>>> TONIGHT ON "DATELINE."
>> Reporter: HAS THERE BEEN ANY SIGN AT ALL THAT SHE MISSES HER
CHILDREN >> IT MAKES YOU WONDER, WITH
MOTHER'S DAY COMING UP, IF THERE'S ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT THOSE
CHILDREN >> HAS THE JURY REACHED A
VERDICT? >> YEAH.
>> WILL THE DEFENDANT PLEASE RISE
>> JUST HOURS AGO, THE VERDICT IN THE NOTORIOUS CASE OF
DOOMSDAY MOM, LORI VALLOW DAYBELL, CHARGED IN
THE MURDERS OF HER OWN CHILDREN, TYLEE AND JJ
>> WHERE ARE YOUR KIDS >> NOW, NEW REVELATIONS.
>> LORI'S SISTER WAS FURIOUS >> YOU WENT OFF TO HAWAII AND
WERE DANCING ON THE BEACH WHILE YOUR KIDS WERE IN THE GROUND
>> OH, A GUT PUNCH >> TRYING TO GO ON WITH LIFE,
TRYING TO FIND SOME KIND OF HAPPINESS.
YOU THINK I WANT TO BE ALONE >> THE PROSECUTION WAS ABLE TO
SHOW CHAD AND LORI WERE IN A HURRY TO GET THESE KIDS OUT OF
THEIR WAY. >> MOM, YOU'VE BEEN SHOVING BS
DOWN MY THROAT I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT IS ACTUALLY
MY MOM >> SHE'S DESTROYED SO MANY
PEOPLE'S LIVES >>> HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A THING
LIKE THIS CASE >> IT DIDN'T MATTER WHAT
OBSTACLES SHE HAD TO REMOVE TO GET WHAT SHE WANTED.
>> THIS CASE DEFIES DESCRIPTION. >> IT'S JUDGMENT DAY AT LAST IN
THIS UNHOLY TALE OF LOVE, POWER, AND MURDER
I'M LESTER HOLT, AND THIS IS "DATELINE.
HERE'S KEITH MORRISON WITH "THE TRIAL OF LORI VALLOW DAYBELL."
>> Reporter: HERE WE ARE AT THE CLIMAX OF ONE OF THE MOST
ASTONISHING TALES WE'VE EVER COVERED.
>> THE DEFENDANT, LORI VALLOW DAYBELL, USED MONEY,
POWER, AND SEX TO GET WHAT SHE WANTED
YES, THAT LORI VALLOW. >> THE MOTHER OF TWO IDAHO
CHILDREN >> INVESTIGATION OF THOSE
TWO MISSING IDAHO CHILDREN >> COMING OUT IN OPENI
STATEMENTS OF THE MURDER TRIAL OF THE SO CALLED "DOOMSDAY MOM."
>> Reporter: THE WOMAN WHOSE STORY WE'VE BEEN UNRAVELING
SINCE WE TRACKED HER DOWN AS SHE HOLIDAYED WITH HER LOVER,
CHAD DAYBELL, IN HAWAII, WITH DEATHS IN THEIR WAKE
FOUR DEATHS IN JUST THREE MONTHS
WELCOME BACK LORI. WHERE ARE YOUR KIDS?
AND THEN WATCHED IN MARCH 2020, AS SHE WAS RETURNED TO IDAHO IN
HANDCUFFS, BY THEN, PERHAPS THE MOST INFAMOUS WOMAN IN THE
COUNTRY. AND NOW?
IT HAS BEEN SHOCKING HERE IN THE COURTROOM IN BOISE, IDAHO.
THREE YEARS LATER WE HAVE IT, THE FULL STORY OF
LORI VALLOW DAYBELL'S IMAGINED ASCENT TO THE RANKS OF THE GODS,
AND HER FALL TO EARTH, TOLD AT HER TRIAL WITH REVELATIONS, AND
PROOFS, AND PRIVATE PHONE CALLS, AND NEVER BEFORE SEEN VIDEO OF A
LOVE AFFAIR, CLOAKED IN RELIGION, THAT PRODUCED DEATH.
>> THIS RELATIONSHIP THAT'S BUILT ON A BUNCH OF BIZARRE
PRINCIPLES, BUT THEY BOTH SEEM TO BE ALL IN ON IT
>> Reporter: THE LIES SHE SPEWED TO AUTHORITIES
>> SO JJ WOULD BE WHERE? >> HE'S IN ARIZONA
>> Reporter: AND HER OWN FAMILY. ALL LEADING TO THE AWFUL
REALIZATION. >> YOU WERE IN HAWAII DANCING ON
THE BEACH WHILE YOUR KIDS ARE IN THE GROUND
>> Reporter: HERE, FOR A WOMAN PRE-OCCUPIED WITH CELESTIAL
JUDGEMENT, WAS THE JUDGEMENT OF 12 VERY HUMAN JURORS
>> HAS THE JURY REACHED A VERDICT?
>> WE HAVE >> Reporter: BUT BEFORE WE GET
TO THAT -- WHERE TO START? MAYBE HERE
>> CONTESTANT NUMBER 13 IS LORI. >> Reporter: THIS IS LORI VALLOW
AS SHE CHOSE TO BE SEEN, THE ATTRACTIVE, FIT MRS. TEXAS
CONTESTANT, THE BRIGHT, CHARMING MOM WHO COULD HANDLE ANYTHING
LIFE THREW HER WAY, EVEN IF THAT WASN'T EXACTLY TRUE.
SHE'D GROWN UP IN A BIG FAMILY, ONE OF FIVE SIBLINGS, STEEPED IN
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS.
THEY WERE CLOSE. BABY SISTER, SUMMER, WAS DEVOTED
TO LORI, AS, ESPECIALLY LATER IN LIFE, WAS HER BROTHER, ALEX.
ALEX, THE TRUCK DRIVER, AND AMATEUR STANDUP COMEDIAN
AND, AS SOME WOULD COME TO CALL HIM, LORI'S 'ANGEL OF DEATH.
>> Reporter: LORI WAS 22 AND ALREADY ON HER SECOND HUSBAND
WHEN SHE HAD COLBY WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BE WITH HER
AS A LITTLE KID? >> SHE JUST MADE EVERYTHING FUN.
>> Reporter: COLBY RYAN ADORED HIS MOM.
>> THAT TYPE OF PERSON, YOU KNOW, THAT ALWAYS HAD A LOT OF
ENERGY AND GOT EVERYBODY ELSE IN -- IN THE HOUSE EXCITED
>> Reporter: BUT MARRIAGE NUMBER TWO DIDN'T LAST EITHER, AND SO
IT WAS JUST THE TWO OF THEM. THAT IS, THE TWO OF THEM AND
LORI'S BELIEFS >> GROWING UP, SHE'S DEFINITELY
MENTIONED THE END OF THE WORLD LIKE, "WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT
MUCH, BECAUSE THE WORLD'S GONNA END.
>> Reporter: CERTAINLY THEIR WORLD WAS NOT VERY STABLE.
THEY MOVED A LOT.
MANY APARTMENTS, SCHOOLS, BRIEF FRIENDSHIPS.
COLBY'S ONLY CONSTANT WAS HER. >> I GREW UP BEING HER LITTLE
BEST FRIEND. IT WAS -- SHE WAS A SINGLE MOM
FOR A WHILE BEFORE SHE HAD MY LITTLE SISTER.
>> Reporter: THAT WAS TYLEE WITH HUSBAND NUMBER THREE
SWEET TYLEE. BUT THAT MARRIAGE ENDED, TOO
THE BREAKUP AS UGLY AS ANY BREAKUP COULD BE, WHICH MADE
SPACE FOR THE MAN WHO HELPED HER THROUGH HER CUSTODY BATTLES,
HUSBAND NUMBER FOUR, CHARLES VALLOW
>> HE WAS SUPER POLITE, AND KIND OF TRIED TO TAKE INTEREST IN ME
AND TYLEE. HE, LIKE, SEEMED LIKE HE
GENUINELY CARED ABOUT US >> Reporter: CARED DEEPLY FOR
LORI TOO NO ONE EVER DOUBTED THAT
CHARLES VALLOW SWEPT THE FAMILY OFF TO A POSTCARD WORTHY HOME IN
HAWAII, WHERE, BECAUSE LORI WANTED HIM TO, HE JOINED THE
CHURCH OF LATTER DAY SAINTS. AND WHERE CHARLES AND LORI
DECIDED TO ADOPT A LITTLE BOY, JJ
>> IT WASN'T LONG AFTER WE GOT HIM OUT OF THE HOSPITAL THAT --
THAT CHARLES APPROACHED ME ON IT
>> Reporter: KAY WOODCOCK IS CHARLES' SISTER.
SHE AND HER HUSBAND, LARRY, ARE LITTLE JJ'S GRANDPARENTS, THE
PARENTS OF JJ'S BIOLOGICAL FATHER
JJ HAD AUTISM. AND WHEN JJ'S PARENTS COULDN'T
CARE FOR HIM, CHARLES AND LORI JUMPED AT THE CHANCE
>> THEY WERE SIMPLY THE BEST PARENTS THERE -- THERE WAS
AND -- AND THEY TRULY DID LOVE JJ
THERE'S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND. >> Reporter: THEY ALL DID.
JJ, THE LOVE-CENTER OF THE WHOLE FAMILY
>> HE JUST CAME INTO OUR LIVES AND WE ALL JUST FELL IN LOVE
WITH HIM SO EASILY HE JUST WAS PART OF OUR FAMILY,
LIKE, WITHOUT HESITATION >> Reporter: SUCH A CHARMING
STORY, SUCH A HAPPY FAMILY ON HER FOURTH TRY, MAYBE LORI
HAD FINALLY FOUND A HUSBAND SHE COULD SPEND THE REST OF HER LIFE
WITH SO, WHAT HAPPENED?
WELL - ABOUT THE TIME COLBY WAS GROWN
AND LEAVING HOME, CHARLES AND LORI MOVED BACK TO THE MAINLAND,
RENTED A HOME IN A CHANDLER, ARIZONA, WHERE LORI'S INTEREST
IN THE END TIMES GREW, RAPIDLY THERE WERE CHAT GROUPS TO JOIN,
CONFERENCES TO ATTEND. LIKE THE ONE HERE, IN
ST. GEORGE, UTAH, A SPIRITUAL CONFERENCE FOR A CHURCH OF
JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS GROUP CALLED PREPARING A
PEOPLE SO, MAYBE THIS IS WHERE THE
STORY REALLY BEGINS, WHEN LORI VALLOW LOCKED EYES FOR THE
FIRST TIME ON A MAN NAMED CHAD DAYBELL
>> THIS WAS, LIKE, AN INSTANT FATAL ATTRACTION
>> Reporter: FATAL IS, IT WOULD TURN OUT, EXACTLY THE RIGHT WORD
>>> Reporter: WHEN LORI VALLOW MET CHAD DAYBELL AT A SPIRITUAL
CONFERENCE IN 2018, IT WAS LIKE SOME MAGNETIC FORCE SEEMED TO
PULL THEM TOGETHER >> IT WAS AN INSTANT LUST, AN
INSTANT ATTRACTION >> Reporter: NATE EATON IS THE
NEWS DIRECTOR OF EAST IDAHO NEWS AND A "DATELINE" CONTRIBUTOR
HE AND ERIC GROSSARTH, THEN ALSO WITH EAST IDAHO NEWS, FOLLOWED
THE CASE OF LORI AND CHAD RIGHT ALONG WITH US FROM THE
BEGINNING. >> IT WAS AN INSTANT, "I WANT
YOU, AND I WILL DO ANYTHING TO HAVE YOU."
>> Reporter: CHAD DAYBELL WAS A MEMBER OF THE LDS CHURCH,
SEXTON AT A CEMETERY AND SOMETIMES GRAVEDIGGER WHO'D
BECOME A SPEAKER AND AN AUTHOR WHOSE BOOKS OF FICTION WERE
CENTERED ON BIBLICAL END TIMES HE WAS MARRIED TO A WOMAN NAMED
TAMMY. THEY HAD RAISED FIVE CHILDREN
TOGETHER AND ALONG THE WAY, HAD MOVED
HERE TO REXBURG, IDAHO WHY REXBURG?
THIS IS WHERE HE BELIEVED HE AND THE OTHER SAINTS WERE DESTINED
TO RIDE OUT WAR, FAMINE, EARTHQUAKES -- THE END TIMES
AT THAT CONFERENCE, LORI WAS SWEPT UP IN ALL OF IT,
ESPECIALLY BY CHAD, WITH HIS BOOKS AND IDEAS ABOUT THE SECOND
COMING, EXTREME IDEAS THAT STRAYED FAR FROM TRADITIONAL
MORMON TEACHINGS AND HE LOOKED AT HER AND WAS
MESMERIZED HE CALLED HER A GODDESS, AN
ACTUAL GODDESS SAID HE COULD SEE SHE HAD
UNEARTHLY SPIRITUAL POWERS AND WHEN SHE WENT BACK HOME TO
ARIZONA, SHE WAS A CHANGED WOMAN, AS HER HUSBAND CHARLES
CONFIDED TO HIS BROTHERS BOBBY AND GERRY.
>> SHE WAS SAYING THINGS LIKE SHE WAS SUPERNATURAL AND COULD
FLY TO DIFFERENT PLANETS >> Reporter: WHEN CHARLES
TRAVELED FOR WORK, LORI HOSTED LITTLE GROUPS OF END-TIMERS.
CHAD TOO, OF COURSE. AND ONE NIGHT, WHEN HER HUSBAND
RETURNED, SHE LOCKED HIM OUT OF THE HOUSE.
AND A WORRIED CHARLES TOLD POLICE A WILD STORY.
SHE WAS THREATENING TO MURDER HIM AND HAVE AN ANGEL DISPOSE OF
HIS BODY >> SAYS I'M NICK SCHNEIDER
I'VE TAKEN OVER CHARLES' BODY, AND CHARLES HAS BEEN KILLED.
