“Lori, Rot in Prison": The Final Reckoning of the Doomsday Mom

Summary

Podcast Summary: “Lori, Rot in Prison" - The Final Reckoning of the Doomsday Mom

Podcast Title: Drop Dead Serious With Ashleigh Banfield
Episode Title: "Lori, Rot in Prison": The Final Reckoning of the Doomsday Mom
Release Date: July 30, 2025
Host: Ashleigh Banfield

---

Introduction

In this gripping episode of Drop Dead Serious With Ashleigh Banfield, Ashleigh delves into the culmination of the Lori Valo saga—a case that has captivated and horrified the nation for over half a decade. Dubbed the "doomsday mom," Lori Valo's actions have left an indelible mark of tragedy, betrayal, and loss. The episode meticulously walks listeners through her final courtroom appearance, the emotional testimonies of the victims' families, and Valo's unrepentant stance, culminating in her life sentence.

---

Final Courtroom Appearance

The episode opens with Ashleigh recounting the emotional and dramatic courtroom proceedings where Lori Valo faced her ultimate judgment. This time, Valo was being sentenced primarily for the murder of her husband, Charles Vallow, her fourth spouse, and for an attempted murder of Brandon Boudreau, her niece’s ex-husband.

Notable Quote:

"Rot in prison. Lo Lori and Lori."
—Tammy Daybell's Aunt, 08:25

The courtroom atmosphere was charged with anger and sorrow as families of the victims expressed their pain and frustration. Valo's sentencing was not merely a legal proceeding but a cathartic moment for those devastated by her actions.

---

Impact Statements from the Victims' Families

A significant portion of the episode focuses on the heartfelt and harrowing testimonies from the victims' family members, each bearing unique grief and anger towards Valo.

1. Colby Ryan’s Testimony:

   • Timestamp: [00:04 - 04:11]
   • Content: Colby, Lori’s only surviving child, delivered a poignant statement via video link. He expressed profound loss, stating, "not only are my father, sister, and brother gone, but so is my mother." Colby highlighted the emotional devastation and condemned Lori as the true tragedy of the Valo family.

2. Larry Woodcock’s Statement:

   • Timestamp: [04:11 - 08:25]
   • Content: As JJ's grandfather, Larry recounted the unraveling of his family due to Lori's deceit and manipulation. He detailed the false accusations made against Charles Valo and the subsequent murders of his family members, including his granddaughter JJ. Larry vehemently denounced Lori's actions, calling her a "murderous, narcissistic way" and emphasizing the irrevocable harm she caused.

3. Kresha K. Trahan’s Testimony:

   • Timestamp: [12:26 - 18:38]
   • Content: Kresha, representing the broader bloodline affected by Lori’s actions, painted a vivid picture of the familial bonds destroyed. She detailed Charles Vallow’s character and the premeditation behind the murders, citing evidence of Lori’s conspiracies and spiritual manipulations to justify her heinous crimes.

4. Todd Trahan’s Statement:

   • Timestamp: [18:38 - 20:43]
   • Content: Todd, JJ’s biological father, confronted Lori with raw emotion, admitting his personal regrets and emphasizing the torment caused by his estrangement from his son. He forgave Lori but underscored the irreparable damage done to his family.

5. Jerry Vallow’s Address:

   • Timestamp: [20:43 - 24:12]
   • Content: Jerry, Charles’s brother, delivered a heartfelt tribute to his sibling, emphasizing Charles’s virtues and condemning Lori’s betrayal. He recounted the deep personal loss and the broader impact on their community, labeling Lori as a "liar, fraud, and a destroyer."

6. Kay Woodcock’s Powerful Statement:

   • Timestamp: [24:12 - 35:17]

   • Content: Kay, Charles’s sister and JJ’s grandmother, delivered an impassioned and scathing critique of Lori. She meticulously dismantled Lori’s self-professed spiritual persona, highlighting the murders and manipulation orchestrated by her. Kay’s speech was interspersed with direct addresses to Lori, accusing her of using religion as a veneer for her evil acts. A particularly haunting moment was when Kay read a letter attributed to JJ, expressing his innocence and the profound loss he suffered.

   • Notable Quote:

     "I am Joshua Jackson Vallow. I am the son of Charles Vallow. I should be 13 years old now."
     —JJ’s Letter, 35:59

7. Brandon Boudreau’s Testimony:

   • Timestamp: [41:03 - 48:09]
   • Content: Brandon, Lori’s attempted murder victim, shared his harrowing experience of narrowly escaping death. He detailed the constant fear and trauma that followed the shooting, emphasizing the ongoing impact on his life and family. Brandon’s account underscored the persistent threat Lori posed even beyond her direct murders.

8. Final Statements by Kay Woodcock:

   • Timestamp: [48:09 - 55:15]
   • Content: Kay continued her relentless condemnation of Lori, deconstructing her attempts to manipulate public perception and the judicial system. She called Lori a "manipulator, a parasite, and a coward," and emphasized the irrefutable evidence against her, highlighting the collaboration between Lori and Chad Daybell in orchestrating the murders.

---

Lori Valo’s Defense and Statements

The episode provides a detailed account of Lori Valo’s own statements during the trial, showcasing her lack of remorse and continued delusional beliefs.

1. Initial Defense:

   • Timestamp: [50:36 - 55:18]
   • Content: Lori attempted to discredit the judicial process, alleging systemic injustices and claiming she was being prematurely convicted by media portrayal. She criticized the conditions of Maricopa County jail, arguing that the trial system is stacked against defendants. However, her arguments were largely seen as deflective and without genuine accountability.

2. Philosophical and Religious Justifications:

   • Timestamp: [57:40 - 62:25]
   • Content: Lori espoused a deeply religious and philosophical rationale for her actions, claiming spiritual enlightenment and divine mission. She quoted religious texts to justify her belief in manipulative and violent acts as part of a higher purpose, further alienating her from the courtroom’s sentiment.

