence on PAP begins with Lori Vallow, Jason Mow, and Melanie Gibb

Religious Beliefs and Connection to Chad Daybell

Lori and Chad Daybell, a self-proclaimed religious visionary and author of apocalyptic fiction, developed extreme beliefs about the end times. They believed in “light and dark” spirits, with Lori claiming some people, including her own children, were “zombies” whose spirits had been replaced by dark entities.

These beliefs played a crucial role in the disappearance and murder of Tylee and JJ.

Lori and Chad believed in radical interpretations of LDS teachings, including:

• Light and Dark Spirits: They classified people as either “light” (righteous) or “dark” (possessed by evil spirits).
• Zombies: Lori believed that “dark spirits” could take over a person’s body, turning them into a zombie that had to be “eliminated” to free their soul.
• 144,000 Missionaries: They believed they were among the 144,000 chosen people who would survive the coming apocalypse.
• Second Coming of Christ: They thought July 2020 would be the date of Jesus’ return and that they needed to prepare.

Deaths and Disappearances

Lori’s extreme beliefs played a role in a series of suspicious deaths.

1. Charles Vallow’s Death (July 11, 2019) – Shot by Alex Cox in Arizona.
2. Tylee Ryan’s Disappearance (September 8, 2019) – Last seen on a trip to Yellowstone.
3. JJ Vallow’s Disappearance (September 23, 2019) – Last seen at school in Rexburg, Idaho.
4. Tammy Daybell’s Death (October 19, 2019) – Initially ruled natural, later investigated as a homicide.

2019 Timeline: Murders

• January 15, 2019 Podcast recorded Time to Warrior Up with Chad Daybell
• January 31, 2019 – Charles Vallow contacts Arizona police, expressing concern about Lori’s extreme religious beliefs. Officers determine she is mentally stable.
• February 8, 2019 – Charles files for divorce, claiming Lori views herself as a god and has threatened to kill him and He seeks custody of their adopted son Joshua Jaxon “J.J.” Vallow However, he later pauses proceedings, hoping to reconcile.
• February – April – Lori travels to Hawaii for nearly two months, leaving JJ and Tylee behind. During this nearly two-month period, she stayed with her friend, April Raymond.
• March 6, 2019 Charles Vallow drops divorce proceedings against Lori and they remain legally married but separated. (Maricopa Court records)
• June, 2019 – Lori’s niece, Melani Boudreaux, and her husband, Brandon Boudreaux, file for divorce. Brandon claims Melani has joined a cult.
• July 8, 2019 – Charles emailed his sons, expressing fear for his life.
• July 10, 2019 – Charles arrived in Arizona, preparing to pick up J.J.
• July 11, 2019 – Lori’s brother, Alex Cox, shoots and kills Charles Vallow in Arizona. He claims self-defense. BodyCam Footage – Case Files
• July 12, 2019 – Lori texted Charles’ sons, pretending to be Charles.
• July 15-16, 2019 – Lori traveled to Houston while J.J. and Tylee stayed with a friend, Angela.
• July 20, 2019: Lori’s credit card was used to purchase an Allegiant Airlines flight for Chad, traveling from Provo to Arizona.
• July 22, 2019: Chad and Lori exchanged text messages discussing Kauai and “the plan.” Chad wrote, “Love you,” to which Lori responded, “I love you.” Chad replied, “Not as much as I love you.” Lori mentioned that he would enjoy the scenery in Kauai, as it resembled Hawaii. Chad responded, “Hopefully we can be there soon.” 
• Lori sent an email asking to return J.J.’s service dog to the company that trained it.
• Lori visited J.J.’s school and falsely told staff that Charles had “committed suicide.” Staff members researched Charles’ death and discovered he had actually been murdered on July 11.
  
