Arizona
Lori Vallow Daybell’s Arizona trial over ex-husband Charles Vallow’s death starts today. Here’s what to know.
Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday in the Arizona trial of “Doomsday mom” Lori Vallow Daybell, the Utah mother who was sentenced to life in prison in Idaho for killing her children in 2019.
In Arizona, Vallow Daybell has been indicted on a charge of conspiracy to commit murder in the death of her fourth husband, Charles Vallow.
She has pled not guilty to the charge, and is representing herself at the trial.
What did Lori Vallow Daybell do?
Lori Vallow Daybell was sentenced to life in prison without parole in the killings of her children, Tylee Ryan and Joshua Jaxon “JJ” Vallow. Tylee was Vallow Daybell’s child from a previous relationship. She and Charles Vallow adopted JJ in 2012.
In 2018, Vallow Daybell met doomsday-fiction author Chad Daybell. A year later, she separated from Vallow and began a relationship with Daybell.
The couple held apocalyptic religious beliefs that prosecutors claimed were used to justify the killings of Tylee, JJ and Daybell’s first wife, Tammy Daybell.
Tylee and JJ disappeared within two weeks of each other in September 2019. In October 2019, Tammy Daybell was found dead in her bed. A coroner said her death initially appeared to be due to natural causes, but an autopsy wasn’t conducted before her body was buried. Two weeks later, in November 2019, Daybell and Vallow Daybell were married in Hawaii.
The remains of Tammy Daybell were exhumed in December 2019, an autopsy was performed and her cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation. In February 2020, Vallow Daybell was arrested in Hawaii for ignoring a police order to produce her children, who had been reported missing by their grandparents. Several months later, in June 2020, the bodies of Tylee and JJ were found on a property owned by Chad Daybell.
Daybell and Vallow Daybell were each charged in the deaths of Tammy Daybell, Tylee and JJ. In separate trials, they were each found guilty of murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the children’s deaths. Vallow Daybell was also convicted of conspiracy to commit murder in Tammy Daybell’s death and of theft charges related to financial payments sent to her children.
Daybell was found guilty of murder in Tammy Daybell’s death, as well as several other related charges. He has been sentenced to death.
What was Lori Vallow Daybell’s relationship with Charles Vallow?
Lori Vallow Daybell and Charles Vallow were married from 2006 to 2019.
In early 2019, Vallow became very worried about his wife. He went to the police with his concerns, telling them that Vallow Daybell believed she was a “god” who was preparing for the end of days.
“She threatened me, murder me, kill me,” he told police in a conversation recorded on video, according to “48 Hours.”
Vallow filed for divorce in February 2019. In the filing, he said that Vallow Daybell had threatened to murder him. He also expressed fears for JJ and Tylee’s safety.
How did Charles Vallow die?
Charles Vallow was shot and killed by Lori Vallow Daybell’s brother, Alexander Lamar Cox, on July 11, 2019.
Vallow had gone to the home where Vallow Daybell was living with Cox and the two children after their separation to pick up JJ. The home was in Chandler, a suburb of Phoenix, Arizona.
In police video, Tylee said that she heard Vallow and Cox arguing.
“Honestly, it feels, it feels like 2 seconds, and 40 minutes at the same time. … I just kind of heard yelling over everything. I don’t know, I kind of just do that when everything is, like, really loud, I kind of just tune what people are saying out,” she told detectives.
Cox told police that he had killed Vallow in self-defense. He was not arrested.
Cox’s wife, Zulema Pastenes, testified that Daybell and Vallow Daybell had convinced him that his divine mission was to protect his sister. Pastenes said that Cox told her he feared the pair would make him their “fall guy.” That conversation, Pastenes said, occurred a day before Cox’s sudden death in December 2019. Medical examiners said he died of a pulmonary blood clot.
What to know about the latest charges
Lori Vallow Daybell has been charged with conspiring with Alex Cox to kill Charles Vallow. The trial will take place in Phoenix, Arizona, where Vallow died.
April Raymond told “48 Hours” that Vallow Daybell, her former friend, told her she believed Vallow was already dead and had a demon living inside him. She would later make similar comments about her children.
In December 2024, a judge ruled that Vallow Daybell was mentally fit to stand trial. Cameras will be allowed in the courtroom during the trial, CBS affiliate AZFamily reported. The trial will be livestreamed.
Complicating the trial is Vallow Daybell’s decision to represent herself. She said that this will likely complicate jury selection, a comment Judge Justin Beresky agreed with, according to AZFamily. Vallow Daybell said that she has studied case law during her time in prison. She also said she has experience in court that will help her represent herself.
In a hearing on March 18, Vallow appeared to struggle with the responsibility of being her own attorney. She said that her former attorneys would not give her important video evidence, though prosecutors said they can’t find the video she referenced, according to AZFamily. Vallow Daybell also said that it has been difficult for her to communicate with her legal team while in prison.
“Where I am at the jail, the communication is very difficult for me to get ahold of my investigator, get ahold of my paralegal. I’m 23 hours a day locked down. If I don’t have Wi-Fi, I don’t have a phone, if I don’t have battery, I don’t have a phone,” she said.