>> Reporter: AFTER THAT, SAID HIS RELATIVES, CHARLES GOT HIS
OWN PLACE, SCHEDULED TIMES TO BE WITH JJ, AND, SPRING AND EARLY
SUMMER OF 2019, BEGGED LORI TO SEE REASON
THEN, ON JULY 10th, LORI TEXTED HER BROTHER ALEX
"I'M GOING TO NEED YOU TO STAY CLOSE TO ME FOR THE NEXT COUPLE
DAYS THANK YOU FOR STANDING BY ME
IT'S ALL COMING TO A HEAD THIS WEEK."
ALEX WENT TO LORI'S PLACE, SPENT THE NIGHT THERE.
THE NEXT MORNING CHARLES ARRIVED AS SCHEDULED, TO PICK UP JJ, FOR
SCHOOL AND THEN -
>> YOU NEED POLICE OR PARAMEDICS
>> UH, BOTH. I NEED POLICE AND AN AMBULANCE
>> UH, THERE'S A -- I GOT IN A FIGHT WITH MY BROTHER-IN-LAW AND
I SHOT HIM IN SELF-DEFENSE >> Reporter: THE POLICE WERE
WEARING BODYCAMS WHEN THEY RESPONDED TO THE 911 CALL FROM
LORI'S HOUSE AND ENCOUNTERED 51-YEAR-OLD ALEX COX IN THE
FRONT YARD INSIDE, CHARLES WAS DEAD, HIS
BODY SPRAWLED ON THE LIVING ROOM FLOOR, SHOT THROUGH THE CHEST.
A BIT LATER, LORI ARRIVED WITH HER DAUGHTER TYLEE IN TOW.
>> HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED HERE? >> LIKE, THREE WEEKS
>> Reporter: SHE SEEMED RELAXED, TRIED OUT A LITTLE JOKE.
>> THAT'S WHY THE NEIGHBORS DON'T KNOW US VERY WELL.
>> GOTCHA. >> I'M LIKE, "HI, NEIGHBOR
SORRY. >> Reporter: HERE'S THE STORY
LORI TOLD DOWN AT THE STATION. CHARLES, SHE SAID, WAS ANGRY
ANGRY AT HER >> HE DOESN'T WANT A DIVORCE,
BUT I DON'T LIKE HIM AND DON'T WANNA DEAL WITH HIM.
>> Reporter: SO, SHE SAID, WHEN HE ARRIVED TO PICK UP JJ FOR
SCHOOL, HE WAS PRIMED FOR A FIGHT.
>> AND HE'S, LIKE, BANGING ON THE DOOR
I'M LIKE, "OH, GREAT HERE WE GO."
YOU KNOW AND I WAS JUST GONNA BE NICE
I WAS JUST GONNA BE AS NICE AS POSSIBLE
>> Reporter: CELL PHONE DATA PUT CHARLES'S ARRIVAL AT 7:35.
YOU'LL WANT TO REMEMBER THAT >> HE'S, LIKE, ACTING REALLY
WEIRD, LIKE HE'S PLOTTING SOMETHING.
BUT ANYWAY, HE GOES -- HE GOES NUTS
HE'S GONE NUTS ON US A LOT OF TIMES.
>> GOES NUTS, LIKE, YELLING AND SCREAMING?
GOES NUTS, LIKE -- >> YEAH, YELLING AND SCREAMING
>> Reporter: YELLING AND SCREAMING WHICH WOKE UP HER
DAUGHTER, 16-YEAR- OLD TYLEE, SHE SAID
>> SO TYLEE CAME OUT OF HER ROOM UPSET, AND SHE HAD A BAT, AND
SHE TOLD HIM TO LEAVE HER MOTHER ALONE.
LIKE, RIGHT? >> UH-HUH.
>> SO SHE WAS REALLY -- AND WHATEVER HE'S, LIKE, SCREAMING
AT HER AND THEN MY BROTHER HEARD ALL
THE COMMOTION. >> Reporter: THAT'S LORI'S
BROTHER, ALEX. REMEMBER, SHE'D INVITED HIM
OVER AND HERE HE IS TELLING POLICE HE
>> ALL I HEARD WAS HER SAY, "DON'T TOUCH ME," AND THEN
HIM -- >> OKAY.
>> -- COMING RIGHT AFTER HER AND I SHOVED HIM BACK.
>> OKAY. >> I SAID, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
HE'S NOT GONNA HURT MY SISTER. >> Reporter: IN ANOTHER
INTERVIEW ROOM, TYLEE WAS SUPPORTING HER MOTHER'S STORY.
>> CAN YOU BASICALLY TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED TODAY?
>> HE HONESTLY JUST LOOKED LIKE KIND OF A CRAZY PERSON
>> Reporter: TYLEE TOLD POLICE SHE HAD PICKED UP A BASEBALL
BAT. >> HE JUST GRABBED IT AND TRIED
TO TAKE IT, SO I HELD ONTO THE END.
AND THEN EVENTUALLY I FELL, AND HE KIND OF TOOK IT INTO HIS
HANDS. >> Reporter: ALEX CLAIMED THERE
WAS QUITE A SCRUM THEN IN THE HALLWAY WITH CHARLES
>> HE HIT ME IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS WITH THE BAT OR NOT
I ASSUMED IT WAS >> Reporter: SURE ENOUGH, POLICE
FOUND A LACERATION ON THE BACK OF ALEX'S HEAD, ALTHOUGH THEY
DIDN'T THINK IT LOOKED LIKE A WOUND INFLICTED BY A BASEBALL
BAT IN THE HANDS OF A BIG GUY LIKE CHARLES
>> WHAT DID YOU DO DID YOU GO -
>> I JUST WENT STRAIGHT TO THE ROOM
>> OKAY. >> BECAUSE I SAID, "THIS NEEDS
TO CALM DOWN." >> Reporter: BUT HE DIDN'T JUST
SIT IN THE BEDROOM AND WAIT, HE SAID
HE PICKED UP HIS .45 CALIBER HANDGUN INSTEAD.
>> WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU CAME OUT WITH THE GUN
>> I SAID, "PUT THAT BAT DOWN. >> HOW MANY TIMES WOULD YOU SAY
YOU TOLD HIM TO, LIKE, PUT THE BAT DOWN
>> ONCE. >> ONCE?
OKAY AND THEN HE STARTED ADVANCING
TOWARD YOU >> YES
>> Reporter: CHANDER POLICE DETECTIVES CASSANDRA YNCLAN AND
NATHAN MOFFAT CONDUCTED THE INTERVIEWS OF LORI AND ALEX.
WHAT KIND OF IMPRESSION DID YOU GET OF THIS GUY?
>> HE WAS MATTER-OF-FACT HE WAS UP-FRONT.
BUT HE ALSO SAID A VERY STANDARD LINE OF, "I WAS IN FEAR FOR MY
SAFETY, SO I SHOT HIM. >> Reporter: TWO SHOTS
LORI SAID SHE WAS IN THE KITCHEN WHEN IT HAPPENED, CAME AROUND
THE CORNER TO SEE CHARLES ON THE FLOOR.
>> AND I JUST WENT INTO MOM MODE
I'M LIKE, "I'VE GOT TO GO TO GET JJ TO SCHOOL."
AND TYLEE WAS, LIKE, LOOKING AT ME WITH, LIKE, THE CRAZY EYES,
LIKE, "WHAT JUST HAPPENED? AND I TOLD HER TO GET IN THE
CAR. "WE'RE GOING TO TAKE JJ TO
SCHOOL." >> Reporter: AND THEY DID.
CELL PHONE DATA SHOWS THEY LEFT THE HOUSE AT 7:49 A.M.
5 MINUTES LATER, AT 7:54 A.M., SURVEILLANCE VIDEO SHOWS LORI,
JJ AND TYLEE AT THIS BURGER KING DRIVE-THROUGH GRABBING BREAKFAST
BEFORE SCHOOL. >> Reporter: DIFFERENCES OF
DEGREE, BUT ALL THREE, MORE OR LESS, TOLD THE SAME STORY,
BACKING ALEX'S CLAIM THAT HE SHOT CHARLES IN SELF-DEFENSE
>> THERE WERE SMALL DISCREPANCIES, BUT IT WASN'T
ANYTHING THAT WAS MAJOR, ANYTHING THAT YOU WENT, "OH,
MAN, THIS IS -- YOU KNOW, THIS IS A BIG DEAL," OR, "THERE --
THERE'S A MAJOR PROBLEM HERE." >> Reporter: SO IT DIDN'T MAKE
ITSELF OBVIOUS IN THE BEGINNING. >> IT DIDN'T
>> Reporter: THE FIRST INKLING THAT PERHAPS THERE WAS MORE TO
THIS STORY CAME WHEN DETECTIVES DROVE THEM BACK TO LORI'S HOUSE
IN A POLICE VAN. >> THE VAN RIDE WAS STRAIGHT UP
BIZARRE FOR ME IT WAS THE WEIRDEST RIDE I'VE
EVER HAD WITH -- WITH, YOU KNOW, THREE STRANGERS.
>> Reporter: WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT
>> LORI WAS JUST -- IT WAS KIND OF LIKE A HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
SHE WAS JUST KIND OF SMILING IT WAS JUST A VERY, VERY BIZARRE
RIDE BACK. >> Reporter: BIZARRE
HE DIDN'T KNOW THE HALF OF IT. >> I THINK LABELING CHARLES AS A
ZOMBIE WAS PROBABLY THE CATALYST THAT SET THIS WHOLE PLOT IN
HUSBAND OF NEARLY 14 YEARS WAS DEAD
CHARLES SHOT BY HER BROTHER ALEX IN WHAT HE AND LORI DESCRIBED AS
AN ACT OF SELF DEFENSE >> HE'S SCREAMING AT HER, AND
THEN MY BROTHER HEARD ALL THE COMMOTION.
>> Reporter: THE POLICE WHO'D LISTENED HAD NO IDEA BACK THEN
THE DEPTH OF WHAT WAS GOING ON COULDN'T SEE THE TURN, SPIRITUAL
AND OTHERWISE, THAT LORI VALLOW'S LIFE HAD TAKEN
SINCE SHE ENCOUNTERED CHAD DAYBELL NINE MONTHS
EARLIER. CHAD HER LOVER AND HER PROPHET
IT HAD BEEN LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT WHEN THEY MET.
JUST ONE PROBLEM - >> CHARLES WAS IN HER WAY.
SHE WANTED CHARLES OUT OF THE WAY BECAUSE HE WAS BLOCKING
THESE SPIRITUAL GIFTS. SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH
THE MISSION THAT SHE NEEDED TO DO
>> Reporter: OH YES, THE MISSION.
CHAD IMAGINED HIMSELF THE LEADER OF HIS OWN LITTLE CHURCH OF
SORTS. A GROUP HE WOULD CALL "THE
CHURCH OF THE FIRST BORN." CHAD TOLD LORI THAT THEY HAD
BEEN MARRIED TO EACH OTHER MANY TIMES OVER MANY LIVES, AND, IN
THIS LIFE, THEIR GREATEST MISSION OF ALL WAS TO BRING
TOGETHER THE 144,000 TRUE BELIEVERS FOR THE SECOND COMING
OF JESUS AND THAT THEY HAD TO FIGHT OFF
EVIL SPIRITS INHABITING PEOPLE IN THEIR OWN FAMILIES.
ACCORDING TO CHAD, CHARLES MAY HAVE LOOKED HUMAN, BUT IN FACT
HE HAD TURNED "DARK. MEANING HE WAS POSSESSED BY EVIL
SPIRITS. THOSE EVIL SPIRITS HAD TURNED
HIM INTO A ZOMBIE. A ZOMBIE WITH A NEW NAME, AS
CHARLES TRIED TO TELL POLICE THAT NIGHT LORI LOCKED HIM OUT
OF THE HOUSE >> I'VE TAKEN OVER CHARLES'
BODY >> I THINK LABELING CHARLES AS A
ZOMBIE WAS PROBABLY THE CATALYST THAT SET THIS WHOLE PLOT IN
MOTION >> Reporter: DR. JOHN MATTHIAS
IS A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST WITH MORE THAN 25 YEARS EXPERIENCE AS
A FORENSIC INTERVIEWER AND EXPERT WITNESS FOR THE COURTS.
HE AND HIS JOURNALIST WIFE, LAUREN, HOST "THE HIDDEN TRUE
CRIME PODCAST." THEY'VE STUDIED THE CASE FROM
THE START, DEVELOPED THEIR OWN STRONG SOURCES, AND FOR A TIME
DEVOTED THEIR PODCAST EXCLUSIVELY TO THE CASE OF CHAD
AND LORI >> I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, YOU'RE
GOING TO BE MURDERED TODAY OR TOMORROW
>> I THINK HE WAS AFRAID AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE POLICE,
YOU KNOW, THEY LOOKED AT CHARLES.
HE'S -- HE'S A PRETTY BIG GUY, AND I DON'T THINK THEY TOOK IT
THAT SERIOUSLY >> I'VE GOT A SIX-YEAR-OLD WITH
SPECIAL NEEDS. >> Reporter: MAYBE THEY SHOULD
HAVE - IN THE WEEKS BEFORE THE
SHOOTING, LORI'S TEXTS TO HER BROTHER ALEX FOCUSED ON THE
PROBLEM OF CHARLES OR "NED SCHNEIDER."
TEXTS LIKE THIS ONE. HARD TO UNDERSTAND WITHOUT
CONTEXT, BUT IT SEEMED TO MAKE PERFECT SENSE TO ALEX.