• July 2019: Lori arranged a “casting” for Brandon, believing he was “dark” and possessed by an “evil spirit.” She told her niece, Melani, that Boudreaux was part of Hitler’s group and considered a “very high dark.”
• July 29, 2019 – Lori traveled to Oceanside, California, with Alex and Melani.
• July 30, 2019 – Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow discuss death percentages for Tammy Daybell and JJ Vallow in Text messages.
• August 5, 2019 – Kay Woodcock, sister-in-law of Lori Vallow, recorded a conversation with Lori regarding Charles Vallow’s life insurance policy. During the call, Lori expressed frustration upon learning that Charles had changed the beneficiary to Kay, rather than leaving it to her. This conversation highlighted Lori’s growing financial motivations and resentment following Charles’ July 2019 death.
• August 6 2019 Venmo in Tylee’s name sent money to older brother Colby.
• August 16, 2019 – Lori Norene Vallow changed the deposit of Tylee Ryan’s Social Security benefits, redirecting the funds from Tylee’s JP Morgan Chase account to Lori’s personal BBVA bank account
• September 1, 2019 – Lori, Tylee, JJ, and Alex move to Rexburg, Idaho.
• September 3 2019 Joshua is enrolled by Lori at Kennedy Elementary in Rexburg, Idaho
• September 5, 2019 – Lori email to J.J.’s school, the Laurens Institute for Education in Gilbert, Arizona, at right, that he won’t be re-enrolling because the family had to “move quickly” so she could accept an out-of-state job. By then she has enrolled him at Kennedy Elementary School in Rexburg, Idaho, near Daybell’s home base.
• September 8, 2019 – Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow were photographed at Yellowstone National Park during a day trip with their mother, Lori Vallow, and uncle, Alex Cox. This was the last confirmed sighting of Tylee Ryan. Investigators later determined that she was murdered shortly after this trip.
• September 8, 2019 – Chad Daybell and Tammy Daybell sign an application to increase Tammy’s LifeMap insurance to the maximum amount allowed under her policy.
• September 9, 2019 Chad Daybell sent a text message to his wife, Tammy Daybell, claiming he had shot and buried a raccoon in their pet cemetery after burning limb debris by the fire pit. Investigators believe the message was an attempt to create an alibi for activity on his property that morning. That same day, Alex Cox’s phone data placed him on Chad’s property, specifically in the area where Tylee Ryan’s remains were later found.
• September 17, 2019, A neighbor of Lori Vallow at 565 Pioneer Road captured J.J. Vallow playing outside in the courtyard on their doorbell camera. This is one of the last known recordings of J.J. before his disappearance. Same day, Melani asked Brandon for his new home address. Brandon told police she was one of four people to know that information. His new lease began on September 23, 2019
• – Days prior, some redacted info on Melanie Gibb seeing JJ Vallow for the last time in Lori Vallow’s Rexburg apartment.
• September 18, 2019, Lori Vallow met with a babysitter and hired her to watch J.J. Vallow, stating it would be a long-term job. On the same day, Chad Daybell obtained a burner phone, presumably for private communication
• September 19, 2019 earlier that day  The babysitter watched J.J. Melanie Gibb visit Lori that day in Rexburg. Lori tells Gibb that JJ has become a “zombie” and that his spirit had left his body.
• September 22, 2019 – Last verifiable sighting of J.J. Vallow by Melanie Gibb. That night, Alex Cox took J.J. to his apartment. When he returned later, J.J. appeared asleep on Alex’s shoulder.
• September 23, 2019 – 9:55 AM – 10:12 AM: Alex Cox’s phone pings at Chad Daybell’s property, near the pond.
• Later that morning: Lori Vallow tells Melanie Gibb that J.J. was acting like a zombie, climbing on kitchen cabinets, and had knocked a picture of Jesus off the refrigerator. Lori claims Alex took J.J.
• Lori emailed J.J.’s school, stating he would not be returning.
• September 24, 2019 – The babysitter contacted Lori Vallow to ask if she was needed to watch J.J. Vallow. Lori told her J.J. had gone to stay with his grandmother for several weeks and that her services were no longer needed. Same day: Lori informed Kennedy Elementary School that J.J. was staying with his grandparents in Louisiana. School records show J.J. was withdrawn with no evidence of homeschooling. Babysitter Statement
  