Opening statements are expected to begin in early April, according to AZFamily. If found guilty, Vallow faces life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years. She is already serving multiple life sentences with no possibility of parole after the convictions in Idaho.
This trial is not the last of her legal troubles. Vallow Daybell also faces a charge of conspiracy to commit murder for the attempted shooting of her niece’s ex-husband, Brandon Boudreaux. Boudreaux was shot at in 2019 while driving near his home, but was unhurt. Prosecutors say Cox carried out the shooting, but missed his target. Vallow Daybell has pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Lori Vallow Daybell’s “Dateline” interview
In a jailhouse interview with NBC’s “Dateline,” which aired in March, Vallow Daybell made multiple baseless claims. She was often combative toward correspondent Keith Morrison as she claimed to be innocent of all charges.
She said she “was not there” when JJ and Tylee were killed and was not involved in Tammy Daybell’s death. She tried to blame JJ’s death on Tylee, Morrison said, but investigators have said Tylee died before JJ.
“She came in and she had her own agenda,” Morrison said of Vallow Daybell ahead of the airing of the “Dateline” episode. “She wanted to be the aggressor.”
During the interview, Vallow Daybell also briefly discussed how she would serve as her own attorney in the Charles Vallow case. She called the process “great” but a “difficult thing to do.”
PEORIA, AZ — What if a simple dinner could help someone rebuild their life? In Peoria, a local chapter of Helping One Woman is doing just that by gathering once a month for a “Girls Night Out” with a powerful purpose.
Each month, women in the community nominate someone facing an unimaginable challenge: the loss of a spouse or child, a cancer diagnosis, or another life-altering hardship. That woman becomes the evening’s honoree.
At the dinner, attendees each contribute at least $10 and take part in raffles supported by local businesses. By the end of the night, the funds raised are gifted directly to the recipient to help with expenses during a difficult time.
But organizers say the money is only part of the impact. The room full of encouragement, hugs, and shared support can be just as powerful.
ABC15’s Cameron Polom talked with the Peoria chapter president and two women whose lives were changed thanks to the group’s generosity. See the full Uplifting Arizona story in the video player above.
See more from Uplifting Arizona:
The NFL’s legal tampering window is officially open, and it didn’t take long for the Arizona Cardinals to get in the mix.
A running list of the new names and familiar faces coming to Arizona in 2026:
New names on Cardinals roster this free agency
Kendrick Bourne
The former San Francisco 49ers and New England Patriots wide receiver brings another body to Arizona’s wide receivers room that includes Michael Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr.
He’s got plenty of familiarity with new Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur from their time together in San Francisco (2017-20). Bourne also spent a year with expected Cardinals starter Jacoby Brissett in 2024 with the Patriots.
The wide receiver caught 37 passes for 551 yards in 16 games played (eight starts) last year.
He’s now on board for two years in Arizona.
Isaac Seumalo
The guard spent the past three years with the Pittsburgh Steelers after a seven-season stint with the Philadelphia Eagles.
He’s started 104 out of 125 games played and has spent time at both left and right guard during his NFL career.
According to Next Gen Stats, the guard allowed a 3.7% pressure rate last year. That was the lowest rate among all eligible guards in 2025.
Gardner Minshew
Minshew agreed to terms on a one-year deal on Monday.
He’s expected to back up expected starter Jacoby Brissett in 2026, according to Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro.
Coming off his seventh NFL season and first with the Kansas City Chiefs, Minshew appeared in four games (one start) last year. He completed 46.2% of his throws for 37 yards and an interception.
Before landing with the Chiefs, Minshew spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders (2024), Indianapolis Colts (2023), Philadelphia Eagles (2021-22) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2019-20).
RB Tyler Allgeier
Allgeier comes over to Arizona on a reported two-year contract.
Before agreeing to terms on the $12.25 million deal with Arizona on Monday, Allgeier played four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons.
He ran for 514 yards and eight touchdowns on 143 carries last year, while adding another 14 catches for 96 yards.
While he worked mostly behind Bijan Robinson the past three years, Allgeier did surpass the 1,000-yard mark as a rookie in 2022.
Familiar faces
L.J. Collier
Collier is back on a one-year deal.
The defensive lineman appeared in four games in 2025 due to a knee injury suffered in Week 2.
He recorded six tackles and two QB hits in what was his third season with the team.
Roy Lopez
After a one-year stint with the Detroit Lions, Lopez is back with his hometown team on a reported two-year deal.
In 17 games played last year, he recorded two sacks, four tackles for loss and a pass defensed.
Before his time in Detroit, Lopez spent two seasons with Arizona from 2023-24. During that span, he registered a sack, six tackles for loss, three passes defensed and a forced fumble in 30 games played (21 starts).
K Chad Ryland
Ryland is back on a one-year deal, the team announced.
Ryland went through plenty of struggles last season after a having a career year in 2024. His accuracy dropped from 87.5% in 2024 to 75.8% last season. He was especially inconsistent from 40 yards and on, compiling a 13-of-20 mark (65%). Inside 40 yards, though, Ryland was 12-of-13 (92.3%).