"APPARENTLY IT IS TIED TO NED BEING GONE
HOPEFULLY TODAY OR TOMORROW. ALEX RESPONDS -- "HAVE FUN AND
GET RID OF NED ALREADY." MEANWHILE, THAT TUMULTUOUS
SPRING, LORI AND CHAD WERE MAKING PLANS
>> THEY WENT TO A LATTER-DAY SAINT TEMPLE, AND THEY FELT THAT
THEY HAD BEEN SEALED IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT ANYBODY
PRONOUNCED UPON THEM THAT, "HEY, YOU GUYS, CHAD AND LORI, ARE
MARRIED. IT WAS SOME SORT OF FEELING THAT
THEY FELT THEY HAD >> Reporter: HOW WOULD THE LDS
CHURCH LOOK ON AN ACT LIKE THAT? >> FOR A COUPLE TO COME OUT AND
SAY, "WE'VE SELF-SEALED OURSELF," YOU WOULD LOOK AT THEM
LIKE THEY WERE CRAZY >> Reporter: AND NOW CHARLES, OR
NED, WAS DEAD. SO BACK TO THAT SELF-DEFENSE
STORY LORI AND HER BROTHER HAD QUITE CONVINCINGLY TOLD
POLICE -- THERE WERE CRACKS. LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, ALEX CLAIMED
HE FIRED HIS TWO SHOTS WHILE CHARLES WAS STANDING
CONFRONTING HIM. BUT THE BULLET POLICE FOUND IN
THE FLOOR BENEATH CHARLES'S BODY SUGGESTED ALEX TOOK THE SECOND
SHOT WHEN CHARLES WAS ALREADY DOWN
AND THE STORY THAT CHARLES THREATENED TYLEE AND ALEX WITH A
BASEBALL BAT? FORENSIC TESTS FOUND NOTHING
CONCLUSIVE TO SHOW CHARLES EVER HELD THAT BAT.
AND THEN THERE WAS THIS, REMEMBER, LORI HAD TEXTED ALEX
AND ASKED HIM TO "STAY CLOSE" WITH CHARLES COMING OVER
SO WHY DID ALEX RESPOND TO POLICE QUESTIONS THIS WAY?
>> IS THERE A REASON YOU SPENT THE NIGHT THERE LAST NIGHT
>> NO, NOT REALLY. >> OK.
>> JUST HANG OUT WE WERE GONNA HANG OUT TODAY
>> OKAY. DID YOUR SISTER EVER TELL YOU
SHE WAS CONCERNED FOR HER SAFETY OR WELL BEING FOR CHARLES COMING
THERE? >> NO.
>> Reporter: NOW COMPARE THAT TO THE WAY LORI ANSWERED THE
QUESTION >> YOUR BROTHER LIVES THERE WITH
YOU? >> NO, HE HAD STAYED WITH ME
LAST NIGHT BECAUSE I WAS WORRIED HE WAS GOING TO COME OVER AND
CAUSE TROUBLE WITH ME. AND JUST WANTED SOMEONE ELSE
THERE, LIKE MY BROTHER THERE, CAUSE I TRUST MY BROTHER
>> Reporter: BUT IN FACT, SOMETHING RATHER AMAZING HAD
TAKEN PLACE DURING LORI'S INTERVIEW.
>> WE DO HAVE VICTIM SERVICES, THAT WORK WITHIN THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT, THEY'RE RIGHT OVER HERE
>> Reporter: A VICTIMS' ADVOCATE
THAT'S WHAT THE DETECTIVE WAS OFFERING
>> THERE WAS THIS INCREDIBLE TRANSFORMATION THAT OCCURS IN --
IN LORI'S INTERVIEW. SHE ESSENTIALLY CONVINCES THE
DETECTIVE THAT SHE'S A VICTIM. >> Reporter: THEN THERE WAS THE
TIMING OF THINGS PHONE RECORDS SHOWED LORI LEFT
THE HOUSE WITH THE KIDS AT 7:49 A.M.
CHARLES HAD BEEN SHOT BY THEN. BUT ALEX DID NOT CALL
9-1-1 UNTIL 8:36 MORE THAN 45 MINUTES AFTER THE
SHOOTING AND YET ON THAT CALL, ALEX TOLD
THE OPERATOR - >> HOW LONG AGO DID THIS HAPPEN?
>> A COUPLE OF MINUTES >> Reporter: NOW THAT WAS A LIE,
AND ALEX KNEW IT IN FACT, BEFORE HE CALLED 9-1-1,
HE PHONED LORI THEY HAD A CHAT.
HE DIDN'T MENTION THAT AND NEITHER DID SHE.
BUT THOSE REVELATIONS WOULD COME LATER -- MUCH LATER.
TOO LATE TO STOP THE DREADFUL, >>> Reporter: WHEN KAY WOODCOCK
AND HER HUSBAND, LARRY, HEARD ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO
CHARLES VALLOW, RIGHT AWAY, THEIR MINDS WENT TO THIS -
>> HE WAS AMBUSHED >> HE WAS AMBUSHED, THERE'S NO
DOUBT ABOUT IT >> HANDS DOWN.
>> IT WAS PREMEDITATED >> Reporter: REMEMBER KAY IS
CHARLES' SISTER AND SHE AND LARRY ARE GRANDPARENTS TO LITTLE
JJ WHO'D BEEN ADOPTED BY LORI AND CHARLES.
THEY'D BEEN WORRIED FOR AWHILE, GIVEN THE THINGS CHARLES HAD
BEEN TELLING THEM ABOUT LORI'S SPIRITUAL 180 AS WERE CHARLES'
BROTHERS >> HE SAID SHE HAD CHOSEN A
DIFFERENT PATH BUT MAYBE HE DIDN'T KNOW THE
EXTENT OF THE PATH SHE CHOSE >> Reporter: WELL AS DETECTIVES
DUG INTO THE DEATH OF CHARLES, THEY BEGAN TO UNCOVER MORE ABOUT
LORI'S PATH AND EVIDENCE THAT HER SPIRITUAL GURU AND BOYFRIEND
CHAD DAYBELL WAS DEEPLY INVOLVED IN WHATEVER WAS GOING ON
FOR EXAMPLE. >> HOW CAN I HELP YOU TODAY?
>> UM, WE JUST HAD A DEATH IN THE FAMILY
>> Reporter: THAT IS CHAD CALLING A FUNERAL HOME IN
ARIZONA JUST HOURS AFTER CHARLES'S DEATH.
>> WE REALLY DON'T WANT ANYTHING BUT A CREMATION AND THEN TO SEND
THE CREMAINS TO FAMILY IN LOUISIANA.
IS THERE ANY WAY TO KNOW A BALLPARK PRICE ON THAT
>> YES AND I'M SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS.
>> UM, THANK YOU >> Reporter: CHAD PROBABLY
WOULDN'T HAVE MADE IT AS A SECRET AGENT
>> WHAT IS YOUR NAME PLEASE? >> IT IS CHAD DAYBELL.
>> Reporter: AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CALL HE ACTUALLY USES HIS
NAME BUT THEN WHEN THEY ASK FOR HIS NAME AGAIN, HE CHANGES IT
MINUTES LATER, LIKE, ON THE SPOT
LIKE, "OH NO, I BETTER COME UP WITH SOMETHING."
>> HOW DO YOU SPELL THE LAST NAME PLEASE?
>> D-A-B-A-L, DAY-BAL. >> HOW ARE YOU RELATED TO THE
PERSON WHO PASSED? >> I'M HIS NEPHEW, I LIVE IN
IOWA >> Reporter: CHAD, OF COURSE,
DID NOT LIVE IN IOWA, HE WAS IN IDAHO.
AND WAS NOT RELATED TO CHARLES LORI WAS BUSY ON THE PHONE TOO
>> ARE YOU CALLING IN REFERENCE TO A DEATH CLAIM
>> YES >> Reporter: THIS IS LORI JUST
FOUR DAYS AFTER CHARLES'S DEATH INQUIRING ABOUT HIS LIFE
INSURANCE POLICY OF A MILLION DOLLARS.
>> AND YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE INSURED?
>> UM, HE'S MY HUSBAND >> AND WHAT WAS THE CAUSE OF HIS
PASSING. >> WELL HE WAS SHOT.
>> WAS IT A HOMICIDE >> NO IT WAS AN ACCIDENT
>> ARE YOU AWARE OF WHO THE PRIMARY BENEFICIARY OF THE
POLICY IS? >> UM, IT'S ME
>> Reporter: UM, NOT EXACTLY DAYS LATER LORI WAS INFORMED
THAT THE BENEFICIARY WAS IN FACT, NOT HER AT ALL
CHARLES CHANGED IT TO HIS SISTER KAY.
NEWS THAT LORI HAD TO BREAK TO CHAD
SHE TEXTED HIM - QUOTE, SO I TALKED TO THE
INSURANCE COMPANY. HE CHANGED IT IN MARCH
SO IT WAS PROBABLY NED BEFORE WE GOT RID OF HIM
IT'S A SPEAR THROUGH MY HEART. AND THERE IT WAS, "WE GOT RID OF
HIM," MEANING CHARLES. A TEXT FOUND MONTHS LATER THAT
LEFT NO DOUBT. LORI WAS UPSET THAT THE SHOOTING
OF CHARLES DID NOT PRODUCE AN INSURANCE PAYOUT
>> SHE WAS NOT HAPPY >> Reporter: THEY WERE COUNTING
ON THAT MONEY? >> THEY WERE
>> Reporter: MEANWHILE, SOMETHING WAS HAPPENING TO
CHAD DAYBELL THE ONCE QUIET EX-GRAVE-DIGGER
HAD ASSUMED A MANTLE OF GOD-LIKE CERTAINTY AND NOW, FOR THE NEWLY
MINTED WIDOW LORI VALLOW, HE BECAME A GREAT LOVER AS HE
WORKED THE PHONE LIKE A TEENAGER WITH FOMO.
FEAR OF MISSING OUT. THAT FURTIVE CALL TO THE FUNERAL
HOME AND TEXTS TO LORI.
QUOTE, I AM HEADING TO BED SO THAT I CAN COME SNUGGLE TIGHTLY
AGAINST YOU. I ADORE YOU!
YOU ARE TRULY MY BEST FRIEND ON EARTH AND THROUGHOUT ETERNITY.
>> Reporter: OF COURSE THIS WAS FANTASY SNUGGLING.
A TEXT DIRECTED TO LORI IN ARIZONA.
BUT CHAD WAS STILL IN IDAHO STILL VERY MARRIED TO HIS WIFE
OF NEARLY THREE DECADES, TAMMY, THE MOTHER OF HIS 5 CHILDREN
EXCEPT, CHAD TOLD LORI, THEIR TRYSTS WERE MORE THAN FANTASY,
THAT HE'D GO INTO HIS CLOSET AT NIGHT AND CROSS SOME
OTHERWORLDLY THRESHOLD TO BE WITH HER
>> THAT'S CHAD DAYBELL FLEXING HIS MUSCLES FOR LORI
IF CHAD DAYBELL IS NOT A PROPH THEN HE'S JUST AN AVERAGE JOE!
>> Reporter: IN FACT, RECORDS SHOW THAT IMMEDIATELY AFTER
CHARLES WAS KILLED, CHAD POURED OUT A LOVE STORY
ALL IN TEXTS AND E-MAILS TO LORI
IT WAS WRITTEN AS IF FICTIONAL IT WAS THE STORY OF THEIR
MEETING AT THAT RELIGIOUS CONFERENCE IN ST.
GEORGE, UTAH >> HE DOESN'T USE THE NAME CHAD
AND LORI HE USES THE NAMES JAMES AND
ELENA. >> Reporter: JAMES AND ELENA
WERE INTRODUCED AT A CONFERENCE IN SAINT GEORGE.
A CONFERENCE JUST LIKE THE ONE THEY ATTENDED OF COURSE.
THE FEELINGS WERE VERY STRONG AS IF THEY HAD KNOWN EACH OTHER OH
SO LONG. HE CALLED ELENA, OR LORI, AN
EXALTED GODDESS. CHAD'S ROMANCE NOVEL OFTEN TOOK
TURNS THAT WOULD MAKE A HARLEQUIN EDITOR BLUSH
THEIR SPIRITS COULD NOT BE RESTRAINED ANY LONGER.
AND A LONG AWAITED MAKE OUT SESSION TOOK PLACE IN THAT
LOBBY. THIS WAS MANIFEST IN THE MORTAL
WORLD TO JAMES AND ELENA THROUGH THE SCIENTIFIC PHENOMENON KNOWN
AS LOIN FIRE >> LOIN FIRE
>> I -- I'M NOT SURE WHAT SCIENCE THEY'RE REFERRING TO
THERE BUT -- >> MAYBE, LIKE, BIBLICAL
SCIENCE? >> Reporter: FAIRLY BASIC I
THINK. WE'LL SPARE YOU MUCH OF THE REST
OF THAT STORY BUT THIS IS THE KEY POINT.
AS JAMES PLACED HIS HANDS ON HER HEAD, HE CONNECTED WITH ELENA'S
TRUE ETERNAL SELF. SHE THEN GAVE HIM A TREMENDOUS
BLESSING THAT HELPED HIM REALIZE HOW MUCH SHE TRULY LOVED HIM AND
WANTED TO BE WITH HIM FOREVER. >> THE LOVE STORY SHOWS THAT
CHAD'S GRANDIOSITY IS INCREASING
>> Reporter: BUT A MONTH AFTER CHARLES'S DEATH LORI WAS GETTING
IMPATIENT. CHAD WAS STILL MARRIED TO TAMMY.
SO LORI OPTED TO PLAY HARD TO GET.
THIS TEXT -- "I'M JUST A DISTRACTION.
GO HAVE FUN WITH YOUR FAMILY I REALLY DO WANT YOU TO.
I JUST CAN'T BE IN THE WAY ANYMORE.
IF THINGS CHANGE WE CAN TALK BUT WE HAVE NOTHING UNTIL THINGS
CHANGE ANYWAY. MUST HAVE WORKED BECAUSE TWO
DAYS LATER AFTER TALKING TO GOD SHE TEXTED A FRIEND.
>> "I GOT FATHER SAYING, THINGS ARE MOVING
THAT I NEED TO GET TO IDAHO BY THE END OF THE MONTH."
>> Reporter: SHE WOULD HAVE HER CHAD AND HE, HER
AND THER LARRY WOODCOCK WERE
GRIEF-STRICKEN BY THE DEATH OF CHARLES VALLOW
AND FURIOUS. STRAIGHT OUT MURDER, THEY CALLED
IT AND NOW, ON TOP OF THAT, THEY
WERE WORRIED, VERY WORRIED, ABOUT JJ
IT HAD BEEN MONTHS SINCE CHARLES' DEATH, AND EVER SINCE
LORI HAD BEEN GHOSTING THEM. AND THEY HADN'T HEARD A WORD
FROM OR ABOUT THEIR GRANDSON, JJ
>> YOU KNOW, W -- WE CALLED LORI SO MANY TIMES
>> I EMAILED HER - >> EMAILED HER
>> -- TEXT HER, LEFT VOICEMAILS -
>> TEXT HER. PLEASE -
>> -- EVERYTHING PLEASE -
>> -- LET US S - >> -- IT DOESN'T -- WHATEVER
WE WANNA SEE JJ. >> Reporter: NO RESPONSE
NONE WHAT WAS LORI UP TO?