• September, 25, 2019 – Alex Cox takes the Jeep Wrangler registered to Charles Vallow but previously driven by Tylee Ryan and brings it to Dan’s Window Tinting in Rexburg. He has the front windows tinted to 20 percent and the rear windows tinted to five percent.
• September, 26 2019 – Melani flies from Mesa, AZ to Idaho Falls, ID via Allegiant Airlines.
• September 28, 2019 – Alex at the gun range and signs the log at United Sportsmens’ Gun Club. 
• September 29, 2019 – Melanie returns to Mesa, AZ.
  
• September 30, 2019 – Alex’s road trip in the Jeep Wrangler from Idaho to Arizona. His burner phone calls Chad’s burner phone and receives a call from Chad’s phone about 21 hours before the attempted murder of Brandon Boudreaux.
• October 1, 2019 – Lori rents a storage unit in Rexburg. Surveillance footage shows her, Alex, and Chad frequently visiting it. Video footage from a storage facility in Idaho showed Cox and Lori storing the spare tire the day before Cox traveled south to Maricopa County, then retrieving it a few days later.
  
• October 2, 2019 – Brandon Boudreaux is targeted in a drive-by shooting outside his home in Gilbert, Arizona. The shooter, driving Charles Vallow’s Jeep, misses him by inches. Earlier that day, Boudreaux had dropped off his children with his ex-wife, Melani Pawlowski, who was deeply involved in Lori and Chad Daybell’s religious beliefs. Evidence from Lori’s trial suggested Boudreaux was viewed as an “obstacle” and believed to be possessed by a “dark spirit”, a justification Lori and Chad used to remove perceived threats.
• 7:17 AM: Alex’s Gmail account searched for directions to Brandon’s house.
• 9:19 AM: Alex was parked near Brandon’s residence. Alex’s burner phone and Chad’s burner phone make contact multiple times between 9:19 AM – 9:25 AM
  
• Shots were fired from the back window of a grey Jeep Wrangler, which had its spare tire removed.
• Brandon witnesses the muzzle of a firearm pointed towards his Tesla moments before a shot is fired.
• After his car is hit, Brandon drives off and the Jeep follows him briefly before turning out of the neighborhood.
• 1:25 PM – 1:32 PM – Chad and Lori are seen on surveillance bringing in a tire, and single vehicle wheel into storage. Her gmail account searches for keywords like “man shot in gilbert az” and “ave news brandon budreaux.”
  
