The story of Lori Vallow Daybell, infamously dubbed the “doomsday mom,” is a disturbing saga of faith, fear, and fatality that captivated national attention. From a seemingly normal family life to a shocking series of disappearances and deaths, the timeline of events reveals a complex portrait of obsession and tragedy intertwined with apocalyptic beliefs. Here’s a detailed look at the key moments that define one of the most chilling true crime cases of recent years.
2006: A New Family Begins
Lori Vallow married businessman Charles Vallow in 2006. At this time, they appeared to share a happy marriage, raising Lori’s daughter, Tylee Ryan, from a previous relationship. The family seemed stable and loving, with no outward signs of the dark path ahead.
2014: JJ Vallow Joins the Family
In 2014, Lori and Charles adopted Joshua “JJ” Vallow, the grandson of Charles’ sister. JJ had autism, and those close to the family noted Lori’s patience and dedication as a mother. Tylee, the older sister, embraced her sibling role warmly, calling JJ “her own child.”
2017: Shifting Family Dynamics and Doomsday Influence
Around 2017, Lori’s relationship with her children began to change. Friends noticed Lori had started reading the works of Chad Daybell, a local author near Rexburg, Idaho, known for his doomsday-themed books centered on apocalyptic preparation. This marked the beginning of a profound transformation in Lori’s worldview, influenced heavily by Daybell’s apocalyptic religious ideas.
2018: Lori Meets Chad Daybell
Lori met Chad Daybell in 2018. Chad, also married at the time to Tammy Daybell and raising five children, shared with Lori a fascination with apocalyptic theories and religious broadcasts. Together, Lori and Chad engaged in podcasts and discussions about “zombies” — individuals possessed by dark spirits — and other increasingly extreme spiritual beliefs. Lori’s friend revealed that Lori began calling her husband Charles a “demon,” highlighting the depth of her obsessive beliefs.
Early 2019: Alarm Bells and Domestic Turmoil
By January 2019, Charles Vallow was deeply concerned about Lori’s behavior. Police records show Charles describing Lori as “unhinged” and expressing fears that she viewed herself as a god-like figure preparing for the end times. Charles filed for divorce that February, citing safety concerns for himself and the children.
July 2019: The Death of Charles Vallow
Tensions culminated tragically in July 2019. Charles went to Lori’s home in Chandler, Arizona, to drop off JJ for school but was fatally shot by Lori’s brother, Alex Cox. The shooting was claimed to be in self-defense during a physical altercation. Lori and her daughter Tylee supported this narrative, but it deepened the dark chapter surrounding the family.
September 2019: Disappearances Begin
On September 8, 2019, Lori, Tylee, JJ, and Alex Cox visited Yellowstone National Park. This marked the last confirmed sighting of Tylee, who went missing shortly afterward. Authorities also noted suspicious activity around Chad Daybell’s property, especially with Cox’s phone GPS placing him there multiple times in the days following Tylee’s disappearance. Notably, Chad texted his wife Tammy referencing burying something in their pet cemetery — cryptically described as a “raccoon.”
Just weeks later, on September 22, JJ vanished. Witness accounts state that Alex Cox was seen carrying JJ into Lori’s apartment, but the next morning Lori claimed JJ was “being a zombie” and that Cox had taken him away.
October & November 2019: Deaths and New Marriages
Amidst the missing children investigation, Tammy Daybell, Chad’s wife, died suddenly in October. The family declined an autopsy, believing it to be natural causes. Shockingly, just two weeks later, Lori and Chad married in Hawaii, solidifying their controversial union as suspicions mounted around the family.
November 2019: Missing Children Search
By late November, police began searching for missing JJ after Lori misled authorities, claiming the boy was safely staying with a friend in Arizona—a claim later disproven. It became clear that both children were missing, triggering a nationwide search that lasted months.
December 2019 – Early 2020: Growing Suspicion and Arrests
Authorities exhumed Tammy Daybell’s body to investigate her death further. Lori’s brother Alex Cox died of natural causes around this time.
On January 25, 2020, Lori was legally ordered to produce her children but failed to comply. Subsequently, on February 20, 2020, Lori was arrested in Hawaii and extradited to Idaho, where legal proceedings began.
June 2020: The Gruesome Discovery
In a devastating breakthrough, law enforcement searched Chad Daybell’s property in June 2020. Human remains were uncovered—Tylee was found buried near the Daybell pet cemetery, and JJ’s body was found under a tree nearby. Investigators concluded that these tragic deaths were connected to Lori and Chad’s actions.
Subsequent Trials and Convictions
In 2023 and 2024, Lori Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell were tried and found guilty of multiple charges, including conspiracy and murder tied to the deaths of Tylee, JJ, Charles Vallow, and Tammy Daybell. Lori received a life sentence without parole, cementing the grim resolution of the case.
Conclusion: A Haunting Cautionary Tale
The case of Lori Vallow Daybell unfolds as a chilling narrative of apocalyptic delusion, familial destruction, and murder. It highlights how extreme beliefs, misguided devotion, and unchecked paranoia can culminate in irreversible tragedy. Now known as the “doomsday mom,” Lori’s story serves as a stark reminder to look deeper beneath outward appearances and to understand the danger when faith and fanaticism collide.
This timeline not only chronicles the haunting events but also offers insight into the human psyche’s vulnerability to influence and the consequential ripple effects on innocent lives caught in the crossfire.
