Lori Vallow, guilty of killing her 2 kids, to be sentenced Monday

Lori Vallow was convicted of murdering her two children in May
Prosecutors say she was motivated in part by her 'doomsday' beliefs
Family members of victims will be able to speak at her sentencing

Updated: Jul 30, 2023 / 08:27 PM CDT

(NewsNation) — Lori Vallow, the Idaho woman convicted in May of killing her two children partly because of “cultlike” beliefs she shared with her husband, is set to be sentenced Monday.

Vallow could face up to life in prison. Vallow’s son, JJ and daughter, Tylee, went missing in September 2019, when they were 7 and 16, respectively. Their bodies were later found on Chad Daybell’s Idaho property.

Chad Daybell’s wife, Tammy, died a month later. Authorities initially said she died of natural causes, but investigators grew suspicious when Vallow and Chad Daybell married just weeks later.

A second autopsy ended up finding Tammy Daybell died of asphyxiation.

During the highly publicized trial, information emerged about Vallow and her husband, Chad Daybell’s “doomsday” beliefs.

Chad Daybell, a follower of “Preparing a People,” took their teachings to an extreme, and would say the world is going to end. Texts between Vallow and Chad Daybell revealed the two spoke about demons “possessing” Tylee and JJ, and even calling them zombies.

After a weekslong trial at which more than 60 witnesses were called to testify, Vallow was found guilty on all charges against her, including the two children’s murders and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in Tammy Daybell’s case.

At the hearing, some family members of the victims will be permitted to speak, according to CourtTV. These include Colby Ryan, Lori’s oldest son and Tylee and JJ’s older brother; Summer Shiflet, Lori’s sister; Samantha Gwilliam, Tammy’s sister and Kay Woodcock: JJ’s grandmother and JJ’s designated representative.

JJ Vallow’s grandparents previously told NewsNation’s Ashleigh Banfield that the hardest part of the trial has been their inability to provide their grandchild a proper burial.

“We’re hoping that the court will, in the near future, allow us to bring the children home and have a proper burial,” said Larry Woodcock, JJ’s grandfather and Kay’s husband.

FILE – A boy looks at a memorial for Tylee Ryan and Joshua “JJ” Vallow in Rexburg, Idaho, on June 11, 2020. (John Roark/The Idaho Post-Register via AP, File)

Larry and Kay Woodcock said they plan to honor JJ under his favorite oak trees in their yard.

Initially, Tammy Daybell’s aunt Vicki Hoban was not going to be allowed to speak at the sentencing, as only immediate family members were allowed to submit victim impact statements. However, Judge Steven Boyce later ruled that Hoban will be able to make a statement Monday, KTVB reported.

The Associated Press and Liz Jassin contributed to this story.