• An Amazon order is placed in Charles Vallow’s name for a silver and malachite ring, costing less than $40.
• October 3, 2019 – police interview Melani who denies any knowledge of the shooting and could not explain the details of that day. She confirmed relationships with Alex and Lori but denied being close. She also did not want to share their phone numbers. Lori using the same computer used for the ring purchase searches for wedding dresses online.
• October 4, 2019 Tammy Daybell visits her parents in Springville, UT. She is reported to have been healthy and doing Zumba and a clogging class by her father.
• October 8, 2019 – Alex Cox conducts multiple internet searches, including terms related to “Grendel drop” (a type of bullet) and shooting through a Dodge Dakota.
• October 9, 2019  – Alex Cox obtains a burner phone. Alex Cox attempts to shoot Tammy Daybell outside her home but fails. Tammy Daybell calls 911, reporting that a masked man shot at her with a paintball gun. Chad and Lori exchange text messages discussing Tammy being in “limbo” and allegedly possessed by a spirit named Viola. Alex traveled from Sportsman’s Warehouse to the vicinity of the Daybell residence.
• October 9, 2019 Tammy Daybell has an encounter with a masked man with a gun outside her ID home which she contacted the police about. She also posted about it on Facebook.
• October 12, 2019 – Alex Cox conducts another internet searches, including terms related to “Grendel drop” (a type of bullet) and shooting through a Dodge Dakota.
• October 18, 2019 – Alex Cox was in a church parking lot approximately 2.5 miles from the Daybell residence on the night before Tammy Daybell’s death.
• October 19, 2019 – Chad Daybell reports that Tammy died in her sleep. 
• That morning of October 19, 2019, Alice and Todd Gilbert, neighbors of Chad and Tammy Daybell, went to the Daybell home after learning of Tammy’s sudden passing. During their visit, Chad informed them that Tammy’s funeral would take place on Tuesday, with a memorial service planned for Wednesday.
• Alice Gilbert was surprised by how quickly the arrangements had been made and asked Chad if he had planned them in advance. Chad responded “No,” but Alice found it odd that everything was happening so fast. Both Alice and Todd noted that Chad did not appear particularly upset over his wife’s sudden death
• October 22, 2019 Tammy’s funeral is held in Utah, two days after her death. No autopsy was conducted.
• October 24, 2019 – Lori traveled from Phoenix to Idaho.
• October 25, 2019 – A friend of Tylee’s from Arizona receives a text message from Tylee’s phone saying, “hi. Miss you guys too…luv ya.” This response was sent six days after the friend initially texted Tylee on October 19, saying she missed her. The friend expressed doubts that Tylee actually wrote it, stating: “She spelled out her words for the most part. Plus, she would have texted more if I reached out.”
• October 26, 2019 – Chad Announces He’s Found a New Wife – Just seven days after Tammy Daybell’s death, Chad Daybell visited his neighbors, Alice and Todd Gilbert. During the visit, Chad shocked the couple by telling them he had already “found the woman he was going to marry.” Alice recalled being “absolutely stunned” by Chad’s quick decision to remarry, especially given how little time had passed since Tammy’s sudden death.
• October 28, 2019 – Alex Cox and Chad Daybell visit the storage unit removing several large, obviously heavy totes. This is the last visit to the storage unit The Gilberts (neighbors) met the woman Chad was referring to—Lori Vallow. Alice described the encounter as awkward, noting that Chad and Lori were extremely affectionate, giggling and laughing together on the couch “They were more affectionate than I had ever seen Chad,” Alice testified. “My husband and I were embarrassed.”
• November 3, 2019 – Chad and Lori traveled to Hawaii for their wedding.
• November 5, 2019 – Chad and Lori marry in Hawaii, two weeks after Tammy’s death.
• November 8, 2019: Chad’s Email to a Realtor in Hawaii, just three days after marrying Lori Vallow, and less than a month after the death of Chad’s first wife, Tammy Daybell, who had died of asphyxiation on October 19, 2019. Chad Daybell emailed a Hawaiian realtor inquiring about a property. In the message, Chad falsely stated that he and Lori had “no pets or children”—despite the fact that JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan had vanished weeks earlier and were still officially missing.

“We are interested in seeing this property,” Chad wrote. “Would the owners be interested in leasing this property to a clean couple with no pets or children?”