3. Lack of Accountability:

   • Timestamp: [62:25 - 65:14]
   • Content: Lori refrained from directly apologizing or taking responsibility for her crimes. Instead, she focused on spiritual platitudes and the belief in eternal peace and redemption, completely sidestepping the gravity of her actions and the pain inflicted on her victims’ families.

---

Judge’s Verdict and Sentencing

The judge delivered the final sentencing, imposing two consecutive life terms on Lori Valo. Although officially, she would be eligible for parole in 25 years, Ashleigh emphasizes that in reality, due to the severity and number of her crimes, Valo is unlikely ever to be released.

Notable Quote:

"Ask God to come into your life and show him your. Show you his love, and it'll transform you."
—Lori Vallow, 57:40

The judge underscored the non-negotiable nature of Valo’s crimes, emphasizing that she would remain incarcerated indefinitely, effectively ensuring she would "rot in prison."

---

Final Moments and Conclusion

As Valo was escorted out, a final act of defiance and disdain was witnessed. Tammy Daybell's aunt, Vicki Hoban, shouted, "Rot in prison. Lori," and Valo responded with a dismissive wink, symbolizing the unresolved anger and disdain of the victims' families.

Ashleigh wraps up the episode by reflecting on the lasting impact of Lori Valo's actions. She discusses the enduring trauma faced by the victims' families and underscores the sentiment that while Valo's physical presence will be confined, the emotional and psychological scars remain.

Final Quote:

"The truth isn't just serious, it is drop dead serious."
—Ashleigh Banfield, 65:14

Ashleigh emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and confronting such heinous acts, ensuring that the victims are remembered, and justice is served.

---

Conclusion

In "Lori, Rot in Prison," Drop Dead Serious With Ashleigh Banfield delivers a profound and emotionally charged exploration of a truly tragic saga. Through detailed testimonies, Ashleigh presents a comprehensive account of Lori Valo's manipulation, deceit, and ultimate downfall. The episode serves not only as a recounting of events but also as a tribute to the resilience of the victims' families and the pursuit of justice in the face of overwhelming adversity.

Transcript

[Ashley Banfield]

Foreign.

[Colby Ryan]

Hi, everyone, I'm Ashley Banfield and this is drop dead serious. It is the end of the Lori Valo saga. God, it's been long. I don't know about you. I thought about it the other day. More than half a decade. So that's a long time. This was a case that stunned the country. Lori Valo left a trail of death and delusion and destruction and pain and suffering. And I could go on. But in a Phoenix courtroom, Lori Valo, the so called doomsday mom, faced judgment once again. After all the murders and all the trials and all the lies dressed up as prophecy, this was Lori Valo's final reckoning. And this time, this time, because it's sometimes hard to follow, it was for the murder of Charles Vallow, husband number four. But it wasn't just for that. It was also for an attempted murder of Brandon Boudreau. Follow the bouncing ball here. Brandon Boudreau was Lori's niece's ex husband. They were divorcing, wasn't going well. So Lori, naturally, to do her niece a solid, tried to take out Brandon Boudreau. And he would be one of the victims in her trail of destruction were it not for just a really bad aim because the bullets missed. Let me tell you, what happened in the Phoenix courtroom was, well, it's one for the books. Pretty unforgettable. I'm not gonna lie. She didn't just get sentenced. Lori Velo got torched. Torched by the families and the survivors. And a judge who said that it would take, literally said it would take an act of God for her to ever go free. Thank you. Thank you, judge. Someone had to say it. Somebody with the authority to say so. And he did. And when that judge finally handed down his sentence, Tammy Daybell's aunt let loose. She just let loose in open court and she yelled from the gallery. Rot in prison. Lo Lori and Lori. Apparently Lori didn't get the memo. Just wait until you hear the classy move that Lori Valow pulled. It's something that will live on in infamy. Something that you're probably going to see in those clip shows that highlight disorder in the court. Yeah, was that bad? And I've got that for you. Plus how everything came crashing down one statement at a time, like daggers in Lori's forehead. And the total move that she pulled just to twist the dagger into the grieving family members of her victims. It was sentencing day. Something that Lori should be pretty familiar with now, right, because what are we up to now? Four, You Know ish, maybe five murder victims. That's more than some serial killers by the way. So she's got that going for her. Today was the day that victims family members got to have their say to Lori out loud in open court, facing her down where she's forced to listen. And first up in the courtroom was her own son. In fact her only surviving child. Right after her years long murder spree, it was Colby Ryan Colby appeared in the courtroom via video link. He wasn't able to get there in person because of health reasons, but that did not make his words any less cutting. Here's what he said to her. Quote, not only are my father, sister and brother gone, but so is my mother. He told the court that Laurie may still be alive, but the woman he once called mom no longer exists. He called her the true tragedy of the Valo family, not just for what she did, but for who she became.

[Larry Woodcock]

My father, Charles Valo cared for his family. He took care of our family and he made sure we had a good life. He was a very generous man and we gave you the shirt off of his back. Here's the reality. In January 2019, I was told by my mother, Lori Valo, that my father had been unfaithful to her for years. I was distraught by this news and Lori's actions sold the story. I naively believed her and thought that my father betrayed my family. Little did I know it was my mother having the affair all along. She accused others of what she was doing herself. I regret regretfully decided to stop speaking to my father. On July 11, 2019. I would be flooded by the reality that my choice not to speak to him would be a lifelong sorrow. What I lost on July 11, 2019 was a father who was trying to help me in life and a man who wanted to see his grandchild and someone who wanted to give guidance and love. I lost a father. This affected me in more ways than anyone could ever know. I have to live with the regret of not speaking to him before he was murdered in cold blood. This did not only affect me. My little brother, J.J. valo was only 7 years old and he had autism and had his life picked apart and never explained. One day he saw his father coming to him to pick him up at the house and then never saw him again. My sisters highly carried too much responsibility and was put in positions no child should ever have to be in. Part of that responsibility was being told to retrieve Lori's purse inside the house, possibly witnessing her father's body. Here's the reality Neither Tylee nor JJ had time to even process or grieve. My mother, Lori Valo, moved them out of state. And only a couple of weeks later, little did we know that my little sister Tylee only had 60 days before she would meet the same fate. My little sister must have been so scared, confused, anxious and broken and angry in every emotion you could think of. My little brother, JJ would only have 74 days before he met the same fate. He must have been confused, worried, sad and frustrated without the ability to fully comprehend his feelings. I know I'm here to tell you the effect that this has had on me. In simple terms, each one of my family members was taken from us all in one swoop. My father was gone in an instant. And later my sister and brother disappeared until they were later found in Lori Valo's new husband's backyard. Now I'd like to address Lori Valo. She claims to be Jesus favorite. She claims to lead a spiritual life and she claims that she loves everybody. And she also claims to have seen Jesus and visited with him. When did Jesus allow us to commit adultery? When did Jesus change the commandment of thou shalt not kill? When did Jesus allow us to steal money from our dead children? When did Jesus tell us to lie our way through life? It must be a very sad life to smile your way through all the pain you've caused. Rather than being able to acknowledge the pain that she has caused, she would rather say that Charles Tylee and JJ's death were a family tragedy and not her evil doing. And I will say this, if you want to see darkness, look at the murdering cult that claims God has commissioned their mission to kill my family and others. Quite frankly, I believe that Lori Valo herself is the family tragedy. Thank you.

