Southwest
'Doomsday cult mom' asks court to ban cameras from upcoming murder trial
Convicted killer and so-called “doomsday cult mom” Lori Vallow is asking the court to restrict media access in her upcoming Arizona murder trial, citing claims of defamation and misleading coverage.
Vallow, who is representing herself, filed an objection with the Maricopa County Superior Court last month asking the judge to block Court TV from streaming the proceedings as she faces a second set of murder charges.
“Court TV should be ashamed of its very nature and its request, since its sole objective is NOT to bring people real news or facts but instead its objective is to entertain the public with the very true-life tragedies that happen in real people’s lives,” Vallow, who has already been convicted of killing her two children and her husband’s ex-wife, wrote in court documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
LORI VALLOW TRIAL: ‘CULT MOM’ SENTENCED IN MURDERS OF TWO OF HER CHILDREN, HUSBAND’S FIRST WIFE
Lori Vallow smirks in a mugshot taken after her Idaho murder conviction. (Madison County Sheriff)
Vallow went on to claim that Court TV is using her and her husband Chad Daybell’s images in commercials for the channel, alleging the depictions have “falsely characterized, libeled, and slandered” the couple. Daybell has been sentenced to death in Idaho for his role in the slayings of J.J. Vallow, Tylee Ryan and Tammy Daybell.
“This gives [Vallow] a tremendous amount of control over the case, and she has little to lose, since she’s already been sentenced to life in prison in Idaho,” Andrew Stoltmann, a Chicago-based attorney, told Fox News Digital. “She may be intending to turn this case into a three-ring circus, and the best way to do that is by representing herself.”
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Since the infamous trial of OJ Simpson, judges may have a stronger personal opinion of allowing cameras into courtrooms and fear it could do more harm than good for the proceedings, according to Stoltmann.
“There’s a philosophical belief that it’s good for the public to see the judicial process in action,” Stoltmann said. “There are also legitimate concerns that it tends to turn the attorneys and witnesses into actors who play up to the camera, which is typically not in the defendant’s best interest.”
Court TV did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The network previously streamed pre-trial proceedings for Vallow’s upcoming case, titling the coverage “ID v. Lori Vallow Daybell: Doomsday Cult Mom Trial.”
BRYAN KOHBERGER LOOKS TO DODGE DEATH PENALTY WITH PAGE FROM ‘CULT MOM’ LORI VALLOW’S PLAYBOOK
Lori Vallow Daybell stands and listens as the jury’s verdict is read at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho on Friday, May 12, 2023. (Kyle Green)
The objection comes as Vallow gears up for her second trial. In 2021, a grand jury indicted her on charges of conspiracy to commit murder in the shooting death of her fourth husband, Charles Vallow, and attempted murder of her niece’s ex-husband, Brandon Boudreaux.
“Being her own attorney likely gives her a better chance of an ineffective-counsel argument on appeal, assuming she loses,” Stoltmann told Fox News Digital. “She might be thinking it also gives her the best chance to win, because the jurors can hear from her without her actually having to testify and therefore be subject to cross-examination by the prosecutors.”
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Vallow was extradited to Arizona in November 2023 and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Charles Vallow was allegedly shot by Lori Vallow’s brother, Alex Cox, in what was originally believed to be self-defense in 2019. Months later, Cox died of an apparent blood clot. Prosecutors allege the siblings also conspired to murder Boudreaux in what eventually became a series of cult-fueled killings orchestrated by Vallow.
IDAHO JUDGE IN LORI VALLOW, CHAD DAYBELL MURDER CASES BARS CAMERAS FROM COURTROOM: ‘A GREAT RISK’
Lori and Chad Daybell were convicted of killing 16-year-old Tylee Ryan and seven-year-old J.J. Vallow in 2019. (Rexberg Police Department)
Last year, Idaho jurors found Vallow and Daybell guilty of murdering Vallow’s two youngest children and Daybell’s former wife, Tammy Daybell. The remains of seven-year-old Joshua “J.J.” Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan were found buried on Daybell’s Idaho property following a months-long search, during which Vallow and Daybell jetted off to get married in Hawaii.