• November 14, 2019 – Melani Boudreaux was arrested for trespassing on Brandon’s parents’ property in American Fork, Utah. She was released the same day.
• November 21, 2019, Chad Daybell met with his insurance agent, Ballard, to discuss different options for his policy. During the conversation, Chad hypothetically asked about adding a new spouse to the plan—without mentioning that he had already married Lori Vallow by this point on November 5 in Hawaii. Chad never mentioned JJ or Tylee, nor did he discuss adding anyone else to the policy.
• November 26, 2019 – Police conduct a welfare check on JJ after his grandparents, Larry and Kay Woodcock, express concern. Rexburg police visit Lori’s apartment. Alex Cox and Chad Daybell claim JJ is with his grandmother in Louisiana. Chad acts as if he barely knows Lori. Lori tells police JJ is with her friend Melanie Gibb in Arizona.
• November 27, 2019 – Officers arrived at Lori and Chad Daybell’s Rexburg residence with search warrants. However, they discovered that the couple had “abruptly vacated” the home and left the area. During the investigation into JJ’s disappearance, law enforcement learns that Lori’s 17 year old daughter Tylee Ryan was living with Lori in Rexburg but she also has not been seen since Sept 2019.
• November 29, 2019 – Alex Cox (Lori’s brother) marries Zulemar Pastenes in Clark County, Idaho
• November 30, 2019 – Lori’s niece, Melani Pawlowski, married Ian Pawlowski (his divorce was finalized on July 25, 2019). Before their marriage, Ian sought permission from Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow to marry Melani, reflecting their deep influence over her life and relationships.
• December 1, 2019: – Chad and Lori fly from Los Angeles to Hawaii. No records of JJ or Tylee traveling with them.
• December 6, 2019: – Melanie Gibb contacts police and confirms Lori and Chad asked her to lie about JJ’s whereabouts.
• December 11, 2019  – Tammy Daybell’s body is exhumed. An autopsy later reveals she died of asphyxiation.
• December 12, 2019 – Another Death: Alex Cox, 51, Lori Vallow Daybell’s brother, was found unresponsive in the bathroom of his home in Gilbert, Arizona, where he lived with his wife of 12 days, Zulema Pastenes. Cox had previously admitted to fatally shooting Charles Vallow in July 2019, claiming self-defense during an alleged altercation at Lori’s home. His sudden death raised suspicions, given his involvement in multiple key events surrounding Lori and Chad Daybell..
• December 20, 2019 – Rexburg Police publicly announce the disappearance of Tylee Ryan and J.J. Vallow, asking for the public’s help. Authorities state that Chad and Lori are not cooperating and suggest the children’s disappearance may be linked to Tammy Daybell’s suspicious death.
• December 21, 2019: Police officially name Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow as persons of interest. Rexburg Police Chief Shane Turman said: “They told us several stories about where the children are, but when we investigate, the children don’t exist where they say they should.”
• December 22, 2019 – Larry and Kay Woodcock, grandparents of JJ, plea for any information on the location of the children, “Just show me JJ, show me Tylee, let us see that those kids are OK,”
• December 23, 2019: Rexburg attorney Sean Bartholick issues a statement on behalf of Chad and Lori, claiming: “Chad Daybell was a loving husband and has the support of his children in this matter. Lori Daybell is a devoted mother and resents assertions to the contrary. We look forward to addressing the allegations once they have moved beyond speculation and rumor.”
• December 24, 2019 – Colby Ryan, oldest son of Lori and brother of Tylee, release a YouTube video discussing the case. “Every week or two weeks has been something — new news that just sinks your heart through your stomach,” “I didn’t know there was a whole other family involved or anything.”Colby Ryan said.
• December 28, 2019: Rexburg Police Capt. Gary Hagen tells East Idaho News that investigators are no closer to finding J.J. and Tylee than they were two weeks prior. Hagen dismisses custody battle rumors, stating: “That’s what they claim, but we have proved that there is no active custody battle.”
• December 30, 2019: Rexburg Police release another urgent public statement, emphasizing that they “strongly believe Joshua and Tylee’s lives are in danger.” Authorities confirm that the children are not with Chad and Lori, and despite law enforcement believing Lori knows their whereabouts, she has refused to cooperate and instead left the state with Chad.

Investigation and Arrests

• November 26, 2019 – Concerned relatives asked police to conduct a welfare check on JJ.
• December 2019 – Lori and Chad fled to Hawaii after lying about the children’s whereabouts.
• February 2020 – Lori was arrested in Kauai, Hawaii, and extradited to Idaho.
• June 9, 2020 – JJ and Tylee’s bodies were discovered in Chad Daybell’s backyard in Rexburg, Idaho.