[Colby Ryan]

Also appearing via video link, Larry Woodcock. Larry is JJ's grandfather. His wife is Kay Woodcock. But she was Kay Vallow, Charles Valo's sister. And Larry spoke directly to Laurie and he let her have it.

[Ashley Banfield]

I truly wish I was there to look the murderers in the eyes. I'm unable to. I will say this murderous, you are nothing. You're a murderer. You're a narcissist, psychopath, delusional murderer. I can't tell you the harm that you have caused to our family. But I will tell you this. I know where you're going to be till you die. You're going to be in an 8 by 6 cell. You're going to have steel cot, going to have a 12 by 8 desk and a stainless steel toilet. You will have 23 hours a day in there. I hope you spend the rest of your life, 23 hours a day, regretting your choices. Because that's all it was. Murderous. It was your choices. You made them. You and your disrespect. Your husband, if that's what you want to call him. For what? You murdered Charles. The best thing that was ever in your life. For your delusional, narcissistic way. I will never call speak your name again. Murderers. You will never get anything out of me again in your life. You are nothing. You are nothing. You killed Tylee. Did you enjoy it? Look at me, Laurie. Did you enjoy it? Did you dance around the fire like you sent the videos to Chad of you dancing around in your room for him? Did you enjoy it? And then the most precious thing, a seven year old autistic, unbelievably God's present to K and I. Todd. Look at Todd. Turn around and look at him, Laurie. That's the last time you're ever going to hear my name out of your mouth. Look at Todd. Have you said you're sorry? You wrapped JJ's hands in tape. You wrapped his arms in tape. You covered his eyes and you buried him in eight inches of ground. Murderous.

[Colby Ryan]

Then it was time for Cresha Trahan. She's Kay Woodcock's daughter. Charles Vela was her uncle. J.J. was her nephew. And Kresha took to the stand with a calm fury. She said, you destroyed my mother. You destroyed all of us. But Kresha wasn't just speaking for herself. She was speaking for an entire bloodline. For the uncle who loved Laurie and died because of it. For the little boy who never got to grow up. And for the grandmother and sister who wakes up every day with a hole in her heart.

[Kresha K. Trahan]

My name is Kresha K. Trahan, and I stand before this court today as a voice for the shattered remains of my family. A family that has been ruthlessly decimated. Not only were lives stolen, but also our peace, our trust, and the very fabric of what a family should be. Charles, my uncle. And my mother's. My mother. Kay's beloved brother was so much more than just a relative. He was a cornerstone of our family. I remember his infectious laugh, his corny jokes, his unwavering optimism, and his genuine care for everyone around him. He had a way of making everyone feel seen and valued. He was the kind of man who would drop anything to help someone in need. The news of his death in July 2019 shattered me, and it sent shockwaves through our entire family. It was sudden and incomprehensible. My mother, Kay Valla Woodcock, his sister, was also devastated. The pain of losing her brother was immense, and it was a wound that has never fully healed. It's hard to see your own mother go through these kind of things because it's something you can't fix. For me, it felt like a light had gone out in the world. We relied on his steady presence and his ability to bring people, all people, together. The initial grief was compounded by the horrific circumstances surrounding his death. To learn that his own wife was involved in his demise was a betrayal of the deepest kind. It added a layer of anger and disbelief to our sorrow. The questions of why and how haunted us, turning our grief into a constant ache of injustice. We now know the chilling extent of the premeditation. Records on Chad Dabel's Gmail account show searches for Ned Snyder, 1996 death, LA and bodies possessed after original occupant dies as early as January 28, 2019. This was before Charles was ever referred to as Ned Snyder. This revealed a calculated descent into her delusion. Charles was fighting for his life and for his children's future long before his death on February 20, 2019, Charles called Banner Life to change his beneficiary to my mother Kay specifically for his special needs son and to place a pin code on his account. He was clearly concerned about someone accessing his account. Just six days later on February 26, 2019, he called again to finalize the change but couldn't prove couldn't provide a password he had never set. That's how distraught he was. He had never said the password. I mean he had set the password and forgot that he had set the password, growing angry as he suspected fraudulent access from March 19 to March 21, 2019. Even while Charles was alive and still married, his wife and Chad Daybell traveled from Idaho to Arizona together as evidenced by tickets in her ICLOUD account. On March 21, 2019 she was back at the Four Points, Sheraton and Mesa using their WI fi all while plotting and believing in twisted narratives. Her so called spiritual beliefs were nothing more than a thinly veiled excuse for murder. Justification for murder. The names used for Charles, Ned Schneider, iplos, Hyplos, we don't know were born from Chad. Daybell's Internet searches. Zilemma. Zilemma's cellular phone records paint a disturbing picture of the generated belief system with discussions about Chad's so called gifts to cast out dark spirits, remove swords and play spiritual Armor. This was all a grotesque fabrication designed to justify heinous crimes. There was talk of healing quicker and reversing age. For Christ's sake.

