Lori Vallow’s family and the family of her sister Summer Shiflet have issued a joint statement after she was convicted of murder.
Vallow was found guilty of the first-degree murder of her children Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow, and of a charge of conspiracy in the first-degree murder of her husband Chad Daybell’s late wife Tammy.
Vallow was born Lori Cox and is one of four siblings, the others being Summer, Adam Cox, and her alleged co-conspirator Alex Cox.
Their initial support of Vallow in the early days of the search for the children evaporated when the bodies of Tylee and JJ were discovered in shallow graves on Mr Daybell’s property outside of Rexburg, Idaho, in June 2020.
The statement from the Cox and Shiflet families reads: “We want to thank each person that has offered kindness, support, and prayers on behalf of our family and the other victim’s families. That support is deeply felt and appreciated.
“We sincerely appreciate the time and dedication of the jury in this case. We also appreciate all the time and effort that dedicated law enforcement, attorneys and Judge Boyce has taken to adjudicate this case. We acknowledge countless hours put into this case and also time away from their families. We thank you.
“We fully accept the determined decision in our justice system. We understand this is just one step towards justice for the beloved victims in this case.
“Despite today’s verdict, we are left with our grief and sorrow over the loss of Tylee and JJ who are irreplaceable. Our family will always feel this loss and will never be the same. We will continue to honour their memories to the best of our ability.
“We send our deepest sympathy to Tammy’s family and Charles’ family who have also been devastated by the loss of Tammy and Charles who are also irreplaceable.
“We share your grief and offer our heartfelt prayers for healing for all who have been hurt by these horrific crimes. We hope this outcome can offer you a measure of peace and comfort.
“We will continue to firmly put our faith in Jesus Christ, and seek for His Mercy and Grace for all of those involved.”
Summer Shiflet testified against her sister at the trial and an explosive, emotionally wrought video call between the two was played as part of the evidence.
Vallow appeared to even accidentally confess to knowing more than did about the fate of her children during the call.
The parents and family of Tammy Daybell also released a statement after the conviction of Vallow for her role in the murder of their daughter, who was asphyxiated in her bed the month after the children were brutally killed.
“What a beautiful day to receive the news of Lori’s convictions. Thank you to everyone that had a part in bringing the truth to light,” the statement reads.
“We are especially grateful to the detectives, the jury, Judge Boyce and the prosecution team. We thank you for your tireless efforts. We will move forward with renewed energy and faith that justice will be fully served. We anticipate next steps will be swift resolution of the case at hand.
“We share this victory with the Vallow-Woodcock family and their precious JJ and Tylee. Thank you to the many prayers sent from people all around the world, we feel them and they lift us up.”
Just weeks after the death of Tammy, Vallow and Chad Daybell moved to Hawaii and were married in an apparent attempt to run away from their crimes and start a new life together while ignoring the desperate search for her children.
