‘Doomsday mom’ Lori Vallow Daybell challenges murder convictions in Idaho Supreme CourtSorina Trauntvein Mon, November 2, 2026 at 7:53 PM UTC
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BOISE, Idaho (ABC4) — The Idaho Supreme Court heard an appeal Monday from the "doomsday cult" mother who was found guilty in the murders of her two children and her husband's ex-wife.
On May 12, 2023, a 12-member jury unanimously found Lori Vallow Daybell guilty of murder and conspiracy to commit murder of her children, 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan. She was also found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder in the death of Tammy Daybell, as well as one count of grand theft.
In July 2023, a judge sentenced Vallow Daybell to five life sentences without the possibility of parole, three of which will run consecutively. Now, Vallow Daybell is appearing before the Idaho Supreme Court, seeking to overturn that sentencing.
FILE - Lori Vallow Daybell sits during her sentencing hearing at the Fremont County Courthouse in St. Anthony, Idaho, Monday, July 31, 2023. Vallow Daybell, who was sentenced to life in an Idaho prison for the murders of her two youngest children and another woman, is now in an Arizona jail on charges related to another slaying, authorities said Thursday, Nov. 30. (Tony Blakeslee/EastIdahoNews.com via AP, Pool, File)
PREVIOUSLY: Convicted mother Lori Vallow Daybell seeks to overturn murder convictions
Arguments before the Idaho Supreme Court
Vallow Daybell is appealing her conviction, arguing missteps during her prosecution. Attorney Fergus Durham appeared before the Idaho Supreme Court on her behalf on Monday morning.
The appeal argues that the court violated her Sixth Amendment right to counsel by disqualifying her attorney Mark Means based on "an alleged conflict of interest" in 2021, as well as denying her attorney's request to participate in pretrial hearings.
Durham stated that it is the "right of the defendant who can afford to do so to choose their own attorney," but that in this case, the district court took that right away from Vallow Daybell. He argues that "that flawed process led to a flawed result."
Justice Cynthia Meyer stepped in to ask whether, because her attorney was disqualified before Vallow Daybell was arraigned and the death penalty was removed, remanding the conviction would put the death penalty back on the table.
"I think that there are several strong arguments that... the State cannot bring back notice to seek the death penalty. That being said, Ms. Daybell is aware of the risks in this case, and she is choosing to proceed with her right to appeal... knowing the possibility that you had suggested is out there," Durham stated.
Lori Vallow Daybell found guilty in Arizona conspiracy to commit murder trial
He then returned to his argument that Vallow Daybell's Sixth Amendment right was violated, stating that there was not enough substance for her former attorney to be disqualified. Durham explained that Means was set to represent both Chad and Lori Vallow Daybell, which was not a conflict of interest.
Justice Gregory Moeller pointed out that whether or not there was a conflict of interest, there was likely a "serious potential" for conflict of interest, because the defendants could point fingers at each other or have disagreements about the facts of the case. He asked how the judge's ruling on the disqualification was wrong in that case.
In this image taken from video shows Lori Vallow Daybell, left, speaks to advisory counsel during her sentencing hearing on two murder conspiracy convictions in Phoenix, AZ., on Friday, July 25, 2025. (AP Photo, Pool)
Durham pushed back on this, stating that the judge cited actual conflict of interest, not the potential for it. The attorney pointed to a phone call from Chad Daybell, where he discussed the benefit of the shared attorney "unless we [Lori] turn on each other."
The Idaho Supreme Court points out that saying "unless we turn on each other" makes the potential for conflict of interest very clear. Chief Justice Robyn Brody stated that, looking at Means' conduct in the case, it shows that potential.
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Justice Meyer stated that the judge was not only concerned about conflict of interest, but the effectiveness of Means' representation. The judge mentioned Means interjecting himself as a witness, possibly disclosing attorney-client privilege communications, and making filings in Vallow Daybell's case while she was still incompetent.
Vallow Daybell was deemed not fit to stand trial by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare between June 2021 and November 2022. In her appeal, she argues that the court violated her due process rights by continuing to hold pretrial hearings in her absence, while she was still incompetent.
Durham argued that the judge's concerns about effectiveness should not have influenced a decision on conflict of interest. Justice Meyer stated that the court sometimes steps in on competence when there are concerns about attorneys.
He acknowledged that Means was making "unorthodox" decisions, but again stated that Vallow Daybell still had a right to select her own attorney, even if the court didn't like him.
Justice Moeller stated that the court was trying to protect Vallow Daybell's right to a fair trial, but also the trial proceedings themselves. He stated that those "unorthodox" decisions would have shown up in post-trial proceedings.
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Arguments from the State
Idaho Deputy Attorney General Jeff Nye addressed the court, arguing that Daybell stating "Mark [Means] is my attorney" was a clear statement.
"What we have here is a case, two of them, capital, where one attorney was representing both co-conspirators at the time of the alleged conspiracy," Nye argued. "I think any judge in this state — we would hope — any judge in this state in that circumstance would at the very least require a waiver."