[Lori Vallow]

Oh, wow.

[Kresha K. Trahan]

While actively plotting the deaths of innocent people that trusted her. Perhaps the most heartbreaking detail is the decision Charles made to try and make his marriage work. He truly believed in reconciliation, and he really loved Lori, his wife. He took his wife back into his life, and in a text to his attorney, Taylor, he wrote, quote, what can I say, Taylor? Love always wins, unquote. These were the words of a man clinging to hope, a hope that ultimately led him to his death.

[Colby Ryan]

Todd Trahan also spoke. Todd is J.J. vallow's biological father, and he spoke publicly for the very first time. And what he said, honestly, it hit like a gut punch. He didn't sugarcoat anything. He started by admitting the hardest truth of all. He said, quote, I gave him up so y' all could raise him. I deal with the regret. I've dealt with the torment of making that choice.

[Ashley Banfield]

Lori. Uncle Charles was a man of God love. He knew God because he loved everybody around him. I trusted y' all with my family. The only son I had because I couldn't give him the life that y' all could give him. I gave him up for y' all to raise him. I deal with the regret. I've dealt with the. I've. I've dealt with the torment of making that choice. I'm here today to forgive you. I know what it's like to be in prison. I was in prison when y' all got the rights to my son. I know what it's like once you get done with this court and you go sit in that cell, you gotta relive everything that you did. I hope you understand the truth before you die. You still have a chance. You don't have to live evil the rest of your life. You can turn from that. You ask God to come into your life and show him your. Show you his love, and it'll transform you.

[Colby Ryan]

Jerry Vallow, Charles Vallow's brother, called Lori out for the financial and spiritual manipulation that preceded all of her violence. He said, quote, you could have walked away. You could have gotten help, but you chose this. You chose murder.

[Ashley Banfield]

My name is Jerry Vallows. Charles is my big brother and one. But a few weeks ago, I was sitting out in my garage with the door open. It was raining a little bit, listening to the fireworks in the distance. And all I could think about was everything I've lost and why. And I kept making excuses, not to write a statement. But the truth is, there are no words big enough for the impact this has had. Yet here I am. I am a veteran. I served honorably for this country and everything it's supposed to stand for. Freedom, independence, and justice. I knew good men that went to war. Some of them came home badly broken. Some came home and couldn't live with the weight of what they carried and ended their lives. Some didn't come home at all. Those men fought for something real. A country with laws that protect the innocent and punish the guilty. That's why I'm here. To speak for Charles, my big brother, one of the innocents. Because I still believe in that. And Laurie on all of it. She doesn't deserve to breathe the air those men fought for. She doesn't deserve sit and play victim when she is the reason we are all here. He wasn't just my big brother. He was my best friend. We grew up together on the bayous and rivers in South Louisiana, spending countless days and nights camping, fishing, hunting, exploring, and just being kids. We had so much fun. We learned to survive, trust each other, and become men. I miss him every day. He was a devoted father, a teacher, Someone who guided and loved his kids with every fiber of his being. All five of his children meant the world to him. And he spent his last months fighting for Ty Lee, jj. And because he was a protector, he was a son, a father, a brother, an uncle. A good man. He didn't deserve to die. And he sure as hell didn't deserve to be vilified by the woman that killed him. I keep asking why. Why is it about a million bucks? He wasn't just a dollar sign to fund Lori's sick game of make believe. She tried to cash in on his life. And when that didn't work, she brutally murdered her kids for money. And she tried to kill Brandon when he started looking like the next available dollar sign.

[Colby Ryan]

And then it was time for Kay. Kay Woodcock, Charles vallow's sister and JJ's grandmother. K has been the rock of the family ever since evil was visited upon them. Ever since Laurie stole Charles Vallow from their lives and then began years and years of lying about it. Kay didn't just deliver a victim's impact statement. She set Lori Valo on fire and left nothing but smoke and dust in that courtroom. How's this for starters? She bore a hole into Laurie, saying, you're not exalted, you're not translated. You're a manipulator, a parasite, and a coward.

[Kay Woodcock]

Your Honor, I stand before you today to honor Charles, my big brother. This courtroom is where Charles finally receives the justice he fought for and never saw in life. Thank you for allowing me to speak. Charles was more than my brother. He was the backbone of our family. He was steady, loyal, and endlessly generous. He was the kind of man who showed up for everyone without ever asking for anything in return. When you walked into the room with Charles, you felt safe. You felt valued. And that's what makes this all so unbearable. Because the very person who should have cherished him the most. His own wife, betrayed him in the cruelest, most calculated way imaginable. Lori, first let me say this. Charles is not your husband. I can't do that. Okay.

[Ashley Banfield]

Sorry.

[Kay Woodcock]