Arizona brought in kicker Josh Karty late in the year (more on him later), but Ryland never gave up his role and appeared in all 17 games.
A one-year deal isn’t going to break the bank by any means.
P Blake Gillikin
The Cardinals must feel pretty good about where Gillikin is at in his recovering from a back injury last year with their signing of the punter to a one-year deal.
Before he went down five games into the season, the punter was leading the league in yards per punt with 51.7.
Not only that, across his five seasons (65 games) in the NFL, he holds the all-time record for yards per punt at 48.5.
Staying healthy is key for Gillikin, who also missed time in 2024 due to an ankle injury.
RB James Conner
Technically not a free agent, Conner was a potential cut candidate given his contract.
But after reportedly revising his deal, Conner is returning for his sixth season with the Cardinals.
The running back brings plenty of leadership and a bruising running style to the mix.
He’s coming off an abbreviated 2025 (three games) due to an ankle injury but had rushed for a pair of 1,000-yard seasons the two years prior. He scored at least seven rushing touchdowns each season from 2022-24.
CB Sean Murphy-Bunting
Much like Conner, Murphy-Bunting was another prime cut candidate due to his contract but reportedly revised his deal with Arizona as well.
Murphy-Bunting has a lot to prove after missing all of 2025 due to an injury suffered away from the team facility.
In his first season with the Cardinals, the cornerback recorded 52 tackles, three interceptions, five passes defensed and two forced fumbles across 15 starts.
Arizona Duke and Michigan lead race for top seeds in March Madness
Arizona, Duke, and Michigan hold strong as top contenders for men’s March Madness number one seeds with UConn and Houston battling for the final spot.
The Arizona men’s basketball team went 29-2 overall and 16-2 in the Big 12, winning the conference’s regular season title.
The Wildcats were rewarded for their dominance in the Big 12’s men’s basketball awards, which were announced on March 9.
Arizona’s Jaden Bradley was named the Big 12 Player of the Year, while Tobe Awaka earned the conference’s Sixth Man of the Year award and coach Tommy Lloyd earned Coach of the Year accolades.
Bradley averaged 13.4 points and 4.6 assists. Awaka was the nation’s leading rebounder off the bench, averaging 9.7 rebounds and 9.9 points when entering the game as a reserve. Lloyd led Arizona to its first Big 12 regular-season title.
Arizona State was completely shut out of the awards, with Moe Odum not receiving honorable mention honors despite averaging 17.1 points per game and 5.9 assists per game for the Sun Devils.
2026 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Men’s Basketball Awards
- Player of the Year: Jaden Bradley, Arizona
- Defensive Player of the Year: Flory Bidunga, Kansas
- Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State
- Freshman of the Year: AJ Dybantsa, BYU
- Newcomer of the Year: Melvin Council Jr., Kansas
- Sixth Man Award: Tobe Awaka, Arizona*
- Most Improved: Christian Anderson, Texas Tech
- Coach of the Year: Tommy Lloyd, Arizona
All-Big 12 First Team
- Jaden Bradley, Arizona
- Brayden Burries, Arizona
- Motiejus Krivas, Arizona
- AJ Dybantsa, BYU*
- Emanuel Sharp, Houston
- Kingston Flemings, Houston*
- Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State
- Flory Bidunga, Kansas
- Christian Anderson, Texas Tech
- JT Toppin, Texas Tech*
All-Big 12 Second Team
- Richie Saunders, BYU
- Baba Miller, Cincinnati
- Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State
- Milan Momcilovic, Iowa State
- Darryn Peterson, Kansas
All-Big 12 Third Team
- Koa Peat, Arizona
- Cameron Carr, Baylor
- Rob Wright, BYU
- Themus Fulks, UCF
- Xavier Edmonds, TCU
All-Big 12 Honorable Mention:
- Arizona: Tobe Awaka
- Baylor: Tounde Yessoufou
- Cincinnati: Moustapha Thiam
- Colorado: Isaiah Johnson
- Houston: Joseph Tugler, Milos Uzan
- Kansas: Melvin Council Jr.
- Kansas State: PJ Haggerty
- Oklahoma State: Parsa Fallah
- TCU: David Punch
- Texas Tech: Donovan Atwell
- West Virginia: Honor Huff
- Utah: Terrence Brown
All-Defensive Team
- Jaden Bradley, Arizona
- Motiejus Krivas, Arizona
- Emanuel Sharp, Houston
- Joseph Tugler, Houston
- Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State
- Flory Bidunga, Kansas*
A tie resulted in an extra position on the team
All-Freshman Team
- Brayden Burries, Arizona*
- Koa Peat, Arizona
- AJ Dybantsa, BYU*
- Kingston Flemings, Houston*
- Darryn Peterson, Kansas*
All-Newcomer Team
- Cameron Carr, Baylor
- Themus Fulks, UCF
- Baba Miller, Cincinnati
- Melvin Council Jr., Kansas
- Donovan Atwell, Texas Tech
*- unanimous selection
Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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