2020 – Arrests

• January 3, 2020 – Police and the FBI search Chad’s home, seizing electronic devices and documents.
• January 5, 2020 – Colby Ryan, Lori’s son with ex Joseph Ryan, released a YouTube video in which he urged Lori to come clean and help authorities find Tylee and J.J. “I know you know [what] the right thing to do is and I know you have a good heart,” he said in the seven-minute clip. “It’s time to do the right thing.”
• January 7, 2020 – Larry and Kay Woodcock, J.J.’s grandparents, hold a press conference in Rexburg to announce a $20,000 reward for the children’s return. “We want only the best for them,” Larry Woodcock says. “Please give them back to us.”
• January 25, 2020 – Lori and Chad Located in Hawaii, Court Order Issued. Authorities tracked down Lori Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell in Kaua‘i, Hawaii, where local police stated the couple had been staying for an “unconfirmed period of time.” Rexburg police confirmed that JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan were not with them, nor was there any evidence that the children had ever been in Hawaii.
• January 26, 2020: – A Child Protection Action is filed in Madison County, Idaho. Lori is ordered to produce JJ and Tylee within five days. Lori and Chad are served the court order in Hawaii. The Kauai Police Department serves a search warrant on a vehicle carrying Chad and Lori as well as on their persons.
• January 28, 2020 – Kay and Larry Woodcock file for temporary guardianship of their grandson J.J. Petition
• January 30, 2020 – Lori fails to meet the deadline to present JJ and Tylee.
• February 20, 2020 – Lori is arrested in Kauai, Hawaii, on felony charges of child desertion.
• February 21, 2020 – Lori appears before a judge in Kauai and declares her intention to fight the extradition order. The judge denies her lawyer’s request to lower bail.
• February 26, 2020 – Lori waives her challenge to Idaho’s extradition request. The judge instructs the prosecuting attorney to have Idaho authorities return Lori to Madison County “as soon as possible.” Lori’s decision to waive comes immediately after her request to lower her $5 million bail is denied.
• February, 2020 – As part of Brandon and Melani’s custody battle from November 19, 2020 The ex-husband of Melani Boudreaux Pawlowski, Brandon Boudreaux, claimed that Melani knew the whereabouts of missing 7-year-old JJ Vallow. Melani, who is Lori Vallow Daybell’s niece, was closely involved with Lori and Chad Daybell’s religious beliefs and had moved to Rexburg, Idaho, around the same time as Lori. Brandon believed that Melani had insider knowledge about JJ’s location but refused to disclose it.
• March 2, 2020 – Chad Daybell give a brief statement to ABC News, claiming, “The kids are safe.” However, he refused to provide any further details on their whereabouts. According to ABC, Chad had also reassured his neighbors in Hawaii that JJ and Tylee were safe, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
• March 4, 2020 – Rexburg law enforcement take Lori into their custody and extradite Lori out of Hawaii. March 5, 2020: Lori arrives at the Rexburg airport and is escorted to the Madison County jail.
• March 5, 2020 – Lori is extradited to Idaho.
• March 6, 2020 – Lori appears in Madison County court for the first time. Judge Faren Eddins reads Lori her charges and sets the preliminary hearing for March 18 and March 19. Judge Eddins agrees to lower Lori’s $5 million bond to $1 million – But Kids Still Missing
• March 2020 – Chad Asks Neighbors to Post Lori’s Bond: Shortly after Lori Vallow Daybell’s arrest in February 2020 for failing to produce her missing children, Chad Daybell visited his neighbors, Alice and Todd Gilbert, once again. He said ‘Christ has sent me here to ask you guys if you would be willing to put your home up for bond to get Lori out of jail,’”. The Gilberts were taken aback by the request and declined to help Chad secure Lori’s release.
• March 13, 2020 – 2 of Lori’s Lawyers Withdraw
• March 2020 – Chad Daybell once again contacted his insurance agent, Ballard, this time to inquire about health insurance for his wife, Lori Vallow. At the time, Lori was incarcerated, and Ballard informed Chad that she did not need coverage while in jail. However, Chad insisted that he was “worried about something happening to her.” By this point, Ballard noticed several red flags and began to suspect that Chad and Lori might be attempting to orchestrate a fraudulent payout
• May 2020 – a medical examiner ruled that Alex Cox had died of bilateral pulmonary thromboemboli (blood clots in the lungs) and determined the manner of death to be natural causes. However, due to his central role in the events leading up to the children’s disappearance and the deaths of Charles Vallow and Tammy Daybell, his death remains a point of intrigue in the ongoing investigation.
• June 2, 2020, – Samantha Gwilliam, the sister of Tammy Daybell, was interviewed by law enforcement regarding her suspicions about Chad Daybell and the circumstances surrounding Tammy’s death. Detective Bruce Mattingly from the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office contacted Samantha Gwilliam, Tammy Daybell’s sister. He asked if she was aware of a pet cemetery on Chad and Tammy Daybell’s property in Idaho. Samantha confirmed she was aware of it and stated that both she and Tammy were pet lovers and had both maintained pet cemeteries.
• June 3, 2020, – investigators interviewed Melanie Gibb and David Warwick in Pleasant Grove, Utah, about the last time J.J. Vallow was seen alive on September 22–23, 2019.
• Gibb and Warwick stayed at Lori Vallow’s home in Rexburg that weekend.
• Lori claimed J.J. had become a “zombie,” loved Satan, and behaved oddly, but Gibb saw nothing unusual.
• September 22, 2019 (Night): J.J. was acting up during a podcast recording. Alex Cox took J.J. to his apartment. Later, Alex returned carrying J.J., seemingly asleep.
• September 23, 2019 (Morning): Lori told them J.J. had been crawling on cabinets and knocked down a picture of Jesus. She then said Alex had taken J.J.
• June 4, 2020 – Follow-up with Samantha. When asked about the specific location of the pet cemetery on the Daybell property, Samantha identified it as being east of the red barn and near the fire pit. She was then shown an aerial photograph of the property and pointed to the same area near the fire pit where Alex Cox’s phone had pinged on September 9, 2019.
• Significance of the Pet Cemetery: Alex Cox’s phone records showed he was at the Daybell property on September 9, 2019, from at least 9:21 AM to 11:39 AM.
• At 11:53 AM, Chad Daybell sent a text message to Tammy, claiming he had been burning debris and had shot and buried a raccoon in the pet cemetery.
• The location of the pet cemetery matches the pings from Alex Cox’s phone, suggesting Alex was there during the disposal of remains.