Charles is not your husband. Your disgusting co. Monster chad is the Miss Texas pageant. Wheel of Fortune Extra on Modern Family 7-31-21, 2023. What do they all have in common? They're all days that failed to make you famous or idolized. Infamous, yes, but never famous. Never idolized. You spent your entire life chasing cameras, applause, and validation like oxygen. But here you are, exposed, convicted, stripped of the lies you wrapped yourself in. All your interviews, all your attempts to manipulate, triangulate, and control the narrative, even the one released just last night, have failed. The world sees what I saw in 2019, when you abandoned Charles, Colby, Tyler, and JJ to chase that grotesque shadow of a man, Chad Daybell. You call yourself a mother, a wife, a woman of God. You are none of these things. You are a liar, a fraud, and a murderer. Did you think you could charm your way out of this? Do you believe people can't see through the lies? Do you honestly think that you are smarter, holier, or more special than everyone else? You are not. You are an ordinary, plain, run of the mill, middle aged woman. You keep saying to anyone who will listen that no one understands because they weren't there. So tell me, Laurie. What don't we understand? Was it you who shot Charles? And is that why you kept asking during the trial about testing your hands for gunshot residue? Was that your grotesque way of gloating? You murdered Charles. You confessed to the conspiracy. Do you think we all missed that? You took his phone and played a childish game of keep away and then tried to sell the world that this was a good reason for Alex or you to shoot him. And every single one of us sitting in this courtroom saw right through it. That day started a domino effect. Except you tipped the first domino, and you kept those dominoes falling until everyone was dead. Charles, Tyler, jj, Tammy, in the wake of devastation you left for Colby, for our entire families, and for an entire community who watched your evil unfold. You asked me during the trial where I was when Charles was murdered. You asked almost every witness if they were there or if they saw with their eyes or heard with their ears. You and Alex conspiring to murder my brother. No, we weren't. But you're right. As much as I hate to utter those words, and if you are to be believed, neither were you. How dare you desecrate the memory of Charles and your children the way you did their bodies. And how dare you blame them for your crimes. We all know what happened, Laurie. There is no denying it. We have sat in courtrooms, seen the evidence, seen the wreckage you caused. We have listened to the truth tellers. Nothing is taken out of context. Your land of make believe is just transparent. The facts and the science don't play games. They tell the truth. How many times Charles was shot, at what angles and how long he'd been dead before 911 was called the 47 minutes because you were busy trying to manufacture an alibi. Science doesn't lie. You do. Detectives, prosecutors, jurors, advocates, the men and women who had to bear witness to this horror. Please stand. Chuck Considis, Eric Wheeler, Ron Ball, Ray Hermosillo. They are from Rexburg, Idaho, and they were key in bringing justice to you. Thank you, guys. These individuals bear the weight of directly confronting your actions. They took that burden home to their spouses, children, and sleepless nights. They endured tragedy. You didn't just take our loved ones. You sparked a tragedy that now affects countless families. They understand. They were there. And they work tirelessly to bring you to justice. Chandler PD never believed your bullshit. They didn't charge you immediately because they were busy untangling your web of deception so you can make continue making claims that no one understands because we weren't there. But make no mistake, we stand perfectly. We understand pre meditation. We understand conspiracy.

[Ashley Banfield]

We.

[Kay Woodcock]

We understand fraud, insurance policies and false alibis. We understand how long bodies lay in the ground while you danced, vacationed and manipulated for attention. We understand the cost, emotional, financial, spiritual, that all of us have paid to clean up the wreckage of your delusion therapy, lost work, trauma, panic attacks, courtrooms and funerals, ashes and empty chairs. You are so selfish, so pathologically self centered that you can't even see the shock waves you created in every life around you. Webster's Dictionary defines tragedy as a disastrous event. What happened to my family is precisely that. A series of disastrous events. Each one Engineered by you. You and Chad built a religion of narcissism. Two people drunk on the fantasy of being special, chosen above the law, above humanity itself. You labeled people as dark to justify murder. You wrapped evil in scripture and called it faith. You and Chad murdered your children and spouses and then hid behind a veil of lies. You are not exalted. You are not translated. You are a manipulator, a parasite and a coward. You have no remorse. Your deflection is disgusting. Your interviews are manipulative. Your faith is counterfeit. You still talk as if you're somehow misunderstood. No, wrong. You're fully understood. We see who you are. A manipulator, a liar and a destroyer. And the worst thing is, Charles loved you. He protected you, and you repaid him with betrayal and bullets. You left him dead on the floor and then went shopping for flip flops and a new life with your apocalyptic con man. You tried to erase him, stealing his phone, twisting the narrative and lying to anyone who would listen. But the truth doesn't lie, Laurie. And now the truth has destroyed you. Laurie, you have noticed this courtroom is full. It's not because people admire you. It's not because they see instrument in God's hands. It's because you're a sideshow freak, a murderous carnival act. People come to gawk at the monster who thinks she's divine. They don't come to honor you. They come to witness the wreckage of your delusion and to see justice crush it. You've always wanted an audience, but this audience isn't here to adore you. They are here to watch you fall. To watch you stripped of the spotlight you crave, to see your false crown ripped away. You are not a goddess. You are not chosen. You are not powerful. You just thought you could play God and win. The only legacy you leave is this. You will be remembered not as an instrument of God, but as a pitiful cautionary tale of evil and narcissism. Your life will end behind concrete and steel while the world outside remembers JJ's smile, Tyler's strength, Charles's kindness and Tammy's light. You will be forgotten except as the sideshow act you've made of yourself. A monster who wanted to be worshiped, but who will only ever be pitied. But the legacy of Charles, jj, Tylee and Tammy is here in this courtroom. A new type of family built on love. Colby and his family, Tammy's family. The men and women who battled evil. All of us united. Because, as Charles said, love always wins. Finally, I want to say this. You once claimed that no one could judge you because they weren't there. Today, everyone is here. The court is here. Justice is here. And now, judgment has arrived. May this sentence be as permanent as the graves you filled.

[Colby Ryan]

And then Kay did something few were prepared for. She read a letter that was written as if it were from JJ himself. She spoke in JJ's voice, delivering a victim's impact statement from the child that Laurie claimed to love through tears. K read, I didn't deserve this. I deserved birthdays and school and hugs. I deserved to grow up. It was devastating. And the courtroom fell silent as Kay gave voice to the little boy whose future. Laurie Stoll.

[Kay Woodcock]