Whether those alone were sufficient for a waiver, Nye said that it didn't matter because that did not stand alone. Instead, there was the call from Daybell, indicating that confidential information was being shared between Chad and Lori Vallow Daybell, and that he was paying her legal fees.
Additionally, investigators learned that Chad Daybell called Mark Means and not his criminal defense attorney when JJ and Tylee's remains were discovered on his property.
Although Chad Daybell later argued he never considered Means his attorney, it was inconsistent. Means made press releases stating that he was representing Chad Daybell and, during a hearing for Lori Vallow Daybell, admitted to representing both of them.
FILE - Lori Vallow Daybell talks with her lawyers before the jury's verdict is read at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho on May 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Kyle Green, File)
Witnesses dive into ‘unorthodox’ beliefs behind Daybell murder trial
Justice Moeller stated that it feels like the court looked at holding an argument in Chad Daybell's case while Vallow Daybell was incompetent as a workaround. Nye stated that the court had a difficult situation in front of it, and was not trying to work around her competency.
"No one was trying to go around anything, no one was trying to hide the ball. The State filed this motion in both cases, the court reviewed the material from both cases, and then the court entered an order in Ms. Vallow's case disqualifying Mr. Means," Nye said. "It is not the State's fault, it is not the district court's fault that Mr. Means chose not to file an objection, as any reasonable attorney would have done."
Instead, he explained, Means filed a motion trying to make Vallow Daybell a party in Chad Daybell's case. "Nothing that happened here is normal, but that doesn't mean that there was error in any of it," Nye argued.
Nye also asked that the Idaho Supreme Court not look at the issue of Means' competency, agreeing that it is the defendant's right to select their attorney, and the district court was not trying to make a decision on that.
The Idaho Supreme Court asked about the alleged violation by the prosecution for mentioning Vallow Daybell's crime in Arizona during her Idaho criminal proceedings. Nye stated that the only reason it was brought up was the mention of "dark spirits," which was relevant to the murders of JJ and Tylee, as well as Charles Vallow and the attempted murder of Charles Bordreaux.
Rebuttal from Vallow Daybell's attorney
Durham returned to address the Idaho Supreme Court, stating that the way Means was disqualified was unconstitutional. He stated that the evidence and the unorthodox motions may have been problematic, but were not enough to disqualify him.
Instead, Durham stated that Means could have been halted from filing motions or reviewed before being directly kicked off the case.
Following more discussion about the issue, the Idaho Supreme Court thanked both attorneys for their time and stated that it would take the issue under advisement.
A complete timeline for the Daybell, Vallow murders
Case background
The graphic above shows the charges, sentencing and family connections tree of convicted murderer Lori Vallow Daybell. (AP Graphic)
The case began in 2018 when Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell met at a religious conference in St. George. They became close friends, and even lovers, though both were married to other people. In July 2019, Lori’s husband, Charles Vallow, was killed by her brother.
His death was initially declared self-defense, but later identified as a homicide, and Vallow Daybell was found guilty of conspiracy to murder him in 2025.
In 2019, Lori’s two children, 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan, went missing. While investigators were frantically searching for the kids, Lori and Chad were in Hawaii getting married.
RELATED: Lori Vallow Daybell found guilty of conspiracy to murder husband in Arizona
Chad’s wife Tammy died a few weeks before Lori and Chad ran to Hawaii, but after the children went missing. Her death was originally ruled natural causes but later declared asphyxiation at the hands of another after her body was exhumed.
In February 2020, Lori was arrested on charges of desertion and non-support of dependent children. In April, Lori and Chad were both under investigation for conspiracy, attempted murder, and murder. They both pleaded not guilty.
In June 2020, Tylee and JJ were found buried on Chad’s property. Tylee’s remains were found at the pet cemetery near the fire pit, while JJ’s remains were found near the pond.
Soon after, officers were told Chad was leaving his daughter’s house across the street "at a high rate of speed." He was taken into custody and booked into Fremont County Jail on charges of concealment, distribution, or alteration of evidence.
In May 2021, a grand jury indicted Chad and Lori on several new felony charges, including first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
PREVIOUSLY: Chad Daybell sentenced to death in triple murder trial
In 2023, Lori was found guilty by a jury of murder and conspiracy to commit murder of her children and Tammy Daybell. She received five life sentences.
During Chad's trial, one witness, Lori's niece, testified about the couple's involvement in a "doomsday cult," saying he and Lori would perform attempt to cast dark spirits out of people they deemed "zombies."
Prosecutors asked her if Charles, Tylee, and JJ were labeled as "dark," which the witness confirmed. Text messages between Lori and Chad showed they were discussing "eliminating zombies."
In 2024, jurors found Chad Daybell guilty of three counts of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and insurance fraud. He received the death sentence in June 2024.
Lori then faced two trials in Arizona. In April 2025, she was found guilty by a jury of conspiracy to murder her late husband, Charles Vallow. Months later, on June 12, she was convicted by a jury of conspiracy to murder her niece’s ex-husband, Brandon Boudreaux.
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