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Vallow was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the three murders and has since filed an appeal of the conviction.
At sentencing, Fremont County District Judge Steven Boyce told Vallow, “You had so many other options. You chose the most evil and destructive path possible. I don’t think to this day you have any remorse for the effort and heartache you caused.”
‘DOOMSDAY MOM’ LORI VALLOW GRANTED MENTAL HEALTH EXAM AHEAD OF SECOND MURDER TRIAL
Lori Vallow Daybell smiles outside of an Idaho courthouse on August 16. (Tony Blakeslee/East Idaho News)
Boyce went on to acknowledge a February 2023 psychiatric diagnosis indicating Vallow’s numerous “mental health issues,” citing “delusional disorder” mixed with “hyper-religiosity” and a “continuous and unspecified personality disorder” along with narcissistic features.
An Arizona judge granted Vallow’s request for a mental competency evaluation, following a previous diagnosis stemming from her initial murder trial. She was ultimately deemed mentally competent to stand trial last year.
Vallow will be tried separately for the death of Boudreaux, with her trial relating to the alleged murder of Charles Vallow scheduled to begin on March 31.
Fox News Digital’s Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.
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Los Angeles, Ca
Man wanted for deadly Los Angeles road rage shooting extradited from Mexico
A man wanted for a deadly road rage shooting in Los Angeles was arrested and extradited from Mexico after fleeing the U.S. in 2024.
The suspect was identified as Christian Rojas, 21, of Bellflower, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Authorities had been searching for him since the deadly incident on October 10, 2024.
Rojas and a second suspect, Joshua Rojas Sr., 47, of Downey, were driving on the northbound 5 Freeway in Boyle Heights around 4 p.m. when they became involved in an altercation with another driver that escalated into a shooting.
Video of the tense confrontation showed the suspects, who were driving a Dodge Durango SUV, opening fire on two men in a Cadillac sedan.
The shooting forced the victim to pull over abruptly. That’s when a suspect ran up to the Cadillac, opened the passenger-side door and fired several shots at close range.
In a panic, the Cadillac driver tried to escape by making a sudden U-turn and driving against oncoming traffic. He eventually crashed head-on into several vehicles.
The suspects ditched their SUV and fled toward a freeway exit on foot. The Cadillac driver was left with serious injuries and his passenger was killed. Their identities were not released.
The incident caused a miles-long backup that left thousands of motorists stranded on the freeway for hours and authorities worked to clear the scene.
Following an extensive investigation, detectives identified the two men as the suspects involved.
Joshua Rojas Sr. was arrested in San Bernardino on October 22, 2024, on a murder charge. He remains in custody awaiting trial.
Meanwhile, Christian Rojas had fled the U.S. and was hiding in Mexico, detectives said. A $4.3 million bail warrant was issued for his arrest.
“Through a coordinated international effort, investigators determined that Rojas was living in Palomo de Arriba, Mexico,” CHP officials said. “The U.S. Marshals Service worked with Mexican state police to locate and arrest him on the outstanding warrant.”
On June 2, 2026, Christian was arrested and extradited to the U.S. to face a murder charge.
“This arrest demonstrates that time and distance will not shield violent offenders from justice,” said CHP Southern Division Chief Chris Margaris. “For nearly two years, our detectives remained relentless in their pursuit of those responsible for this senseless act of violence. Through exceptional collaboration with the United States Marshals Service and our law enforcement partners in Mexico, we located and apprehended this suspect and brought him back to face the charges. We remain committed to protecting the public, supporting victims and their families, and holding violent criminals accountable wherever they may try to hide.”
Los Angeles, Ca
NB 405 Freeway closed near LAX after pursuit ends in gunfire
The northbound 405 Freeway will remain closed for several hours near Los Angeles International Airport after a police pursuit ended with officers opening fire Friday morning. Unconfirmed reports indicated the incident began with a robbery at a 7-Eleven store, which ended with Los Angeles Police Department officers pursuing the suspect in a Kia. The chase […]
Los Angeles, Ca
'Top Gun: Maverick' actor identified as victim stabbed to death in Tarzana
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