Hi, Judge Bereski. My name is J.J. valo. I can't be here today to read this letter because I am dead. I was murdered by the defendant, Lori Daybell. Or as I used to call her, mom. See, there are a whole lot of tragedies that have happened to my family. And all of them are the result of my mom's actions. See, my daddy was the first of the dominoes to fall. The day he was murdered, everything good in my world started to crumble. Actually, that's not true. It started before then. It started when she met her co conspirator, Chad. She abandoned me for 72 days in early 2019. My daddy Charles, was there for every bit, every bit of it. He tried so hard to keep me on my schedule. See, I have autism. And that isn't a bad thing. It just means that I needed extra attention and routines because my brain and my body had more energy than you would could ever imagine. To help you understand, it might help to tell you about myself. I went to a really cool school and special school called Lauren's Academy, Lauren Institute for Education. And I loved it. I loved my teachers and my classmates. They understood me so well and I just thrived there. I was able to go to this, to that school because my dad worked so hard and provided me a special education because I am a special boy. I had a best four legged friend ever, Bailey, my service dog. Bailey went everywhere with me and kept me calm and safe. I loved Bailey so much. But Lori got rid of Bailey after my dad was murdered, but before she murdered me entirely. See, my world crumbled without my dad, without him to protect me, everything changed. She took me out of my school and told my teachers that my dad committed suicide. She told them on my last day of school that she. She told me too. I cried all day and just kept saying, my dad's not dead. My Dad's not dead. With tears rolling down my face. And it was. I missed my dad. Now I had lost Bailey, my score. And now my sad wasn't. Wasn't just on. My dad wasn't just on a business anymore, business trip anymore. He was dead. Then within the next few days, it got worse. We moved. All of a sudden, I was at Kobe's, my big brother's work, telling him goodbye. I couldn't go play with my cousins at Brandon's house anymore. Braxie and Bridie were taken away too. My aunts, uncles, brothers, grandparents, teachers, friends at school, my school, my mama and Pawpaw and Ashlyn and everyone. Everything that I knew was gone. All because my dad couldn't protect me anymore. He was my best friend. I love my dad more than I can ever explain. Lori calls the next tragedy in my family too, the next domino to fall. There was one thing I had left was my big sister, Tyler. She murdered her too. She murdered her on September 8th of 2019, just 59 days after my dad was murdered. Days after she ripped my world apart and took me away from everyone and everything that made me feel safe and secure. Then on September 23, 2019, she murdered me. Lori took my bad, my dad away. She took away the best man, the protector of me entirely. I am dead because she killed him. He never would have let her hurt me. And I know he died, protected me. He took six years for me to be able to have a voice to be here to say with the death of my dad. Did to me. I am not a domino that fell in her life. I am Joshua Jackson Vallow. I am the son of Charles Vallow. I should be 13 years old now.

[Brandon Boudreau]

But I'm forever 7.

[Kay Woodcock]

The impact of my father's death was my murder.

[Colby Ryan]

And then Kay braced herself and yelled right across the courtroom at full volume.

[Kay Woodcock]

And Judge, it is 13 years today that JJ's adoption was finalized. And they moved him immediately, right away to Hawaii. And I hope you remember that I trusted you.

[Colby Ryan]

And then it was time to hear from the one victim Laurie didn't succeed in murdering, though she certainly came close. Brandon Boudreau, who was divorcing Lori's niece when she tried to bump him off too. He spoke about the day that someone shot at him from a Jeep. He survived, but barely. And he described living in fear, being unable to rest, wondering what would happen if Laurie ever got out. His sister, his wife, other family members all took to the stand to say the same thing. If Laurie ever is released, Brandon will never be Safe Jenny Boudreau.

[Brandon Boudreau]

And I am Brandon Boudreau's wife. First and foremost, I want to thank all those that have spent countless hours in bringing justice to not only Brandon, but to Charles, jj, Tylee and Tammy today. I stand here today as a voice for the pain and lasting trauma caused by the attempted murder of my husband, Brandon Boutroux, on October 2, 2019. A day that none of us will forget. That morning, Brandon was driving near his newly rented home in Gilbert, Arizona, when a bullet fired by Alex Cox under the direction and planning of Lori Vallow, Daybell and other co conspirators missed his head by merely inches. Just inches. One moment, one shot. A moment that should have taken his life but didn't. And yet that near death experience has forever changed his life and mine. When I met Brandon, I saw a man with one of the biggest hearts I have ever known. But it was a heart that had been bruised deeply and wounded by betrayal from those he trusted most. To be hunted by people who were supposed to love and protect him. His own family left scars that go far beyond physical danger. It robbed him of a sense of safety. It shattered his ability to fully trust. It forced him to live in fear. For months, Brandon was living in hiding, moving from place to place, always looking over his shoulder. The people who wanted him dead still were out there. And he knew they were not finished. After the horrifying news of the murders of Charles and Tammy and especially Tylee and jj, children he loved and he knew Brandon had countless sleepless nights. The fear became constant. I will never forget the night when Alex and another showed up at his family home searching for his children and Brandon. The fear I heard in Brandon's voice was like nothing I had ever heard. He believed that he and his children could be killed. This was his new reality. These crimes weren't just about money or power or twisted religious beliefs. They were also about destroying families, destroying lives. Laurie and her co conspirators tried to take away a father from his children. This is a man who reads scriptures with them, tucks them to bed at night, plays games with them, supports their dreams, encourages them and loves them with all of his heart, unconditionally. He would do anything for his children had that bullet not missed these beautiful children, now my beloved bonus children would have grown up without a father's guidance, his protection and his love. No child should ever be denied that. Brandon was deeply traumatized and yet he continued to show up for his children, for truth and for justice. Even on the first day of our Honeymoon, which was meant to be joyful and sacred.

[Kay Woodcock]

I watched my new husband.

[Brandon Boudreau]

Weep in a car after having to identify the remains of a boy he once loved and tried to protect. That boy was jj, the cousin of Brandon's former wife, the son of the very woman who tried to orchestrate Brandon's murder. That wait, that moment is still and always will be heavy in our lives. He has survivor's guilt. He sometimes wondered why he survived and the others did not. He would say I would switch places with Charles, with jj, with Tyler, and even Tammy so that they could live. This is the kind of person Brandon is. He would do anything for the people he loves. Brandon carries emotional scars of attempted murder, betrayal, and loss every day. And yet he remains kind, he remains faithful, and he remains a father that his children are proud of.

[Ashley Banfield]

Your honor, thank you for giving me my time today and for listening to all these people who are in my family now and who have gone through this with me. On October 2nd, Lori Daybell, someone I considered family, conspired with others to shoot at me. An act that not only endangered my life, but it threatened to destroy the sacred family unit that I cherish for my children. Had this heinous crime succeeded, my children would have been left to face a lifetime of grief, robbed of the love, stability, and spiritual guidance I provide as their father. The betrayal by someone connected to my family has left me battling overwhelming emotions over the years. I felt fear, paranoia. I lived with constant vigilance, loneliness, regret, sadness, depression, anger, heartache, and embarrassment, all while still striving to remain a beacon for my children. I didn't want them to see the word family in Latin was used as a word for servant. Familia. How beautiful to think of those who are family as those who we serve or who serve us freely without the thought of reward. I try to live this truth every day, serving my children with selfless dedication, nurturing their dreams, teaching them resilience, and providing a foundation of love. Laurie Daybell's actions sought to tear me from the sacred role, leaving my children without the father who serves them with unwavering devotion.