Discovery of the Children’s Remains

On June 9, 2020, authorities searched Chad Daybell’s property and found:

• Tylee’s remains: Burned and dismembered.
• JJ’s body: Wrapped in plastic and duct tape.

June 9, 2020 – A search warrant is executed at Chad Daybell’s property in Idaho. Human remains are found: JJ’s body is discovered near a tree, wrapped in plastic and bound with duct tape. Tylee’s remains are found burned and buried near the pet cemetery. Chad is seen watching the search and attempts to flee in an SUV. Chad Daybell is arrested.

Lori Vallow & Chad Daybell Legal Proceedings:

• June 10, 2020 – Chad is arrested and charged with concealing evidence.
• June 22, 2020 – Sister Says She ‘Was Wrong’ to Support Lori: In a Facebook post, Lori’s sister Summer Cox Shiflet, who had been one of Lori’s staunchest defenders, says she “was wrong” to come to Lori’s defense. “Losing our precious Tylee and JJ in this horrific way is more than we can bear,” she wrote. “We had prayed our hearts out for them and hoped with all of our hearts they were safe. But we sadly have to face this new reality and our family will never ever be the same.”
• June 29, 2020 – Lori is charged with conspiracy to destroy or conceal evidence.
• November 13, 2020, – LE are reviewing the investigation into the death of Joseph Ryan, Lori Vallow’s third husband.

Trials and Convictions

Lori Vallow’s Trial

• Charged with:
• First-degree murder (Tylee, JJ, and Tammy Daybell)
• Conspiracy to commit murder
• Grand theft (for collecting benefits after her children’s deaths)
• Verdict (May 12, 2023) – Found guilty on all charges.
• Sentencing (July 31, 2023) – Life in prison without parole.

Arizona Trial 2025