THEY HAD NO CLUE, INVESTIGATORS DIDN'T EITHER.
THEN TWO MONTHS AFTER CHARLES'S DEATH, LORI LEFT THE
JURISDICTION OF POLICE IN ARIZONA AND MOVED INTO A RENTED
TOWNHOUSE IN REXBURG, IDAHO. AND ALEX RENTED HIS OWN PLACE,
IN THE SAME COMPLEX. BUT HERE, TOO, THERE WERE
INCONVENIENT PEOPLE IN THE WAY OF LORI AND CHAD
A LIST THAT INCLUDED CHAD'S WIFE, TAMMY.
AND SO TERRIBLY DISTURBING, ALSO APPARENTLY ON THE LIST WERE
LORI'S OWN YOUNG CHILDREN. 7-YEAR-OLD JJ, AND 16-YEAR-OLD
TYLEE. HADN'T CHAD BEEN SUGGESTING FOR
QUITE SOME TIME THAT TYLEE HAD GONE DARK?
>> TWO DAYS AFTER THEY MET IN ST. GEORGE, UTAH, IT TOOK TWO
DAYS FOR HIM TO SEND LORI VALLOW AN EMAIL SAYING THAT HER
16-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER TYLEE IS DARK
>> Reporter: "DARK," JUST THE WAY HE'D DESCRIBED LORI'S
NOW-DEAD HUSBAND CHARLES WHEN TYLEE WAS YOUNG, LORI, WITH
ALEX'S HELP, WAGED A FEROCIOUS CUSTODY BATTLE TO KEEP TYLEE
AWAY FROM HER BIOLOGICAL FATHER, THAT WAS THE HUSBAND BEFORE
CHARLES. ALEX EVEN WENT TO PRISON FOR
ATTACKING TYLEE'S DAD. HE SAID HE WANTED TO KILL THE
MAN TO PROTECT TYLEE TO MAKE SURE SHE STAYED WITH HER
MOTHER BUT NOW, A DECADE LATER?
CHAD WAS INVOLVED. CHAD, SO VERSED IN THE BIBLE,
AND ITS STORIES OF SACRIFICE >> IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN
MIND I THINK WITH CHAD AND LORI THAT THERE'S ALWAYS A RELIGIOUS
COMPONENT. YOU KNOW, THE STORY OF ABRAHAM
AND ISAAC, WHERE GOD WANTED TO SEE IF ABRAHAM WAS WILLING TO
SACRIFICE HIS SON, AND I THINK YOU SEE SOME OF THAT HERE WITH
CHAD I THINK CHAD IS TESTING LORI TO
SOME DEGREE. >> Reporter: YEAH.
>> THIS SEEMS LIKE THE ULTIMATE TEST, TO ASK TO SACRIFICE YOUR
KIDS >> Reporter: A FEW DAYS AFTER
LORI AND HER KIDS MOVED TO IDAHO, THEY WENT TO YELLOWSTONE
PARK, WHERE THEY POSED FOR THESE PICTURES WITH UNCLE ALEX
IT WAS JUST DAYS BEFORE TYLEE'S 17th BIRTHDAY.
BY THAT EVENING, SEPTEMBER 8th, THEY WERE BACK IN THEIR NEW
TOWNHOUSES IN REXBURG. LORI AND THE KIDS IN HERS, ALEX
IN HIS AND THEN, MIDDLE OF THAT NIGHT
AS GPS RECORDS WOULD LATER SHOW, ALEX WENT TO LORI'S PLACE, SPENT
TWO HOURS THERE. WAS IT COMMON FOR ALEX TO SPEND
THE NIGHT AT LORI'S PLACE? >> NO.
HE WAS NOT OVER AT LORI'S HOUSE EVER AT NIGHT, EXCEPT ONE
PARTICULAR NIGHT >> Reporter: TYLEE WAS NEVER
SEEN ALIVE AGAIN AS FOR JJ?
LESS THAN A WEEK LATER, ON SEPTEMBER 14th, LORI AND JJ WENT
ON AN OUTING TO A WILDLIFE PARK. >> "WE ARE AT BEAR WORLD
IT'S SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY. >> Reporter: BUT THE NEXT WEEK,
AS FRIENDS LATER TOLD US, LORI SAID 7- YEAR-OLD JJ HAD BECOME A
ZOMBIE LORI'S FRIEND MELANIE GIBB AND
HER NOW-HUSBAND DAVID WARWICK, CAME TO REXBURG FOR A SPIRITUAL
CONFERENCE DID YOU SEE TYLEE THERE?
>> NO. >> Reporter: WHAT DID LORI TELL
YOU ABOUT WHERE SHE WAS? >> SHE TOLD ME WAS AT BYU IDAHO
GOIN' TO SCHOOL WITH SOME FRIENDS.
THE BYU IDAHO CAMPUS IS JUST UP THE HILL FROM LORI'S TOWNHOUSE
>> I WAS LIKE, "HUH. SHE GOT HER INTO BYU
I WONDER HOW SHE DID THAT? >> Reporter: TYLEE WAS STILL
HIGH SCHOOL AGE. LORI'S ELDEST SON, COLBY, WAS
WONDERING ABOUT HIS SISTER TYLEE TOO.
HOW SHE WAS COPING IN THE MONTHS SINCE HER STEPDAD'S DEATH?
>> I WAS TEXTING HER "HEY, I LOVE YOU."
LIKE, "IF YOU WANNA TALK, LET'S TALK."
AFTER CHARLES, I FELT LIKE I'M -- THAT I WANT HER TO KNOW,
LIKE, THE DOOR IS COMPLETELY OPEN
CALL ME. LET'S TALK ABOUT ANYTHING YOU
WANT >> Reporter: WHAT WAS THE
RESPONSE >> IT'D BE LIKE, "HEY, LOVE YOU.
SUPER BUSY." >> Reporter: BUT WAS THAT TYLEE
TEXTING? OR SOMEONE ELSE.
WHEN MELANIE AND DAVID WERE VISITING IN LATE SEPTEMBER, THEY
DID SEE JJ LORI MADE A POINT TO TELL HER
THAT JJ WAS OUT OF CONTROL >> SHE WAS OBSESSED ABOUT
TALKING ABOUT IT, TO THE POINT WHERE SHE WAS SAYIN', "LOOK HOW
HE'S BEHAVING. HE'S -- 'LOOK HOW HYPER HE IS
HERE.' SHE WAS PLANTING IDEAS TO SHOW
ME THAT SHE BELIEVED HE WAS A ZOMBIE.
AND TO MY MIND HE LOOKED LIKE TYPICAL JJ TO ME
>> Reporter: ONE EVENING DAVID SAW ALEX TAKING JJ OUTSIDE AFTER
HE WAS "ACTING UP. >> AND THEN, COUPLE HOURS LATER,
ALEX BRINGS BACK JJ. HE WALKED IN, HE HAD JJ ON -- IT
WAS -- HE WAS ASLEEP ON HIM AND HE CARRIED HIM UP TO BED
>> Reporter: SEPTEMBER 22nd. A LAST PHOTO OF JJ
READY FOR BED, IN HIS RED PAJAMAS.
LESS THAN 48 HOURS LATER, LORI SENT A MESSAGE TO THE BABYSITTER
SHE'D HIRED JUST DAYS EARLIER. SHE WOULD NOT BE NEEDED.
>> JJ'S GRANDPARENTS CAME THIS WEEKEND AND THEY TOOK HIM FOR A
FEW WEEKS TO GIVE ME A BREAK SO HE WON'T BE BACK UNTIL
PROBABLY THE END OF OCTOBER. >> Reporter: WHERE WERE THE
CHILDREN OFFICIALS WEREN'T LOOKING FOR
THEM NOT YET ANYWAY
AND THE MISSION CONTINUED. THERE WAS ANOTHER "DARK"
INDIVIDUAL IN THEIR WAY. >> UM, SOMEONE JUST SHOT MY
>>> Reporter: LORI VALLOW'S CHILDREN, JJ AND TYLEE, HAD NOT
BEEN SPOTTED WITH OR WITHOUT THEIR MOTHER IN MORE THAN A
WEEK BUT LORI HERSELF DIDN'T SEEM
CONCERNED. SHE WAS FAR MORE INTERESTED IN
SPENDING TIME WITH CHAD DAYBELL AND PURSUING THEIR MISSION OF
GATHERING THOSE 144,000 SOULS TO BE SAVED AND ADDED TO THEIR
LITTLE GROUP, THE CHURCH OF THE FIRST BORN, AS CHAD CALLED IT.
SHE THE GODDESS, HE THE HIGHEST OF PRIESTS
SOME MEMBERS OF LORI'S FAMILY SEEMED ALL IN TOO -- HER BROTHER
ALEX AND THEIR NIECE MELANI. >> I LOVED LORI.
LORI USED TO CARRY ME AROUND AS A LITTLE BABY AND PRETEND THAT I
WAS HERS, WHEN SHE WAS 16. >> Reporter: MELANI AND HER AUNT
LORI WERE CLOSE. AND SOON MELANI WAS SWEPT UP IN
HER NEW BELIEFS TOO, WHICH TOOK A TOLL ON HER MARRIAGE WITH HER
HUSBAND BACK IN ARIZONA. >> 911, WHERE IS YOUR EMERGENCY?
>> UM, SOMEONE JUST SHOT MY WINDOW
I WAS PULLING INTO MY HOUSE -- >> Reporter: THAT IS THE
HUSBAND, BRANDON BOUDREAUX, IN THE PHOENIX SUBURB OF GILBERT,
ARIZONA, MAKING A FRANTIC CALL TO 911
>> OKAY, SOMEONE SHOT AT YOUR VEHICLE?
>> YEAH, AND IT HIT MY WINDOW, SHATTERED MY DRIVER SIDE WINDOW,
AS I WAS TRYING TO PULL IN MY DRIVEWAY
SORRY. >> OKAY.
>> I'M A LITTLE OUT OF BREATH. >> Reporter: AT THE TIME, HE AND
MELANI WERE SEPARATED. AND NOW THEY WERE GOING THROUGH
A NASTY CUSTODY FIGHT. BRANDON TOLD THE POLICE THAT HE
WAS ARRIVING HOME FROM THE GYM AROUND 9:00 A.M., HE SAW A JEEP
PARKED NEARBY. AND THEN A GUN EQUIPPED WITH A
SILENCER APPEARED IN THE JEEP'S REAR WINDOW.
AND SUDDENLY, HE SAID, A BULLET WHIZZED BY HIS EAR AND SHATTERED
THE WINDOW OF HIS CAR. >> THEY JUST DROVE OFF
I SAW THEM DRIVE OFF >> Reporter: BRANDON DESCRIBED
THE VEHICLE AS A GRAY JEEP WITH TEXAS PLATES, THE VERY SAME JEEP
THAT LORI'S DAUGHTER TYLEE DROVE, A GIFT FROM HER NOW-DEAD
STEP-FATHER CHARLES. AND THE GUY DRIVING THE JEEP
BRANDON THOUGHT IT COULD BE LORI'S BROTHER, ALEX
REMEMBER, ALEX HAD ALREADY KILLED HIS SISTER LORI'S
HUSBAND. SO WAS HE TRYING TO SHOOT HIS
NIECE MELANI'S HUSBAND TOO BRANDON CERTAINLY THOUGHT SO
IN AN INTERVIEW WITH MELANI AND HER NEW HUSBAND IN MARCH 2020,
WE ASKED MELANI ABOUT THAT DID YOU ASK ALEX IF HE TRIED TO
SHOOT BRANDON? >> I -- I DID.
AND HE MADE SOME JOKES ABOUT IT. AND THEN WE BOTH TALKED ABOUT
HOW INSANE THAT WOULD BE FOR HIM, ACROSS THE STREET WITH --
WITH A RIFLE IN BROAD DAYLIGHT IN A RECOGNIZABLE CAR.
>> Reporter: DID HE EVER ACTUALLY DENY IT
>> YEAH. HE -- HE DENIED IT MANY TIMES.
>> Reporter: MELANI HERSELF HAS DENIED WANTING BRANDON DEAD.
AFTER ALL, SHE SAID, HE WAS THE FATHER OF HER CHILDREN
SHE EVEN SUGGESTED HE MADE UP THE SHOOTING STORY
BUT TEXTS SHOW THAT BRANDON WAS INDEED OUT OF FAVOR WITH CHAD
AND LORI CHAD HAD LABELED BRANDON A
"GADIANTON," WHICH THE BOOK OF MORMON CALLS A SECRET CRIMINAL
ORGANIZATION OF ROBBERS IN ANCIENT AMERICA.
>> IT'S THE ANCIENT MAFIA IN THE BOOK OF MORMON
>> Reporter: FRIENDS SAID CHAD HAD ALSO LABELED BRANDON "DARK."
AND "DARK," IN THE LANGUAGE OF CHAD AND LORI'S GROUP, OFTEN
MEANT MARKED FOR DEATH WHEN WE SPOKE WITH HER, MELANI
DENIED BEING PART OF LORI AND CHAD'S GROUP, DENIED THERE EVEN
WAS A GROUP. OR AS SOME LABELED IT, A CULT.
YOU KNOW, THE UNSAID THING IN THIS CONVERSATION HERE IS THAT
WERE YOU BOTH KIND OF MEMBERS OF THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO -- WHO
GRAVITATED AROUND CHAD AND LORI AND --
>> NO. I'M NOT ANY ME -- I'M NOT, AND
NEVER HAVE BEEN, A MEMBER OF ANY CULT
I GRAVITATED TOWARDS LORI BEING MY AUNT BECAUSE SHE HAD GREAT
FAITH AND STILL DOES SO YEAH, I LOVE HER AND TRY TO
SPEND TIME WITH HER. BUT I'M NOT A MEMBER OF ANY
CULT AND SHE'S NOT EITHER, AS FAR AS
I KNOW >> Reporter: AFTER THE SHOOTING,
MELANI MOVED TO IDAHO, RIGHT NEAR HER AUNT LORI AND UNCLE
ALEX BRANDON WENT INTO HIDING WITH
THEIR FOUR CHILDREN, QUITE CONVINCED, HE TOLD US LATER,
THAT ALEX AND MELANI WERE TRYING TO HUNT THEM DOWN.
