Emotions are expected to run high next week when Lori Vallow Daybell is sentenced for the deaths of two of her children and her fifth husband’s previous wife.
Lori faces up to life in prison when she is sentenced on July 31.
Scripps News finds red flags in review of child fentanyl overdoses
A review of documents in 45 states and D.C. revealed many cases involving repeated reports to social workers about a child's welfare.
Back in May, the so-called "Doomsday Cult Mom" was convicted of first-degree murder in the deaths of 16-year-old Tylee Ryan and 9-year-old JJ Vallow, and for conspiring to kill Tammy Daybell.
She was also found guilty of grand theft. The childrens' bodies were found buried on Chad Daybell's Fremont County, Idaho property in 2020. Prior to trial, Lori's case was severed from Chad's. Chad is expected to go on trial on April 1, 2024.
Last month, Fremont County District Judge Steven Boyce ruled that only immediate family members of the victims would be permitted to speak at the sentencing hearing.
Expected to speak
The following family members are expected to speak on behalf of the victims:
-Colby Ryan, who is Lori’s oldest son and Tylee and JJ’s older brother.
-Kay Woodcock, who is JJ’s grandmother and JJ’s designated representative.
-Summer Shiflet, who is Lori’s sister and Tylee’s designated representative.
-Samantha Gwilliam, who is Tammy’s sister.
Other loved ones expressed interest in speaking on behalf of the victims, but Judge Boyce decided not to allow it because they were not immediate family members.
Tammy’s aunt, Vicki Hoban, was granted special permission to speak because Tammy’s mother passed away in June, but Lori’s legal team argued that an aunt is not a victim in this context, under Idaho law, and therefore should not be permitted to speak.
A hearing on the matter is set for July 26.
Daybell may speak in court
Daybell will also have an opportunity to speak before Judge Boyce reads the sentence.
She faces 10 years to life in prison on each charge of murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Daybell could also receive between 1 and 20 years in prison on a grand theft charge.
She will not be sentenced to death, as Judge Boyce took that option off the table back in March. While she awaits sentencing, Lori is being housed at the Madison County Jail. After sentencing, she’s expected to be transferred to the custody of the Idaho Department of Correction.
It is believed that she will then serve out her time at the Pocatello Women’s Correctional Center. Lori also faces separate charges in Arizona in connection to the death of her fourth husband, Charles Vallow; as well as for allegedly conspiring to kill her ex-nephew-in-law, Brandon Boudreaux.
This story was originally published by Katie McLaughlin at Court TV, which will have live coverage of Lori Vallow Daybell's sentencing on July 31.
