Crime House Daily – True Crime This Week: Doomsday Cults
Host: Vanessa Richardson
Release Date: September 21, 2025

Episode Overview

This gripping “True Crime This Week” episode dives into the chilling world of doomsday cults, focusing on two infamous groups whose apocalyptic beliefs led to murder and abuse. Vanessa Richardson tells the stories of Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow, who orchestrated a string of murders under the guise of saving souls from “zombies,” and Deborah Greene, whose “Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps” brought decades of violence and exploitation. Through narrative, quotes, and stark facts, this episode explores how fear of the world’s end became a tool for manipulation, control, and atrocity.

Main Discussion Points & Structure

1. Introduction to the Theme

• Vanessa Richardson sets the stage with statistics: two major cult crime anniversaries fall in this week of September.
  • [00:00] “The criminals in today's stories convinced their followers that the end of the world was right around the corner and that they were the only path to salvation... Both cases show that people can do unspeakable things when they think the end is near.”
    (Vanessa Richardson, [02:18])
• The format: one recent case, one historical case, united by the “Doomsday Cult” theme.

2. The Lori Vallow & Chad Daybell Case: Belief Turned Deadly

Background and Setup

• [03:50] Lori Vallow, a former hairdresser and mother in Arizona, became fascinated by end-times prophecies after linking with Melanie Gibb’s prepper circle.
• Lori's obsession with “zombies” and apocalypse beliefs escalated after meeting Chad Daybell at a prepper conference in 2018.

Chad Daybell: Origins of a Cult Prophet

• Grew up “normal” in LDS circles; after a self-proclaimed near-death, Chad claimed “a voice from beyond” revealed his supernatural purpose.
  • [08:00] “Over the years, his wife Tammy got used to hearing about what Chad was learning from what he called the Voice and eventually supported him when his spiritual guides gave him his biggest mission yet.”
• Chad self-publishes doomsday novels, gains a fanatic following among Mormon preppers.

The Cult Sparks: Lori Meets Chad

• [14:12] At a prepper conference in 2018, Chad’s spiritual “voice” tells him he’ll meet “an extraordinary woman” — enter Lori.
  • “Melanie said it was like a bolt of lightning struck when they met.”
    (Vanessa Richardson, [14:39])

Descent into Paranoia & Murder

• Chad convinces Lori and their prepper group of his system: people can be overtaken by dark spirits and become “zombies.” The only way to save them? Kill them.
• Charles Vallow, Lori’s husband, becomes their first “zombie” target after threatening Lori’s new belief system.

The Murders & Cover-Ups

• [24:12] Chad prophesies the end on July 22, 2020, and designates Charles as a “zombie.”

• Lori empties Charles’ bank account and locks him out; when Charles tries to intervene, he’s shot dead by Lori's brother, Alex Cox, in what they claim is self-defense.

  • [26:31] “When Laurie gave her statement to police, she seemed oddly unfazed by her husband's death. Smiling and joking about what her neighbors must think... Despite her strange behavior, and despite the fact that Alex Cox had a criminal record for assaulting Lori's previous husband, the police didn’t press charges.”

• Lori and Chad relocate to Rexburg, Idaho, where Lori’s children, Tylee and JJ, are gradually seen less and less.

  • [28:21] “Alex set up the WI FI network for his and Lori’s apartments, which gave a grim preview of what would happen next. The password he chose for their network was ‘Too Many Kids.’”

• Tylee disappears after a trip to Yellowstone; JJ is soon considered missing as well.

• Friends who question the children’s whereabouts get conflicting stories.

  • [31:11] “When friends asked where Tylee was, Lori explained that she was taking classes at Brigham Young University in Idaho. But even though the campus was located in Rexburg, nobody ever saw her there.”

• Lori and Chad marry in Hawaii a mere two weeks after Chad’s wife Tammy dies under suspicious circumstances.

  • [32:57] “On November 5, 2019, just over two weeks after his wife of 30 years died, 51 year old Chad Daybell and 46 year old Lori Valow got married on a beach in Hawaii. They’d killed a lot of zombies to get to this point, but at long last... they were finally married in this one, too.”