THEN, BIG NEWS CHAD TEXTING LORI HIS WIFE TAMMY
HAD BECOME A DEMON NAMED VIOLA SOMETHING WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE.
>> HE SAID, "I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF SHE DIES IN HER
SLEEP. >> Reporter: TIME FOR THE NEXT
ACT BY THE CHURCH OF THE FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER 2019 AS
INVESTIGATORS IN GILBERT, ARIZONA LOOKED FOR WHOEVER FIRED
A SHOT AT BRANDON BOURDEAUX. THE LEAVES CHANGED AND FALL CAME
TO EASTERN IDAHO AND JULIE ROWE WHO WRITES AND
SPEAKS ABOUT THE END TIMES AND RELATED MATTERS PICKED UP THE
PHONE TO CALL HER PUBLISHER, CHAD DAYBELL
CHAD HAD BEEN TELLING JULIE HE'D BEEN HAVING VISIONS ABOUT HIS
WIFE, TAMMY. VISIONS OF TAMMY DYING
"IT WAS UNSETTLING," SAID JULIE. >> I ASKED HIM, "DO YOU STILL
SEE TAMMY DYING?" BECAUSE HE HAD TOLD ME HE SAW HER DYING IN A
CAR ACCIDENT AND HE SAID, "YES, I WOULDN'T BE
SURPRISED IF SHE DIES IN HER SLEEP THOUGH."
>> Reporter: EVEN THOUGH JULIE HERSELF ROUTINELY DISCUSSED
PROPHETIC VISIONS AND VISITING HEAVEN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE
VEIL SHE WAS RATTLED BY THE THINGS CHAD WAS TELLING HER.
DID HE EVER EXPRESS FRUSTRATION TO YOU THAT TAMMY WAS STILL
ALIVE, BECAUSE HE COULDN'T MOVE ON WHILE SHE WAS ALIVE
>> YES AT LEAST FOUR TIMES THAT I KNOW
OF, HE SAID TO ME, "I DON'T FEEL LIKE MY PLAN CAN MOVE ON UNTIL
TAMMY DIES OR UNTIL TAMMY'S DEAD."
I GOT THIS ICK FEELING BUT I COULD NEVER IMAGINE
SOMEBODY I KNEW WOULD KILL SOMEBODY, RIGHT?
>> Reporter: OH, HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE HEARD THAT
SOON AFTER TALKING TO JULIE, CHAD TEXTED LORI WITH A REAL
HEADLINE CHAD TO LORI, "HELLO SWEET
ANGEL. BIG NEWS ABOUT TAMMY
PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE AWAKE AND CAN TALK
I LOVE YOU!" THE SHORT VERSION IS THAT SHE
HAS BEEN SWITCHED. TAMMY IS IN LIMBO AND A LEVEL
3 DEMONIC ENTITY IS IN HER BODY. SOUND FAMILIAR
>> SHE SAYS I'M NICK SCHNEIDER >> Reporter: REMEMBER, THEY SAID
THE VERY SAME THING ABOUT CHARLES SHORTLY BEFORE ALEX SHOT
HIM TO DEATH BUT CHAD SEEMED TO WANT TO PRESS
THE ACCELERATOR REGARDING TAMMY. IN THIS TEXT, CHAD WROTE, "NOT
FULLY SURE OF THE TIMING FOR REMOVAL BUT I DON'T WANT TO
WAIT." >> Reporter: FOUR DAYS AFTER
THAT TEXT, TAMMY POSTED ON FACEBOOK THAT SOMEONE WEARING A
MASK HAD APPROACHED HER AS SHE ARRIVED HOME FROM A CHURCH EVENT
AND FIRED SEVERAL ROUNDS AT HER WITH WHAT SHE THOUGHT WAS A
PAINTBALL GUN. THIS IS TAMMY'S SISTER SAMANTHA.
>> I THINK SHE THOUGHT IT WAS A KID.
>> Reporter: WAS SHE SURE IT WAS A PAINTBALL GUN?
>> I MEAN, I THINK IN HER MIND, WHAT ELSE COULD IT BE?
>> Reporter: THAT IT MUST'VE BEEN A PRANK OF SOME KIND?
>> YEAH. YEAH
BUT WHO PULLS THAT KIND OF A PRANK.
>> Reporter: A PRANK POLICE DON'T THINK SO.
>> I THINK THAT INVESTIGATORS WILL SAY THIS WAS NOT A
PAINTBALL GUN. THIS WAS A REAL GUN THAT EITHER
MISFIRED OR THE SHOOTER DID NOT AIM
CORRECTLY. IT WAS JUST 10 DAYS AFTER THAT
"PAINTBALL" INCIDENT THAT CHAD DAYBELL CALLED TAMMY'S
SISTER, SAMANTHA >> I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM CHAD
TELLIN' ME THAT SHE HAD PASSED AWAY IN HER SLEEP.
>> Reporter: HOW DO YOU PROCESS SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
>> YOU DON'T I MEAN, LIKE, THERE'S JUST SO
MANY THOUGHTS RUNNING THROUGH YOUR HEAD.
AND A LOT OF IT WAS, LIKE, "NO. THAT -- THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN."
>> Reporter: WHAT DID CHAD SAY HAPPENED
>> THAT -- THAT SHE'D BEEN SICK AND HAD A COUGHING FIT AND
PASSED AWAY. >> Reporter: HOW DID HE SOUND ON
THE PHONE? >> HE SOUNDED UPSET AND
DEVASTATED I MEAN, I WAS CRYING AND HE WAS
CRYING, IT WAS A REALLY HARD MOMENT
>> Reporter: TAMMY WAS BURIED DAYS LATER IN HER HOMETOWN IN
UTAH THERE WAS NO AUTOPSY
CHAD'S CHOICE, THE SHERIFF SAID. AND LAW ENFORCEMENT WITHOUT
KNOWING ANY MORE OF THE STORY BACK THEN HAD NO REASON TO BE
SUSPICIOUS AND TWO WEEKS LATER, NOVEMBER
5th, CHAD AND LORI'S ROMANCE NOVEL REACHED WHAT FANTASY
FICTION MIGHT CALL HAPPILY EVER AFTER.
THEY WERE MARRIED ON THE BEACH IN KAUAI
MUCH TO THE SURPRISE OF TAMMY'S FAMILY
>> OBVIOUSLY, I WAS REALLY UPSET.
>> Reporter: YOU FEEL ALMOST BETRAYED
>> YEAH. YEAH BECAUSE I -- BECAUSE I FELT
LIKE THAT WAS TOO SOON FOR ANYBODY TO GET OVER MY SISTER!
>> Reporter: THE NEXT TIME THEY SPOKE, SAMANTHA GRILLED CHAD
ABOUT THIS NEW WIFE OF HIS >> I SAID "OKAY, SO TELL ME
ABOUT HER. AND I SAID, "DOES SHE HAVE
CHILDREN?" AND HE TOLD ME, "NO.
HER CHILDREN ARE GROWN WE'LL BE EMPTY NESTERS."
>> Reporter: EMPTY NESTERS LORI'S CHILDREN JJ AND TYLEE
WERE INDEED CONSPICUOUSLY ABSENT FROM THOSE BLISSFUL WEDDING
PHOTOS AND SO WAS HER ADULT SON COLBY WHO DIDN'T EVEN KNOW
THEY'D GOTTEN MARRIED UNTIL -- >> I SAW THE PICTURES OF THEM
AND JUST THE DANCING AND JUST KNOWING THAT THEY ARE THERE
ALONE, BOTH OF THEM HAVING SO MUCH FAMILY THAT THEY JUST CUT
THERE'S JUST NO WORDS FOR IT >> Reporter: TWO DEAD SPOUSES.
TWO MISSING CHILDREN AND NO POLICE ANYWHERE HAD PUT
IT TOGETHER YET. THE NIGHT THEY ENCOUNTERED
LORI'S BROTHER ALEX OUTSIDE THE HOME OF, JUST MAYBE, THE NEXT
VICTIM >> WHAT'S UP AL?
ALEX >> YEAH!
>>> Reporter: AS CHAD AND LORI WERE HONEYMOONING IN HAWAII,
BACK ON THE MAINLAND, SOME OF THOSE IN THEIR INNER CIRCLE WERE
UP TO SOMETHING. THIS IS POLICE VIDEO IN AMERICAN
FORK, UTAH AND THIS IS LORI'S NIECE MELANI.
WHAT WAS SHE DOING HERE? YOU'LL REMEMBER MELANI'S HUSBAND
BRANDON SAID SOMEONE, HE THOUGHT LORI'S BROTHER ALEX, HAD TAKEN A
SHOT AT HIM IN ARIZONA, AFTER WHICH BRANDON TOOK THE KIDS AND
WENT INTO HIDING EVENTUALLY ENDING UP HERE, AT
HIS PARENTS' PLACE, JUST SOUTH OF SALT LAKE CITY.
AND NOW HERE WAS MELANI, RIGHT OUTSIDE, DEMANDING TO SEE HER
CHILDREN >> OFFICERS, I HAVE A LEGAL
MEDIATION AGREEMENT. MY KIDS HAVE BEEN HELD OUT OF
STATE. I ASKED AN OFFICER TO COME HERE
LAST NIGHT TO DO A CHECK-IN BECAUSE I'M WORRIED THEY'RE IN
DANGER AND THEY -
>> BUT YOU CAME OVER HERE AFTER BEING TOLD THAT YOU WERE
CRIMINALLY TRESPASSED FROM - >> BUT I HAVE AN AGREEMENT
SAYING THAT -- >> FROM THIS RESIDENCE, CORRECT?
>> Reporter: THIS WAS NOT LONG AFTER MELANI WAS SEEN ENTERING
THE FAMILY'S GARAGE. >> MY KIDS ARE -- I'M WORRIED
THEY'RE IN DANGER BECAUSE I -- I'M -- MY HUSBAND'S BEEN DOING A
LOT OF THINGS THAT CAUSE ME TO WORRY.
HE SAYS HE WAS SHOT AT A MONTH AGO, AND THEN HE WENT INTO
HIDING AND NO ONE IN ARIZONA HAS SEEN
HIM FOR WEEKS, OR MY CHILDREN, AND --
>> Reporter: MELANI CONTINUED TO ARGUE WITH THE OFFICERS, ASKING
THEM TO LET HER GO INSIDE AND CHECK ON THE KIDS OR REMOVE THEM
AND PUT THEM IN HER CAR. SO POLICE WENT INSIDE AND
CHECKED. AND?
>> THEY ARE SAFE AND THEY'RE TAKEN CARE OF.
SO WE'RE NOT JUST GONNA GO IN THERE AND REMOVE THEM FROM THE
HOUSE. >> Reporter: MELANI ALSO ASKED
THE OFFICERS SOMETHING THAT, WELL -- IT MAY SOUND FAMILIAR.
>> DO YOU HAVE A VICTIM'S ADVOCATE I CAN SPEAK TO IN THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT, PLEASE? >> SHE KEEPS SAYING, "GET ME A
VICTIM'S ADVOCATE. GET ME A VICTIM'S ADVOCATE."
AND I CAN PICTURE LORI SAYING THIS TO HER, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT
HAPPENED TO LORI WHEN CHARLES WAS KILLED
>> Reporter: THEN THE OFFICERS NOTICED SOMEBODY SITTING IN A
CAR ON THE STREET NEARBY >> WHO'S IN THE CAR WITH YOU
>> IT'S MY UNCLE, ALEX COX >> Reporter: UNCLE ALEX, THE
VERY PERSON WHO BRANDON BELIEVED HAD TRIED TO KILL HIM.
WHO ALREADY HAD KILLED LORI'S HUSBAND AND POSSIBLY OTHERS AS
WELL >> WHAT'S UP, AL
ALEX >> YEAH.
>> DO YOU HAVE YOUR I.D. ON YOU, MAN?
>> YEAH. >> LET ME GET THAT FROM YOU REAL
QUICK. >> CAN I OPEN THE DOOR
I JUST GOTTA - >> YEAH, IF YOU NEED TO.
>> IT'S JUST IN MY BACK POCKET >> JUST KEEP YOUR HANDS OUT
WHERE WE CAN SEE THEM, ALL RIGHT?
>> Reporter: GIVEN ALEX'S HISTORY, IT'S REASONABLE TO
WONDER WHAT HE AND MELANI WERE UP TO.
AND EVENTUALLY INVESTIGATORS LEARNED THAT CHAD HAD LABELED
TWO OF BRANDON'S KIDS "DARK. BUT THAT NIGHT THE OFFICERS HAD
NO IDEA. >> ALL RIGHT, MELANI
TODAY YOU'RE GONNA BE RECEIVING A CITATION FOR CRIMINAL
TRESPASS >> Reporter: INITIALLY, POLICE
DECIDED TO GIVE MELANI A TICKET. >> BECAUSE YOU WERE NOT ALLOWED
ON THIS PROPERTY OVER THE PHONE. YOU SAID YOU UNDERSTOOD.
>> RIGHT, BUT IF MY KIDS WERE IN THERE --
>> IT DOESN'T MATTER WE CAN ARGUE ABOUT IT ALL DAY.
>> Reporter: AND BEFORE LONG, OFFICERS CHANGED THEIR MINDS AND
UPGRADED THE CHARGES >> OKAY, SO THINGS HAVE CHANGED
A LITTLE BIT OKAY
>> OKAY. >> UM, YOUR CRIMINAL TRESPASS IS
ENHANCED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO AHEAD AND
HAVE A SEAT IN THERE >> NEVER BEEN IN A COP CAR
BEFORE >> Reporter: AND STILL NEARBY
WAS MELANI'S UNCLE ALEX. >> MR COX?