[Colby Ryan]

Then it was time to hear from the serial killer herself, Lori Vallow. She knows a thing or two about standing up in a courtroom and addressing the gallery, letting loose. She's been at this game for over five years now. Murder, jail, court trials, sentencing. This is her life now. Wash, rinse, repeat. And when she spoke, she had zero regrets. Made no apologies. She ranted about being tried in the media. She complained about jail conditions. Boohoo. And Then she said she hoped that people would, quote, wake up.

[Lori Vallow]

Representing myself. I have learned much about the law through this process, process. And I'm grateful for the knowledge that I have gained. Knowledge is eternal, and it is only love and the knowledge that we acquire in this life that we take with us into the next. Before this long court journey, I only had basic understanding of the judicial process. I was of the understanding that both parties would be able to get up at a trial and each tell their side of the story. But I soon learned that the rules of law do not allow that.

[Ashley Banfield]

Actually, they do.

[Lori Vallow]

The process is much more complex than that. It is not designed for that. Although the Constitution of the United States was designed for that, the rules of law negate most of that. As a defendant, I was precluded from calling several witnesses. Other witnesses for the defense were precluded from testifying things that they did witness. As a defendant, I was precluded from asking law enforcement speaking specific questions. I was also precluded from admitting documents that the state turned over to the defense as discovery. The founding fathers of this country did not intend for the rules and laws of trial that had been implemented into this justice system to make it impossible for the accused to defend themselves. Their objective was quite the opposite. They advocated for a fair and impartial and speedy trial. It was never their intention for people to be sitting in jail for years and years waiting to be tried while the state continues to try to gather new evidence against them. This is what our unjustice system has become. Men and women sitting in jail for years and waiting to be heard. The constitutional right of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Happiness thwarted. My case is not unique. There are many here in Maricopa county that have been in jail almost 10 years waiting to be tried. The conditions of this jail are not for long term confinement. You do not have access to direct medical care. You do not have access to proper nutrition. You do not have access to sunlight. You do not have access to to decent dental care. In fact, when you have been at Maricopa county jail for one year, they come to your door and offer you a vitamin D supplement because you have not been in the sun in a year. Imagine this for years. It is inhumane. The state of Arizona, according to the laws, since I am a prisoner from another state, only had 90 days in which to give me two speedy trials. That's three months. I arrived here at MCSO on November 30, 2023. That is over a year and a half, 20 months. Specifically that is over six times the amount of time it should have taken for me to have these two trials. But Arizona leaves this law up to the judge's discretion. And the judge has the power to extend your trial at his will. Even though the 6th and 14th amendment of the constitution of the United States states proclaims otherwise. 98% of all cases in Maricopa county end in plea deals where the accused plead guilty. And I'll tell you why. It's so miserable in that jail that they plead guilty so they can go to the prison and have decent food, decent sunlight and a chance to live. 2% of all cases in Maricopa county that actually do go to trial, of all the cases that actually do go to trial, only point to end in acquittal. That is one out of 1200 people who go to trial go home.

[Ashley Banfield]

That's actually not the correct stat.

[Lori Vallow]

Is that a system designed to convict you? The rules of law governing trial assure that as you witnessed in my two cases, the judge supports the cha. The state to achieve this outcome. So here we are. The state of Arizona has accomplished its intention. One, to extradite me from Idaho, Two, to convict me and three, to add to my ledger of lifetimes. The state used countless taxpayers money to transport me house me millions of dollars to wrongly convict me on two charges that they made sure judicially that I could not defend myself against. I know political aspirations, raises and job promotions were at stake. So congratulations. I was convicted in the media long before I went to trial. We all know that there is no way for me to come to Arizona and get a fair, impartial or speedy trial. And now that fact has been proven. The state of Arizona brought me here when I was already serving five life sentences. Now I will serve seven life sentences. Will that be enough? Will that be enough? I want everyone to know that I mourn with all of you. I am sorry for your pain. Losing those close to you is painful. And I acknowledge all of the pain. And I do empathize. I feel it too. If I was accountable for these crimes, I would acknowledge it and I would let you know how sorry I was. But I have witnessed for myself what it is like to leave this mortal existence and return home. When I temporarily died in the hospital giving birth to my daughter Tylee. When our spirit leaves our body and we return to the pure energy state in the spirit world, we immediately no longer feel hate, anger, envy or resentment. I promise you. We come to earth to experience these emotions.

[Ashley Banfield]

But.

[Lori Vallow]

