Lori Vallow: Chilling footage shows 'cult mom' taking son JJ to Burger King moments after husband was fatally shot
IDAHO COUNTY, IDAHO: In a terrifying video, "cult mom" Lori Vallow Daybell can be seen driving her son JJ to Burger King right after her husband was shot to death. The frightening footage captures Vallow driving up to the drive-thru window on July 11, 2019, to place an order for food while donning sunglasses.
Alex Cox, the brother of Vallow, shot and killed Charles, Vallow's fourth husband, earlier that day and stated he did it in self-defense, as per ABC News. The Vallows were married in 2006, but Charles petitioned for divorce a year later, alleging that Vallow had transformed herself into a deity in charge of bringing about the end of the world. Later, a video depicted Charles in trouble, fearing for his children's and his own lives, as he told cops that Vallow had allegedly threatened to kill him. She has since been charged with murder conspiracy in relation to his death.
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What did the haunting footage show?
There is no audio, but it appears that JJ Vallow, 7, is speaking to his mother on the passenger side. A large portion of the video has been blurred to safeguard the identity of the employee taking Vallow's order. The 'Doomsday cult' mother placed an order for chicken nuggets, chicken fries, Sprite, and water, according to a ticket supplied by the detectives. Following Burger King, Vallow allegedly proceeded to Walgreens to purchase flip-flops before dropping JJ off at school, as per The Sun.
JJ was last seen by school authorities few days before he vanished
JJ and his 16-year-old sister, Tylee, disappeared in September 2019. Cox and Tylee were last seen leaving for Yellowstone National Park together, and JJ was last seen by school authorities a few days before he vanished. Two months after they disappeared, Vallow married doomsday author Chad Daybell, her fifth husband, in Hawaii. The couple insisted that the youngsters were staying with friends, but Vallow was arrested in February 2020 after she failed to provide the Madison County Prosecutor's Office with evidence of the whereabouts of her missing children.
Vallow and Daybell pleaded not guilty
As per reports, on June 9, 2020, Daybell's Idaho property revealed the burned remains of Vallow's children, which had been buried in a pet cemetery and were covered in plastic bags. Both Vallow and Daybell were charged with the first-degree murder of the children. Daybell is also accused of killing his ex-wife Tammy, 49, who died in 2019 under "suspicious circumstances." In Arizona, Vallow is also charged independently with murder conspiracy in relation to Charles' death. Vallow and Daybell were originally scheduled to stand trial together before Judge Steven Boyce granted a request by Daybell's attorney to separate the trial last month on the basis of new DNA evidence. Both of them have pleaded not guilty.
What is the current status of the case?
And in a shocking turn of events recently, Judge Boyce decided Vallow won't receive the death sentence. The East Idaho News reports that because there won't be a sentencing part, her trial will be shorter as a result of the decision. The trial for Vallow started on April 3, while Daybell is being held without bail while he anticipates his trial. The court is having difficulty finding potential jurors who are unfamiliar with the case as jury selection in the prosecution of "cult mom" Lori Vallow enters its third day.
With 1,800 potential jurors in the starting group, the trial got underway on Monday at the Ada County Court. Out of the 42 candidates required to advance to the next round of selection, 39 potential jurors have so far been selected. The panel will ultimately consist of 18 jurors: 12 who will decide and 6 alternates, as per Independent. Numerous jurors have already requested to be excused because they had prior information of the well-known case or because they worried about juggling their personal and professional obligations with the trial, which might go on for up to eight weeks.