>> YEAH. >> I'M GONNA LEAVE THIS WITH
YOU. MELANI IS GONNA BE GOING TO THE
UTAH COUNTY JAIL TONIGHT >> OKAY.
SO WHERE WOULD I BAIL HER OUT OR -
>> YEAH, I -- YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO BAIL HER OUT, AND IT
DOESN'T TAKE VERY LONG TO PROCESS HER.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANKS >> THANKS, GUYS.
>> Reporter: WITHIN HOURS, ALEX COX POSTED NEARLY
$2,000 BAIL AND MELANI WAS FREED.
SHE EVENTUALLY PLEADED GUILTY TO A MISDEMEANOR CRIMINAL TRESPASS
AND RECEIVED A SIX MONTH SUSPENDED SENTENCE AND A YEAR OF
PROBATION. IF THOSE UTAH POLICE OFFICERS
UNWITTINGLY FOILED A MURDER PLOT, WE MAY NEVER KNOW.
>> THE KIDS ARE IN DANGER. REALLY, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THEIR
UNCLE ALEX TAKE 'EM? YOU THINK THAT'S BETTER?
I'M -- IT'S JUST - >> YEAH, THAT'LL MAKE 'EM SAFER.
>> Reporter: MELANI DENIED THERE WAS ANY PLOT
IT WAS JUST A MOTHER WORRIED ABOUT HER KIDS, SHE SAID
AND THEN A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER, BACK IN REXBURG, WHERE
LORI'S KIDS HAD LAST BEEN SEEN -
>> HI, YOU LORI? LORI, I'M LIEUTENANT BALL --
>> Reporter: THE POLICE SHOWED UP ASKING THE QUESTION EVERYONE
WANTED ANSWERED. >> SO JJ WOULD BE WHERE?
2019 CHAD AND LORI'S "CHURCH OF THE
FIRSTBORN" WAS FLUSH WITH EXPECTATIONS OF ETERNAL GLORY.
THE HAPPY COUPLE HAD JUST RETURNED FROM THEIR HONEYMOON IN
HAWAII MELANI HAD RETURNED HOME AFTER
HER ARREST FOR TRESPASSING IN UTAH
SHE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY ALEX, WHO WAS ABOUT TO BE REWARDED FOR HIS
EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF THEIR NEW CHURCH, AND HIS SISTER, LORI
A CEREMONY BORROWED FROM MORMONISM, A PATRIARCHAL
BLESSING >> SO A PATRIARCHAL BLESSING IS
A BLESSING THAT BAPTIZED MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH GO AND GET FROM A
PATRIARCH OR AN OFFICIAL WHO HAS BEEN CALLED TO GIVE THESE
BLESSINGS. >> FOR CHAD TO CONSIDER HIMSELF
A PATRIARCH AND THEN TO GIVE A BLESSING TO ALEX COULD BE
BLASPHEMOUS. >> Reporter: BUT RECORDS SHOWED
CHAD'S BLESSING STARTED LIKE THIS -
>> ALEXANDER LAMAR COX, ON THIS SPECIAL DAY, I LAY MY HANDS UPON
YOUR HEAD TO GIVE YOU A PATRIARCHAL BLESSING AS A MEMBER
OF THE CHURCH OF THE FIRSTBORN, OF WHICH YOU HAVE EARNED THE
PRIVILEGE TO BE A MEMBER >> Reporter: THE BLESSING WAS
FULL OF FLATTERY AND REFERENCES TO ALEX'S SERVICE TO LORI WHO,
REMEMBER, CHAD HAD REPEATEDLY CALLED A GODDESS
>> POWERFUL GODDESSES NEEDED TO BE PROTECTED AND YOU WERE
SELECTED TO HELP PROTECT YOUR SISTER
>> Reporter: OH YES, ALEX HAD HELPED HIS SISTER.
CHARLES WAS DEAD TAMMY WAS DEAD
LORI'S CHILDREN WERE MISSING BY LATE NOVEMBER, FOUR MONTHS
AFTER CHARLES WAS SHOT, THE WOODCOCKS WERE GROWING MORE AND
MORE WORRIED KAY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHERE LORI
WAS LIVING AND SHE HADN'T HEARD FROM THE KIDS SINCE THE
SHOOTING >> IT WAS EXTREMELY UNNERVING TO
US BECAUSE WE HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOIN' ON
WE KNEW NOTHING. >> Reporter: THEN ON ONE
SLEEPLESS NIGHT, KAY CRAWLED OUT OF BED, TURNED ON HER COMPUTER
AND FOUND HER WAY INTO THE GMAIL ACCOUNT OF HER NOW DECEASED
BROTHER, CHARLES, BY GUESSING HIS PASSWORD
>> CHARLES HAD THREE COMMON PASSWORDS.
FIRST ONE I PUT IN WORKED. I -- I -- LOOKIN' AT HIS INBOX
AND I SEE EMAILS FROM AMAZON SO I CLICKED ON ONE AND IT WAS
AN ORDER BEIN' DELIVERED TO REXBURG, IDAHO
AND I SAID WELL, DAMN, THIS IS -- THIS IS THEIR ADDRESS.
THIS IS WHERE THEY ARE >> Reporter: A EUREKA MOMENT IF
THERE EVER WAS ONE SO AS SOON AS THE SUN CAME UP,
KAY CALLED IN A WELFARE CHECK ON THE KIDS USING THAT IDAHO
ADDRESS. AND NOT LONG AFTER, THERE WAS A
KNOCK ON LORI'S TOWNHOUSE DOOR IN RBURG
>> HI, YOU LORI? LORI, I'M LIEUTENANT BALL WITH
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, HOW ARE YOU?
DO YOU GOT A MINUTE? >> Reporter: POLICE BODYCAMS
RECORDED THE CONVERSATION. >> SO JJ WOULD BE WHERE?
>> HE'S IN ARIZONA >> WHO IS HE WITH IN ARIZONA
>> HE'S WITH ONE OF MY FRIENDS IN ARIZONA
>> Reporter: BUT OF COURSE, THAT WAS A LIE.
AS WE NOW KNOW JJ WAS NOT IN ARIZONA.
AND TYLEE HAD NOT ENROLLED AT BYU.
>> IT WAS, WHERE'S JJ? WHERE'S JJ
AND TYLEE.
WHERE'S THE KIDS >> Reporter: LORI'S SON COLBY
HAD ALSO HEARD FROM POLICE BY THAT POINT, AND HE PHONED HIS
MOM. >> I WAS FREAKING OUT AND I SAID
THAT, "TWO DETECTIVES ARE LOOKING FOR TYLEE AND JJ. WHAT
IS GOING ON? SHE SAID, "I GOT IT.
I'LL TAKE CARE OF IT I LOVE YOU."
>> Reporter: BUT WHEN COLBY CALLED BACK THE NEXT DAY
>> PHONE'S GONE. LIKE, NOT, LIKE, OFF
LIKE, DISCONNECTED LINE. LIKE, CALL CANCELLED
>> Reporter: WOW >> SO I FREAK OUT.
I CALL TYLEE'S NUMBER. IT'S OFF
LEAVE HER A VOICEMAIL. I E-MAIL MY MOM.
I TEXT HER I'M GOING AS MUCH AS I CAN
POSSIBLY GET TO TRY TO TALK TO HER.
AND THAT WAS IT. LAST WORD SHE SAID, "SHE'S GOT
IT." >> Reporter: A FEW DAYS AFTER
COLBY HAD FRANTICALLY TRIED TO REACH HIS MOM, POLICE WENT TO
LORI'S CONDO AND DISCOVERED LORI WAS GONE
>> THE SEARCH FOR THESE CHILDREN HAS NOW GONE NATIONAL.
>> NOW TO THE LATEST TWIST IN A MYSTERY SURROUNDING THE
DISAPPEARANCE OF TWO SIBLINGS WHO VANISHED MONTHS AGO.
>> Reporter: POLICE SAY THEIR MOTHER AND HER HUSBAND ARE
REFUSING TO COOPERATE WITH THE INVESTIGATION.
A NATIONAL SEARCH FOR THE CHILDREN WAS SOON UNDERWAY
AND WHAT ABOUT ALEX? WHATEVER HE KNEW, HE WAS NOT
TELLING INVESTIGATORS. BUT HE WAS TALKING TO HIS NEW
WIFE ZULEMA. CHAD HAD ARRANGED THEIR MARRIAGE
AS A REWARD TO ALEX FOR HIS DEVOTION TO LORI AND THEIR
CHURCH IT WAS MONTHS LATER WHEN ZULEMA
TOLD THE POLICE WHAT ALEX TOLD HER. AFTER HE LEARNED THAT
AUTHORITIES WERE GOING TO EXHUME THE BODY OF CHAD'S WIFE TAMMY
WHOSE DEATH WOULD LATER BE RULED A HOMICIDE
>> AND THAT'S WHEN HE SAID, I THINK I AM BEING THEIR, UM, FALL
GUY. >> Reporter: ALEX, WHO HAD
ALWAYS STOOD BY HIS SISTER, SEEMED TO DEVELOP DOUBTS ABOUT
CHAD, AND LORI, AND THEIR MISSION.
>> AND I WAS LIKE THE FALL GUY, FOR WHAT
WHAT IS IT TELL ME?
WHAT IS IT THAT THEY'RE GOING, THEY'RE TRYING TO PIN ON YOU
WHAT, WHAT DID THEY DO AND HE JUST WOULDN'T SAY
ANYTHING ELSE -- >> Reporter: AND THEN, SAID
ZULEMA ALEX TOLD HER SOMETHING SHE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.
>> HE SAID TO ME, "ZULEMA, IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ME. I WANT
YOU TO KNOW THAT THERE IS MONEY IN A BAG IN THE CLOSET."
HE SAID, "IT'S NOT MUCH BUT IT'S FOR YOU.
>> AND HOW MUCH WAS IN THERE >> BETWEEN 5 AND 7 THOUSAND
DOLLARS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT >> DID YOU ASK HIM LIKE WHY
WOULD ANYTHING EVER HAPPEN TO YOU?
>> I DID I SAID WHY. I SAID, "DON'T SAY THINGS LIKE
THAT ALEX. I SAID WHY WOULD YOU SAY
SOMETHING LIKE THAT? AND THEN HE'D SAID, "UM JUST IN
CASE, JUST IN CASE." >> Reporter: MAYBE ALEX WASN'T
THE ONLY ONE WHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN WORRIED ABOUT THE FUTURE.
FOR ALL THE TALK OF VISIONS AND PROPHECY, IS THERE ANY WAY CHAD
AND LORI SAW THIS COMING >>> Reporter: EARLY DECEMBER,
2019, A LITTLE MORE THAN A YEAR AFTER CHAD DAYBELL MET
LORI VALLOW, THEIR SPOUSES CHARLES AND TAMMY WERE DEAD.
LORI'S CHILDREN, JJ AND TYLEE, WERE MISSING AND FEARED DEAD
LORI'S NIECE'S HUSBAND BRANDON HAD SURVIVED AN ATTEMPT ON HIS
LIFE IT WAS A TALLY WORTHY OF LA COSA
NOSTRA OR SOME SORT OF CRIME FAMILY
ALL OF THAT IN LESS THAN SIX MONTHS
AND THERE WAS ONE MORE UNTIMELY DEATH TO COME.
>> OKAY, WHAT IS THE EMERGENCY >> Reporter: A FEW DAYS AFTER
ALEX TOLD ZULEMA ABOUT THE BAG OF MONEY -
>> IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ME - >> Reporter: -- HE WAS IN THEIR
BATHROOM IN GILBERT, ARIZONA, AND HE COLLAPSED
>> AND I REMEMBER THEM TAKING US TO THE HOSPITAL.
THEY STARTED WORKING WITH HIM. AND I DON'T REMEMBER MUCH OF
WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN THAT AND UNTIL THE TIME THAT THEY BROUGHT
ME BACK TO THE ROOM FOR ME TO TURN OFF THE MACHINE FOR HIM
>> Reporter: IT WILL SURPRISE NO ONE THAT THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE
SUSPICION EARLY ON OF FOUL PLAY. UNTIL THE AUTOPSY CAME BACK AND
CONCLUDED THAT THE DEATH OF ALEX COX WAS NOT A CRIME AT ALL.
IT WAS BLOOD CLOTS IN HIS LUNGS THAT KILLED HIM, SAID THE M.E.
ZULEMA SAID HE'D BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT CHEST PAINS
FOR ABOUT A WEEK KILLINGS, A PRIESTLY BLESSING,
AND THEN AN UNTIMELY DEATH CONNECTED SOMEHOW?
WHO KNOWS? ALEX WAS 51.
HE AND ZULEMA HAD BEEN MARRIED FOR LESS THAN TWO WEEKS.
IT'S AWFULLY CONVENIENT, ISN'T IT
>> YEAH, THAT MIGHT BE THE MOST CONVENIENT THING OUT OF THIS
ENTIRE STORY >> Reporter: BUT IF ZULEMA
MOURNED, THE FAMILY OF CHARLES VALLOW, SHOT DEAD BY
ALEX SIX MONTHS PRIOR, DID NOT >> ALEX IS PROBABLY LUCKY HE
DIED BECAUSE I'M NOT A ANGRY OR A
VIOLENT PERSON, BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT
IT PROBABLY WOULD'VE TAKEN ME A LOT TO STOP FROM GOIN' TO
ARIZONA AND PAYIN' HIM A LITTLE VISIT.
>> Reporter: ALEX WAS DEAD THE POLICE WERE INVESTIGATING
THE DEATHS OF CHARLES AND TAMMY. THE FBI WAS TRYING TO FIND THE
MISSING KIDS IT WAS ALL COMING DOWN ON CHAD
AND LORI >> TONIGHT, TWO ARIZONA KIDS ARE
MISSING AFTER VANISHING WITHOUT A TRACE.
THEIR MOTHER AND HER NEW HUSBAND ARE NOW CONSIDERED PERSONS OF
INTEREST >> Reporter: EVENTUALLY A TIP
LED US HERE, TO KAUAI, WHERE WE FOUND LORI AND HER NEW HUSBAND,
CHAD, AT A RESORT HOTEL, DRESSED FOR THE BEACH.
>> HEY, CHAD AND LORI, IT'S "DATELINE.