But these emotions are immediately replaced by a blissful Heightened sense of peace, love, joy and well being. The moment our spirit leaves our body, we feel more alive than we ever did on earth. And we have deep empathy for those we have left behind. We do not want our loved ones to grieve or be sad. We know that they will because that's a mortal experience. But they come to comfort us. We immediately know the minute you leave your body, you are aware of who you are, why you came to earth, and that we will all be together again soon. And that this separation is only temporary. All of the cares and pressures and problems amazing immediately melt away. And after comforting our loved ones, we move on with our eternal life, continuing to pursue knowledge and wisdom and understanding in eternal progression. Heaven is a very busy and happy place where everyone is engaged in projects that they love to do. That includes Joshua, that includes Tylee, that includes Tammy, that includes Charles. No one there. None of these people are seeking revenge or justice. So although we miss our loved ones, and I do too, I assure you that they are busy and happy and peaceful. I have felt the kind of contentment that they feel now and I try to duplicate that here. So whether I'm giving five life sentences or seven life sentences, I will continue to try to uplift and help and strengthen those around me. It does not matter where you serve on earth, as long as you do it with love. It doesn't matter if I'm given seven lifetimes or the death penalty like my husband. What things look impossible to man are easy for Jesus. Jesus tells us in the Bible not to judge, but this whole entire justice system is just that. So I want you to watch because God will show the world great miracles. I will continue to love everyone I come in contact with and I will turn this battle over to God. If this is God's battle, then the math doesn't matter. Seven lifetimes or the death penalty doesn't matter. God's miracles will abound. When a soldier goes off to war, he is a soldier. When a soldier comes back from war, he is a warrior. And Jesus is in the prisons. He is turning his soldiers into warriors. For the prisoner shall go free. Sometimes victory doesn't look like victory until it's finished. Prisoners who have been told that they will never go free will be free. And I want you to expect miracles and I want you to watch for them. Because you will see. We fear not what man can do because God's warriors surround us when the battle is relentless, and this one has been for over six years. Remember, God is building his army of warriors in the prison system. He is turning Sauls into Pauls. When Jesus is sending his servants into the prisons to prepare his warrior team, we will be there only until this purpose is complete. And then the warriors will walk free. We are redeemed by Jesus Christ, so we are free right now. But his chains will break, prison walls will fall. The power and majesty of God will be revealed. When Jesus is ready, he will call his warriors from the prisons and we will walk free and we will serve him. I will quote Moroni, the great prophet from Moroni 8, 16. And he says, behold, I speak with boldness, having authority from God. I fear not what man can do. For perfect love casteth out all fear. And in ether Moroni says, and now if I have no authority for these things, judge ye, for ye shall know that I have authority when you shall see me. And we shall stand before God at the last day.

[Colby Ryan]

And then, almost offhandedly, she said, quote, if I were accountable for these crimes, I would acknowledge and let you know how sorry I was, end quote. But Laurie did not take accountability and she did not say, I'm sorry, nothing of the sort. Which was why it was all the more satisfying when the judge had the last word.

[Ashley Banfield]

I have seen many, many cases in my career where someone faces a long prison sentence for what amounted to one split second bad decision. You are not that person. The amount of contemplation, calculation, planning, manipulation that went into these crimes is unparalleled in my career. Your powers of manipulation are profoundly destructive. One that undermines trust, distorts truth, and can erode the very foundations of healthy relationships and society. The impact of your manipulation has been devastating, insidious and far reaching. And perhaps still unknown. One can't help but wonder if Alex died as a result of the extraordinary burdens that you placed upon him. No one will ever know. You preyed on the vulnerability of those around you. Jj, Tyler, Alex, Melanie, others. And today I heard about Colby. You specialize in exploiting the empathy and goodwill of others, turning those virtues into tools of control and harm. I think that over time, as a result of being subjected to your manipulation, those people lost their sense of self and their ability to distinguish truth from falsehood. In the face of such profound damage, A long prison sentence is not merely a punishment. It is a necessary affirmation that our society values justice, protection, and the sanctity of human life. You just referenced a Bible verse or.

[Larry Woodcock]

A verse recently about the prisoners shall go free.

[Ashley Banfield]

That is not a literal verse. That is a verse about people that accept Jesus can Be in prison and they will go free when they die and go to heaven. But it will take an act of God for you to go free. In short, you should never be released from prison. Eventually, the camera that you seek out so much, the media requests will lessen over time and you'll fade into obscurity.

[Colby Ryan]

And then he sentenced her two consecutive life terms. He said she'd be eligible for parole in 25 years, but honestly, that is only in theory because Lori won't be allowed out of any institution, ever. Parole or not, Lori will be locked up in Idaho and busy for the rest of her life, serving out her multiple life sentences for murdering her two children and and her new husband's late wife. And lest you think that that would be the end of things, Laurie had one more parting shot left in her. Just before she was escorted out, the courtroom erupted. Tammy Daybell's aunt, Vicki Hoban, stood up and shouted, lori brought in prison. Lori heard it, but she didn't flinch. Instead, she turned back and she winked. You heard me, Laurie Fallow. Daybell winked at Tammy Daybell's grieving aunt. Real classy, real classy, Laurie. But honestly, it's something we've all really come to expect from someone of your ilk. So there you go. We're coming up on what, six years of hell for the Woodcocks and all of the other survivors of her reign of terror, Lori and Chad. Chad's on death row. Bye. Bye. But it's hard to believe that they can ever return these surviving family members to anything that's normal. They got a new normal the minute they heard their loved one was murdered. All of them. Brandon Boudreau will have ptsd, I am sure, in some way for the rest of his life. And he should have been one of the victims. Were someone's aim a little better. He'll never get over that. How do you even get over the loss of children, sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers? This is Lori Valo's legacy. She literally destroyed hundreds of people's families and friends. That's her legacy and the fact that she just continues to lie about it and blame everybody else. The truth is, after six years, that's it. We don't have any more processes for Lori Valo. We don't have any more verdicts that we know of. Basically, we're just giving up on her. We've done everything we can do as a society. We've put her in a box where she should rot and die. So, yeah, we're giving up on her. And all she has left, when you think about it, is her hair. You know, seems to be her hobby. That's what she did before all of this. She was a hairdresser at one point. And she seems to do well with, you know, jury rigging, hairdos in prison. And her face, her prison makeup, she does that too. But eventually, oh, it's not a lie. That's going to give up on her too. Her hair and her face, they'll give up on her as well. And what will she be left with? Maybe if she ever actually comes to, she'll have pain, sorrow and regret for killing all the people who loved her, who were important to her and those who were close to those who loved her. Maybe eventually she'll be touched by reality. I don't know if she's just putting on a full show or if someday she really does have trouble sleeping. In any case, Lori will be transferred back to Idaho to serve the rest of her life sentence there for murdering her children, JJ and Tyler and conspiring in Tammy Daybell's death. That's a murder, too. There are no more trials, no more cameras, no more stage. Just bars and time. Lots and lots and lots of time. I'm Ashley Banfield. I'm always so thankful that you're watching, that you're listening. And just remember, folks, that the truth isn't just serious, it is drop dead serious.