Exposure & Justice

• Relatives and law enforcement grow suspicious; their investigation uncovers the children’s deaths and deep cult ties.
• Lori and Chad are arrested after the children’s remains are found on Chad’s property.
  • [35:40] “Despite all his claims of being able to see the future, apparently Chad hadn’t been able to predict his own arrest.”
• Both are convicted; Lori gets life, Chad awaits execution.

3. The Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps: Militant Faith and Abuse

Deborah Greene’s Rise and Ruthless Reign

• [38:55] Deborah and Jim Greene turn 1960s commune experience into radical cult leadership, establishing a “military” Christian sect.
  • Members are issued uniforms and titles; obedience is enforced through violence and humiliation.
• Abuse is rampant and documented:
  • Starvation, beatings, and sexual abuse, frequently targeting minors.
  • [39:55] “Jurors heard about a 12 year old boy who died at the cult’s compound because Deborah denied him medical care.”

From Commune to Fortress

• The Greens move their operation across multiple states to escape investigations, finally settling in rural New Mexico.
• Followers are isolated, forced into grueling labor, and told the world outside is demonic.
• Greene’s teachings grow increasingly apocalyptic, culminating in paranoia, starvation, and deaths in preparation for “the end.”

Cracks in the Armor: Escape, Investigations, and the Fall

• Two members escape and contact police about a child’s death; a raid reveals 11 children held against their will.
• [43:20] “Detectives opened an investigation... police in New Mexico raided the compound in August of 2017. There they found 11 children being held against their will, starting as young as four years old.”

Courtroom Reckoning & Aftermath

• Deborah convicted on multiple counts of child rape, kidnapping, and abuse.
• Star testimony by a Ugandan girl kidnapped and enslaved by the Greens.
• Greene’s child abuse conviction is ultimately upheld in 2025, ensuring she’ll die in prison.
  • [48:58] “The General had lost her final battle.”

Memorable Quotes & Notable Moments

• The psychology of doomsday belief:
  [02:13] “People can do unspeakable things when they think the end is near.” – Vanessa Richardson

• Cults manipulate perception of reality:
  [11:17] “Chad claimed to have been reincarnated 31 times, living different lives on different planets. And he told his followers that Cleopatra and Kim Kardashian had been characters in the Book of Mormon in their past lives.” – Vanessa Richardson

• The banality of evil:
  [26:31] “When Laurie gave her statement to police, she seemed oddly unfazed by her husband's death. Smiling and joking about what her neighbors must think...” – Vanessa Richardson

• On destructive certainties:
  [53:36] “Looking back at this week in crime history, we see what can happen when people believe the end is near... the world keeps on turning no matter what you say. And sooner or later, you’ve got to answer for the sins that have been carried out in your name.” – Vanessa Richardson

Key Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | Summary | |------------|-------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 | Intro to episode & cases | Introduces theme, purpose, and cases being covered | | 03:50 | Vallow Daybell cult detailing | Lori, Melanie Gibb's friendship, Lori’s “zombie” beliefs | | 14:12 | Chad Daybell’s transformation | Birth of “the Voice,” self-publishing, cult leader evolution | | 24:12 | Murders & escalating crimes | Death of Charles Vallow, moves to Idaho, missing children | | 35:40 | Arrests & aftermath | Discovery of bodies, Chad's attempted escape, convictions | | 38:55 | Deborah Greene’s cult | Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps exposed | | 43:20 | Raid & rescue | 2017 raid, discovery of 11 captive children | | 48:58 | Conviction upheld | Deborah Greene’s sentence and legacy | | 53:36 | Closing reflections | Summing up the cautionary tale of doomsday beliefs |

Final Thoughts & Tonal Highlights

Throughout, Vanessa Richardson maintains a narrative tone that is empathetic, descriptive, and uncompromising in shining light on the extent of the suffering caused by these cults. The episode weaves background investigation with courtroom drama and personal stories, highlighting how easily “faith” and fear can warp into destruction when wielded by the manipulative.

Takeaway:
The horrors recounted are a reminder:

“The world keeps on turning no matter what you say. And sooner or later, you’ve got to answer for the sins that have been carried out in your name.” – Vanessa Richardson ([53:36])

This episode is a sobering exploration of how apocalyptic beliefs can drive good people to horrific actions — and how, in the end, justice and truth can still prevail.