HOW ARE YOU? YOU GUYS HEADING OUT TODAY
>> PLEASE LEAVE US ALONE NO COMMENT
>> WHERE ARE YOUR KIDS >> ARE YOU CHAD AND LORI
>> Reporter: WHEN POLICE IN HAWAII FOUND CHAD AND LORI
LOUNGING POOLSIDE, THEY SERVED THEM WITH A COURT ORDER TO
PRODUCE EVIDENCE TYLEE AND JJ WERE ALIVE AND WELL.
>> YOU NEED SOMETHING FROM US? >> ANY QUESTIONS
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THAT
NO OKAY
>> Reporter: WEEKS LATER, WHEN LORI HAD STILL NOT RESPONDED
SHE WAS ARRESTED AND FLOWN BACK TO IDAHO
>> LORI, WHERE ARE THE KIDS? >> Reporter: AND THEN 3 MONTHS
LATER, ON JUNE 9th, 2020, WHILE INVESTIGATORS WERE SEARCHING
CHAD'S HOME -- >> A CALL FROM AND PAID FOR BY
LORI DAYBELL, AN INMATE AT THE MADISON COUNTY JAIL.
>> Reporter: LORI CALLED CHAD FROM JAIL.
>> HI, BABE. ARE YOU OKAY
>> NO, THEY'RE SEARCHING THE PROPERTY
SO WE'LL SEE WHAT TRANSPIRES >> Reporter: AN HOUR LATER,
INVESTIGATORS FOUND THEM, JJ AND TYLEE, BURIED IN CHAD'S
BACKYARD CHAD WAS ARRESTED WHILE DRIVING
AWAY >> THERE HE IS
THERE HE IS. CHAD DAYBELL
>> Reporter: INVESTIGATORS PORED OVER LORI AND CHAD'S TEXTS AND
EMAILS, AND THE PICTURE THEY PAINTED WAS NOT PRETTY
CHAD WAS CHARGED WITH THREE COUNTS OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER
AND CONSPIRACY IN CONNECTION WITH THE DEATHS OF JJ AND TYLEE,
AND HIS WIFE TAMMY LORI WAS CHARGED WITH TWO COUNTS
OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER AND CONSPIRACY IN HER CHILDREN'S
DEATHS AND CONSPIRACY TO KILL TAMMY DAYBELL.
BOTH PLEADED NOT GUILTY. BUT LORI'S TRIAL WENT ON HOLD
AFTER A JUDGE DEEMED HER INCOMPETENT TO STAND TRIAL
SHE WAS TRANSFERRED TO A MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY.
I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD LOTS OF PEOPLE SUGGEST THAT SHE, "OH,
SHE'S JUST FAKING IT." >> YEAH, IT'S -- IT'S A
REASONABLE ASSUMPTION. I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT LORI'S
HISTORY OF MANIPULATION AND DECEITFULNESS, YOU CERTAINLY
HAVE TO WONDER IF SHE IS FAKING IT
>> Reporter: WOULDN'T SURPRISE YOU TO SEE THIS GO ON AND ON FOR
QUITE SOME TIME? >> IT COULD.
>> Reporter: AND IT DID, FOR TEN MONTHS
UNTIL THE JUDGE SAID LORI HAD RESTORED COMPETENCY AND WAS FIT
TO STAND TRIAL AND SO LAST MONTH, PRESS FROM
AROUND THE WORLD DESCENDED ON IDAHO AGAIN.
>> WE WILL GO ON THE RECORD ON THIS MATTER.
STATE OF IDAHO VERSUS LORI NORENE VALLOW
>> Reporter: IT WAS JUDGMENT >>> Reporter: IT WAS NEVER GOING
TO BE ORDINARY, THE TRIAL OF LORI VALLOW.
EVEN HER PRETRIAL HEARINGS DREW HUGE THRONGS, AS SHE MANAGED FOR
THE CAMERAS TO DARKEN HER LIPS WITH RED CANDIES, AND SOMEHOW
MANAGED TO KEEP HER HAIR AT LEAST PARTLY BOTTLE-BLONDE
>> THIS CASE DEFIES DESCRIPTION. >> Reporter: EAST IDAHO NEWS
DIRECTOR NATE EATON COVERED THE TRIAL GAVEL TO GAVEL
>> WHEN YOU THINK IT CAN'T GET ANY CRAZIER, IT DOES
AND WHEN YOU THINK IT CAN'T BE ANY MORE -- UNBELIEVABLE,
SOMETHING NEW IS DROPPED >> Reporter: LORI AND CHAD ARE
BEING TRIED SEPARATELY LORI'S TRIAL BEGAN FIRST,
APRIL 2023 IT WAS THE JUDGE'S DECISION TO
EXCLUDE TELEVISION CAMERAS FROM THE COURTROOM DURING TRIAL
TO AVOID A CIRCUS? PERHAPS.
BUT IT DID NOT KEEP THE CROWDS AWAY, EAGER FOR A LOOK AT THE
WOMAN CHARGED WITH KILLING HER OWN CHILDREN AND ORCHESTRATING
THE MURDERS OF HER HUSBAND AND HER LOVER'S WIFE
>> THERE WERE PEOPLE FROM EVERYWHERE
AUSTRALIA, SOUTH AFRICA, ALL OF THE STATES
YOU HAD TO GET A TICKET AND THOSE TICKETS WERE GONE EVERY
DAY WITHIN ONE MINUTE. IT WAS LIKE A -- LIKE A
TAYLOR SWIFT CONCERT >> Reporter: IN COURT IT WAS
SOON APPARENT THAT THE PROSECUTION WOULD ALLEGE A BASE
AND VERY EARTHLY MOTIVE FOR MURDER
NOT RELIGION, NOT END-TIMES, OR ANGELS AND DEMONS OR DARK
SPIRITS AND ZOMBIES, BUT RATHER, THIS -
>> MONEY, POWER AND SEX. THAT'S WHAT THIS CASE IS ABOUT
>> Reporter: THE JUDGE DID ALLOW AUDIO RECORDING AND THIS IS
PROSECUTOR LINDSEY BLAKE >> IT DIDN'T MATTER WHAT
OBSTACLES SHE HAD TO REMOVE TO GET WHAT SHE WANTED.
>> Reporter: THOSE OBSTACLES, SAID THE PROSECUTION, WERE THE
FOUR PEOPLE CLOSEST TO LORI AND CHAD -- TAMMY DAYBELL,
CHARLES VALLOW AND LORI'S CHILDREN, JJ AND TYLEE
PROSECUTORS WALKED JURORS STEP-BY-STEP THROUGH WHAT THEY
SAID WAS LORI AND CHAD'S CALCULATED PLAN.
FIRST, THEIR ROMANCE NOVEL LOVE AFFAIR THAT SET EVERYTHING IN
MOTION >> THIS RELATIONSHIP THAT'S
BUILT ON A BUNCH OF BIZARRE PRINCIPLES, BUT THEY BOTH SEEM
TO BE ALL IN ON IT >> Reporter: FROM THE VERY
BEGINNING. >> FROM THE VERY SECOND THEY MET
THAT FIRST WEEKEND FORWARD TILL TODAY.
>> Reporter: THEY PRESENTED PAGE AFTER PAGE OF LORI AND CHAD'S
TEXT MESSAGES TO EACH OTHER -- ABOUT THE CHILDREN, AND THE
SPOUSES, GOING DARK. THEY SHOWED THE JURY THAT TEXT,
LORI TO CHAD, IN WHICH SHE ADMITTED THEY "GOT RID OF" NED,
AKA THE EVIL SPIRIT THAT INHABITED HER HUSBAND CHARLES.
GOT RID OF HIM, BY USING LORI'S BROTHER ALEX, AS TRIGGERMAN.
USED ALEX FOR ALL THE MURDERS, SAID THE PROSECUTION
>> WE LEARNED THROUGH THIS TRIAL THAT ALEX WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR
LORI >> Reporter: THEY SHOWED THE
JURY HOW ALEX'S PHONE PUT HIM IN THE TIME AND PLACE WHERE THE
CHILDREN WERE KILLED, AND WHEN AND WHERE THEIR BODIES WERE
BURIED AND THE VERY NIGHT CHAD'S WIFE
TAMMY DIED SUPPOSEDLY OF NATURAL CAUSES
WHO WAS THERE? >> ALEX WAS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
THAT NIGHT >> Reporter: LORI AND CHAD NOT
ONLY WANTED TO GET THESE INCONVENIENT PEOPLE OUT OF THE
WAY, THE PROSECUTOR SAID, THE PAIR ALSO NEEDED MONEY TO FUND
THEIR NEW LIFE TOGETHER. REMEMBER HOW LORI ATTEMPTED TO
CLAIM CHARLES VALLOW'S LIFE INSURANCE POLICY
WELL, THE JURY HEARD HOW CHAD DID THE SAME FOR TAMMY AT THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT WHERE SHE WORKED, A MERE TWO DAYS AFTER
HER DEATH. >> IN ALL THE HISTORY OF THE
DISTRICT THEY NEVER HAD SOMEBODY COME IN SO QUICK TO FIND OUT HOW
TO CLAIM THE LIFE INSURANCE MONEY.
CHAD AND LORI ENDED UP GETTING $430,000
>> Reporter: LORI WAS EVEN CASHING IN ON HER DEAD CHILDREN
BY COLLECTING THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS, SOMETHING THE
PROSECUTION SUGGESTED SHE PLANNED AHEAD OF TIME.
>> BEFORE JJ AND TYLEE DIED, LORI CHANGED BANK ACCOUNT
INFORMATION. THE DEPOSITS THAT WERE GOING
INTO TYLEE'S ACCOUNT WERE SUDDENLY DIVERTED TO LORI'S
ACCOUNT. >> SO JJ WOULD BE WHERE?
>> HE'S IN ARIZONA >> Reporter: PROSECUTORS ALSO
PLAYED THAT RECORDING OF LORI TALKING TO POLICE, LYING ABOUT
JJ'S WHEREABOUTS >> WHO IS HE WITH IN ARIZONA
>> HE'S WITH ONE OF MY FRIENDS IN ARIZONA
>> Reporter: THAT FRIEND WAS MELANIE GIBB
THE ONE WHO STAYED WITH LORI RIGHT AROUND THE TIME JJ
DISAPPEARED. PROSECUTORS PLAYED A PHONE CALL
MELANIE SECRETLY RECORDED WITH LORI
>> IF YOU REALLY LOVED ME, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TOLD THE POLICE
THAT I HAD JJ WITH ME. THAT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD
I MEAN, YOU HAD TO THINK OF MY WELFARE IF YOU LOVE ME
>> I DO. AND I DID EXACTLY WHAT I FELT
THE LORD WAS INSTRUCTING ME TO DO
>> Reporter: THE LORD? NO
GREED AND LUST, PROSECUTORS ARGUED, MOTIVATED LORI
AND THEN A WOMAN NAMED AUDREY BARATTEIRO TOOK THE
STAND. SHE HAD ONCE BEEN PART OF LORI
AND CHAD'S INNER CIRCLE AND SHE TOLD THE JURY WHAT HAPPENED WHEN
SHE ENDED HER FRIENDSHIP WITH LORI
>> SHE THREATENED TO KILL ME >> THIS TESTIMONY, THIS
EXPERIENCE, HAS NEVER BEEN REVEALED
>> SHE SAID THAT SHE WOULD CUT ME UP.
BUT THAT SHE DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE TO BECAUSE IT'D BE SO MESSY, AND
THERE'D BE SO -- SO MUCH BLOOD AND THEN -- THEN BLEACH.
>> LORI LEANED FORWARD ON THE TABLE AND STARED AT AUDREY
SHE LOOKED OVER TO HER ATTORNEY AND SAID, "I NEVER SAID THAT."
>> Reporter: WHAT IMPORTANCE DID THAT HAVE FOR THE PROSECUTION?
>> THE PROSECUTION, I THINK, WANTED THE JURORS TO HEAR THAT
LORI WAS NOT ABOVE KILLING ANYONE
>> Reporter: THAT INCLUDED BRANDON BOUDREAUX, THE
EX-HUSBAND OF LORI'S NIECE MELANI
HE TESTIFIED FOR THE PROSECUTION ABOUT THAT ATTEMPT ON HIS LIFE,
WHICH HE BELIEVED WAS ORCHESTRATED BY CHAD AND LORI.
>> AFTER MY SHOOTING, I, UM, STARTED TO HAVE MY BELIEFS ABOUT
WHO I THOUGHT DID IT, AND I GOT CONCERNED ABOUT, UM, THE
SITUATION. >> Reporter: ONE AFTER THE OTHER
THEY APPEARED. PEOPLE WHO ONCE PROFESSED TO
LOVE LORI, NOW HAD PAINFUL STORIES TO TELL.
LIKE LORI'S YOUNGER SISTER SUMMER
>> HERE'S TWO SISTERS WHO WERE REALLY CLOSE GROWING UP AND
ONE'S TESTIFYING AT THE OTHER ONE'S MURDER TRIAL
>> I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART. IT KILLS ME.
>> Reporter: PROSECUTORS PLAYED THIS PHONE CALL, SUMMER TO LORI
IN PRISON, SHORTLY AFTER THE CHILDREN'S BODIES WERE
DISCOVERED >> IS THERE ANOTHER EXPLANATION?
I'M WILLING TO HEAR IT I DON'T WANT TO THINK IT
>> ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY, BUT I CAN'T TALK
ABOUT IT >> YOU DIDN'T -- YOU WENT OFF TO
HAWAII AND WERE DANCING ON THE BEACH WHILE YOUR KIDS WERE IN
THE GROUND >> WHEN I HEARD IT, IT WAS, OH,
A GUT PUNCH. >> THERE IS NOTHING IN THE
SCRIPTURES THAT IS GODLY ABOUT HURTING A CHILD.
NOTHING! >> SUMMER IS GOING THROUGH EVERY
STAGE OF GRIEF SHE'S FURIOUS AT LORI.
SHE'S HEARTBROKEN THAT THE CHILDREN ARE GONE.
>> NOBODY KNOWS WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH WITH MY CHILDREN THAT I
LOVE MORE THAN ANYTHING. >> LORI, YOU WERE DANCING ON A
BEACH WITH A SMILE ON YOUR FACE, TAKING WEDDING PHOTOS.
