How did Charles Vallow die? Lori Vallow charged with fourth husband's death in Arizona
Just over a month after being charged for the death of her children, Lori Vallow has been slapped with a fresh charge in Arizona. On June 29, a Maricopa County grand jury indicted her on conspiracy to commit murder, over the death of her fourth husband Charles Vallow.
Vallow is currently committed to a mental health facility in Idaho, where she will receive treatment before standing trial for the death of her children. On May 27, Judge Steven Boyce ruled that she was "mentally incompetent" to stand trial in the case. The 'cult mom' has garnered national attention for the strange case, and naturally Hollywood followed. 'Doomsday Mom: The Lori Vallow Story' was released on June 26 by Lifetime.
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However, her story is far from done. She could now stand trial in Arizona, for the death of her fourth husband Charles who was killed in 2019. Here's the dramatic story of that killing, and how Vallow was involved.
How did Charles Vallow die?
Charles was killed on July 11, reportedly over a custody dispute with Vallow over their seven-year-old son Joshua. Vallow's brother Alex Cox called the cops after shooting Charles, claiming self-defense. According to police records, Charles had gone to Vallow's home in Chandler to pick up Joshua. The duo then engaged in a loud argument. That led Vallow's daughter, Tylee Ryan to confront Charles with a metal bat. In a bid to defend her mother, Ryan tried to get Charles to back away, but he was able to take the bat away from her.
Cox, who was at home at the time, then intervened. The confrontation between Charles and Cox escalated, to the point where Cox was struck on the head with the bat. Cox then went to his bedroom, got his gun, and demanded that Charles leave. When he refused to do so, Cox shot him twice in the chest. The case was initially closed as self-defense but reopened after Ryan and Joshua were reported missing in Idaho in November 2019.
On April 1, the Chandler Police Department submitted the results of the reopened case, which included a conspiracy charge to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office. According to the indictment filed, Vallow "agreed with Alexander Cox that at least one of them or another would engage in conduct constituting the offense of First Degree Murder." In January 2020, it emerged that Charles had predicted his death.
Charles divorce lawyer Steven Ellsworth revealed that his client told him, "I'm afraid I'm gonna be killed, and I know who's gonna do it." According to Ellsworth, Charles added, '"'m telling you, Steve, so that if something happens to me, I wanna make sure you let everyone know that something happens, I'm killed, that it's my wife Lori and her brother, Alex Cox." The lawyer made the shocking revelations in an interview with Fox News. Charles made those comments in February 2019, just five months before he was killed.
Shortly after the shooting, Cox died in Gilbert. Police have closed the investigation after it was found Cox died due to blood clots in his lungs, classified as a natural death. It was initially investigated because he died just a month after Charles was shot, raising suspicions. It is unclear if Vallow will stand trial in the case, and when it is likely to take place.