Just days after Lori Vallow was sentenced to life in prison for the murders of her children in Idaho, prosecutors started the process to extradite her to Arizona where she faces conspiracy charges in the death of her fourth husband.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office in Arizona filed a warrant for Vallow’s arrest on Wednesday, according to a Superior Court docket.
The 50-year-old so-called “cult mom” had been indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit murder in the 2019 death of her fourth husband Charles Vallow, and in the 2019 attempted murder of her former nephew-in-law, Brandon Boudreaux.
“Now that Ms. Vallow has been sentenced in Idaho, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office will begin extradition of Ms. Vallow to Arizona for charges she is facing in Maricopa County,” the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office said in a statement.
“Once the paperwork for the governor’s requisition has been filed with the Governor of Arizona, the process typically takes 90-120 days for extradition.”
Charles and Lori Vallow pictured together. Lori is charged with conspiracy to murder Charles in Arizona— (Provided)
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office had announced that they submitted a request to extradite Vallow to Arizona, following her verdict in May.
Vallow was found guilty of murder in the grisly deaths of her daughter Tylee Ryan, 16, and son Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 7. She was also convicted of conspiracy to murder her doomsday preacher husband Chad Daybell’s first wife Tammy, 49.
This bizarre spate of disappearances and deaths came just months after Vallow’s fourth husband Charles was shot dead by her brother Alex Cox in Arizona in July 2019. Cox, who died in 2019 of natural causes, had claimed self-defence. But investigators now believe Vallow had something to do with Charles’ death.
Then in October 2019, Vallow’s nephew-in-law called 911 after someone targeted him in a drive-by shooting. He wasn’t hit, but investigators believe it could have been Cox who pulled the trigger.
Lori Vallow smirks in her new mug shot after being handed life without parole— (Idaho Department of Corrections)
This courtroom sketch depicts Brandon Boudreaux, who was previously married to Lori Vallow Daybell's niece, testifying during Vallow Daybell's murder trial in Boise, Idaho— (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Vallow married Mr Daybell in November 2019 less than two weeks after his wife Tammy died of what was believed to be natural causes. Her body was later exhumed and it was determined she died of asphyxiation.
The Vallow case drew nationwide attention when Vallow’s children went missing in September 2019. Nine months later, their bodies were found buried in Mr Daybell’s backyard in June 2020.
They were both charged with murder and conspiracy in the death of her children and conspiracy to kill Tammy, and after three years of delays and weeks of harrowing testimony, Vallow stood trial in May.
Prosecutors in Idaho accused Vallow, Mr Daybell and Cox of conspiring to kill people who were “obstacles” to Mr Daybell and Vallow’s relationship. Two months later, she was sentenced to life in prison on Monday.
Mr Daybell is expected to stand trial in April 2024. He is not facing any charges in Arizona.
Vallow was found guilty of murder in the grisly deaths of her daughter Tylee Ryan, 16, and son Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 7— (AP)
Chad and Tammy Daybell— (Facebook)
But the saga isn’t over yet as the victims’ family members are eagerly awaiting the next phase, as Kay Woodcock, who is JJ’s grandmother and Charles’ sister, told reporters after the hearing on Monday.
“I’m already thinking about Arizona and Charles’s trial,” Woodcock said, “and then we have Brandon’s too down in Arizona.”
According to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office spokesperson, Arizona will now need to get an executive agreement from the Arizona Governor’s Office in order to extradite Vallow. The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office have to sign off on it before forwarding the request to Idaho’s Governor.
Once the paperwork is approved, Arizona will have 30 days to pick Vallow up and take her into custody.