>> YEAH, MONTHS LATER. >> YOU DON'T THINK -
>> TRYING TO GO ON WITH LIFE TRYING TO BE HAPPY, TRYING TO
FIND SOME KIND OF HAPPINESS. YOU THINK I WANT TO BE ALONE
>> Reporter: AND THEN THERE WAS LORI'S ONLY LIVING CHILD, COLBY.
ONCE THEY WERE AS CLOSE AS TWO PEOPLE COULD BE -- NOW
>> HE WALKED INTO THE COURTROOM. LORI LEANED OVER TO HER
ATTORNEY'S AND SAID, "THAT'S MY BABY," AND HE TOOK THE STAND,
AND HE WOULDN'T EVEN LOOK AT HER.
>> MOM, YOU'VE BEEN SHOVING B.S. DOWN MY THROAT FOR A VERY
LONG TIME. >> Reporter: THIS IS COLBY, ALL
GROWN UP NOW, IN THIS JAILHOUSE CALL CONFRONTING HIS MOTHER.
>> PURE BLASPHEMY. [ LAUGHS ]
>> THIS IS FUNNY YOU'RE LAUGHING?
>> YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. >> WHY
WHY DON'T I KNOW, MOM? OH, BECAUSE I WAS KEPT IN THE
DARK TO PROTECT ME YOU KNOW WHO NEEDED PROTECTING
MY LITTLE DEAD SIBLINGS. THAT'S WHO NEEDED PROTECTING,
MOM. >> Reporter: IN THAT SAME CALL,
HERE'S WHAT LORI HAD TO SAY ABOUT TYLEE AND JJ
>> THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED
AND THEY LOVE ME AND WE'RE STILL TOGETHER
FOREVER. THEY LOVE ME, AND THEY ARE FINE.
AND THEY DO KNOW THE TRUTH AND I KNOW THE TRUTH
>> Reporter: THE TRUTH WHAT IS THE TRUTH ACCORDING TO
LORI VALLOW? AS THE TRIAL PROGRESSED, LORI
KEPT EVERYONE GUESSING, EVEN HER OWN LAWYERS.
WOULD SHE TESTIFY? WOULD SHE ANSWER TO ANY OF IT?
>> EVERYONE WALKS IN THE COURTROOM, "WHAT'S IT GONNA BE
>>> Reporter: THE TRIAL OF LORI VALLOW WAS A CATALOGUE OF
AWFUL MOMENTS THAT SHOCKED EVEN THE MOST HARDENED.
TO THE PROSECUTION, IT WAS A TALE OF GREED AND LUST -- FOR
EACH OTHER, FOR POWER, ALL WRAPPED UP IN INVENTED ZEALOTRY.
>> Reporter: YOU BEGAN TO DOUBT THE SINCERITY OF THIS RELIGIOUS,
FERVOR OF THEIRS >> YES
YES. I DON'T KNOW OF ANY RELIGI
THAT SAYS YOU CAN KILL PEOPLE -- AND NOT JUST KILL THEM, BUT BURY
THEM IN THE YARD LIKE ANIMALS. >> Reporter: WHAT THE JURY HEARD
ABOUT LORI AND CHAD AND ALEX WAS OFTEN REPULSIVE, BUT IT WAS ALL
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE UNTIL THEY GOT TO THE FORENSICS.
A PHALANX OF MEDICAL EXAMINERS, INVESTIGATORS, AND PATHOLOGISTS
CAME TO COURT TO EXPLAIN THE TERRIBLE DETAILS
TAMMY'S BODY HAD BEEN EXHUMED DURING THE INVESTIGATION
BRUISES STILL VISIBLE. NOW MEDICAL EXAMINER
DR. ERIK CHRISTENSEN TESTIFIED THAT SHE HAD NOT DIED FROM SOME
MYSTERIOUS ILLNESS IN HER SLEEP. >> THEY ARE CERTAINLY CONSISTENT
WITH, UH, SOMEONE BEING RESTRAINED
UM, AND, UH, WOULD BE, UH, YOU KNOW, CONSISTENT WITH ASPHYXIA
AS A -- AS A CAUSE OF DEATH. >> SHE HAD MARKINGS ON HER UPPER
ARMS THAT WERE CONSISTENT WITH SOMEONE TO HOLDING HER DOWN.
SOME BRUISES >> Reporter: KNEELING ON EITHER
SIDE OF HER AND THEN CHOKING HER.
>> CORRECT, YEAH, OR SMOTHERING HER OR SOMETHING
>> Reporter: WAS IT CHAD ALEX
LORI WHO KILLED HER
THE PROSECUTOR DID NOT SAY, BUT MAYBE THEY DID NOT HAVE TO
LORI WAS CHARGED ONLY WITH CONSPIRACY IN TAMMY'S DEATH.
THEN -- THE CHILDREN LAW ENFORCEMENT DETAILED THE
STATE IN WHICH THEY FOUND JJ AND TYLEE.
TYLEE'S BODY, BURNED AND MUTILATED BEYOND RECOGNITION
IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF DEATH.
JJ WAS STILL DRESSED IN HIS RED PAJAMAS.
HIS HEAD WRAPPED IN PLASTIC, DUCT TAPE COVERED HIS MOUTH.
A PATHOLOGIST EXPLAINED HOW HE DIED
>> HAVE YOU FORMED AN EXPERT OPINION CONCERNING THE CAUSE OF
DEATH OF JJ VALLOW >> I HAVE.
>> WHAT WAS THAT >> I DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF
DEATH TO BE ASPHYXIA BY PLASTIC BAG OVER THE HEAD, AND DUCT TAPE
COVERING THE MOUTH >> Reporter: THIS GRUESOME
TESTIMONY WAS ACCOMPANIED BY CRIME SCENE AND AUTOPSY PHOTOS
AT LEAST ONE JUROR WEPT. LORI VALLOW?
TRIED TO AVOID THOSE PHOTOS. EVEN ASKED TO BE EXCUSED FROM
THE COURTROOM THAT DAY AND THE PROSECUTION FOUGHT THAT
VEHEMENTLY THEY SAID, "THIS IS HER TRIAL.
IF THE JURY HAS TO SEE THESE PHOTOS, SHE SHOULD HAVE TO SEE
THESE PHOTOS." AND THE JUDGE AGREED
AND SO, SHE HAD TO STAY THERE, AND DURING THAT PORTION, SHE WAS
WIPING HER EYES. SHE APPEARED VERY UPSET.
AND SHE LOOKED DOWN THE ENTIRE TIME
ALL OF THE THIS WAS TOO MUCH FOR JJ'S GRANDFATHER,
LARRY WOODCOCK, WHO CAME TO COURT THROUGHOUT THE TRIAL
>> I DON'T THINK I'LL EVER FORGET HEARING LARRY WOODCOCK
SOBBING AS WE SEE A PHOTO OF JJ VALLOW ON THE SCREEN.
IT WAS GUT-WRENCHING >> Reporter: NONE OF THAT
PHYSICALLY TIED LORI VALLOW TO THE KILLING UNTIL WEEKS INTO THE
TRIAL. THEY CALL THIS DNA EXPERT.
AND THE PROSECUTION SAYS - >> SO YOU FOUND A HAIR ON THE
DUCT TAPE? >> WE DID.
>> YOU TESTED IT WHAT DID YOU FIND?
>> I THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA BE ALEX COX OR JJ VALLOW'S HAIR
>> Reporter: THE PARTIAL DNA PROFILE MATCHED THE DNA PROFILE
THAT WAS PROVIDED FOR LORI VALLOW DAYBELL.
THAT SEEMS TO ME WAS ABOUT THE ONLY PIECE OF FORENSIC EVIDENCE
THAT TIED HER DIRECTLY TO KILLING PEOPLE
>> YEAH, IT WAS THE ONLY PIECE OF EVIDENCE THAT WE HEARD IN THE
TRIAL THAT TIED LORI VALLOW DIRECTLY TO THE DEATHS OF HER
CHILDREN THERE WAS A WHOLE LOT OF
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE. WHOLE LOT OF TEXT MESSAGES
A WHOLE LOT OF BACK AND FORTH, BUT AS FAR AS THE ACTUAL DEAD
BODIES IN HIS BACKYARD, IT WAS THAT ONE HAIR.
>> Reporter: WHEN IT WAS THE DEFENSE'S TURN TO PRESENT THEIR
CASE, CALL A WITNESS OR TWO, SOMETHING, ANYTHING, THE
ATTORNEYS ASKED FOR A FEW MOMENTS TO SPEAK WITH THEIR
CLIENT >> THAT WAS THE MOMENT
"IS LORI GONNA TAKE THE STAND? THE COURTROOM IS CLEARED
THEY HAD A PRIVATE CONVERSATION FOR PROBABLY 20 TO 30 MINUTES.
EVERYONE WALKS IN THE COURTROOM. "WHAT'S IT GONNA BE?
WHAT'S IT GONNA BE?" THE DEFENSE STANDS UP AND DOES
NOT SAY, "LORI WILL NOW TAKE THE STAND."
INSTEAD THEY SAY, "WE DO NOT BELIEVE THE PROSECUTION HAS
PROVEN THIS CASE AND WE REST OUR CASE."
>> Reporter: WHAT WAS HER DEFENSE TEAM THINKING?
>> LORI PROBABLY COULD HAVE HAD A PRETTY STRONG DEFENSE, AND
BLAMED EVERYTHING ON CHAD. SHE COULD HAVE SAID THAT, "HE
TOOK ADVANTAGE OF ME, AND I WAS IN A BAD PLACE MENTALLY.
AND HE ENCOURAGED ME TO -- TO GO DOWN THIS ROUTE.
>> Reporter: THE DECISION NOT TO DO THAT HAD BEEN LORI'S.
SHE WAS IN CHARGE. >> SHE TOLD HER ATTORNEYS WHAT
TO DO. SHE SAID, "I DO NOT WANT YOU
GOING AFTER CHAD OR ALEX." >> Reporter: BUT AT THE 11th
HOUR, IN CLOSING ARGUMENTS, LORI'S ATTORNEYS MADE A U-TURN
>> NO ONE HERE THINKS LORI ACTUALLY KILLED ANYONE
THEY BLAMED CHAD AFTER ALL SAID LORI WAS JUST NAIVE
NOT A KILLER SHE'S NOT LEADING ANYONE
SHE'S FOLLOWING CHAD SHE THINKS CHAD IS FOLLOWING
JESUS, BUT HE'S NOT. >> Reporter: INSIDE THE
COURTROOM, LORI GREW VISIBLY UPSET.
CRYING, WIPING TEARS SOURCES CONFIRMING SHE WAS
FURIOUS THAT HER ATTORNEY WENT AFTER CHAD
>> SHE IS STILL MADLY IN LOVE WITH CHAD.
>> Reporter: AND THEN, IT WAS THE JURY'S CASE.
>> WE KNOW WE'LL GET A JUST VERDICT.
A RIGHTEOUS VERDICT. AND THAT'S ALL WE HAVE EVER
ASKED FOR IN THIS. >> Reporter: FOR SEVEN HOURS
THEY DELIBERATED AND THEN JUST BEFORE NOON TODAY,
ANNOUNCED THEY WERE READY. >> ALL RISE PLEASE
>> Reporter: THE JUDGE LIVE-STREAMED THE MOMENT
LORI, APPEARING ALMOST SERENE, WAITED
EVEN AS HER FATE WAS READ ALOUD. GUILTY
GUILTY OF 1ST DEGREE MURDER OF HER CHILDREN TYLEE AND JJ.
>> AND GUILTY OF CONSPIRING TO MURDER CHAD'S WIFE
TAMMY DAYBELL. >> Reporter: FOR HER CRIMES,
LORI VALLOW FACES A POTENTIAL LIFE SENTENCE.
AND IF BODY LANGUAGE COULD SPEAK, SHE CROSSED HER ARMS AS
THE JURY LEFT THE ROOM AND CAST A SHARP LOOK AT HER ATTORNEYS AS
SHE WAS LED AWAY >> Reporter: OUTSIDE THE
COURTHOUSE, KAY AND LARRY, WHOSE FEARS FOR THAT LITTLE BOY HAD
STARTED IT ALL, THE INVESTIGATION, SEARCHES,
REVELATIONS, CELEBRATED. >> Reporter: A SAD, STILL
HEARTBROKEN, CELEBRATION >> JJ I LOVE YOU
TYLEE, PAPA LOVES YOU. TAMMY, I AM SORRY FOR WHAT
HAPPENED TO YOU. MY HEART HURTS
MY HEART HURTS FOR THESE THREE THIS IS WHAT THIS HAS BEEN ALL
ABOUT FROM THE VERY GET GO IT STARTED WITH TWO CHILDREN
MISSING, AND I STOOD UP AND I SAID WHERE ARE THE CHILDREN?
WHERE ARE THE CHILDREN WHERE ARE THE CHILDREN
>> Reporter: BUT, IS IT OVER NO, IT ISN'T OVER.
IT'S FAR FROM OVER IT'S EXPECTED CHAD DAYBELL WILL
BE TRIED NEXT YEAR HE'S CHARGED WITH THE MURDER OF
THE CHILDREN AND HIS WIFE TAMMY. HE'S PLEADED NOT GUILTY.
AND MORE CHARGES ARE WAITING FOR LORI
IN ARIZONA, FOR CONSPIRACY IN THE MURDER OF HER HUSBAND
CHARLES. SHE HAS TOLD THOSE AROUND HER
SHE BELIEVES JESUS WILL COME AND RESCUE HER FROM ALL THIS
SHE, THE GODDESS WITH THE POWER TO CHOOSE DEATH FOR OTHERS, IS
GOING TO PRISON, ALMOST CERTAINLY FOR THE REST OF HER
VERY HUMAN DAYS. >> THAT'S ALL FOR THIS EDITION
OF "DATELINE." WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN SUNDAY AT
7:00/6:00 CENTRAL, AND OF COURSE, I'LL SEE YOU EACH
WEEKNIGHT FOR 'NBC NIGHTLY NEWS."
I'M LESTER HOLT.