Monday 21st April 2025
Afternoon (Closing Arguments)
REFRESH FOR UPDATES
Lori Vallow Daybell is on trial in Maricopa County, Arizona, on one charge of conspiracy to commit the murder of Charles Vallow, her fourth husband. Nate Eaton is live in the courtroom with updates. Please excuse any typos. Times listed below are in Mountain Standard Time, so they are an hour behind Idaho. (Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving Time.) The most recent updates are at the top.
Standard Time, so they are an hour behind Idaho. (Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving Time.) The most recent updates are at the top.
3:14 p.m. We will be in recess until we hear from the jury.
3:13 p.m. The jurors will now speak about this case for the first time to anyone in over two weeks. Judge says if there is a burden of guilt, the state will proceed with an aggravation phase of the trial.
3:12 p.m. Judge’s staff sworn in to protect the jury. They will now be walked out and begin deliberations.
3:10 p.m. Judge explains that two jurors will be picked as alternates. Jurors #14 and #5 will be the alternates. Both men. They will be on standby in case another juror has a problem.
3:09 p.m. Treena wraps up by talking about the insurance and concludes. Closing arguments are done.
3:07 p.m. Treena reminds the jury of Lori’s religious beliefs – that she was exalted, didn’t have to repent. “Of course she thought she was Nephi.” “Physical evidence on Charles and at the scene shows us he was executed. The state has met its burden because even if you somehow believe that Charles actually had that bat and it wasn’t staged like the rest of the scene…that second shot is not justified for self-defense. Arizona law does now allow you to execute a man on the ground.”
3:05 p.m. “When they got rid of him, they did it by planning it. There is no reason Alex Cox went over to this defendant’s house with a loaded gun and waited for Charles Vallow to come inside – held there by this defendant using a cell phone. That is conspiracy, that is planning, that is premeditated. You can absolutely watch that whole interview. That’s why the state included it for you. What you will see if Lori Vallow does not cry, she is not truthful, her timeline is absolutely wrong, she tells the detective it’s quick, it’s 12 minutes, she wants you to believe that the police could understand all of this that day.”
3:04 p.m. Treena: “The defendant wants you to pretend when she is talking about Charles for months, agreeing to her brother killing him, having people tell her that it’s wrong, having people know that they’re planning something, that those words don’t mean exactly what they are. WE got rid of him.”
3:03 p.m. “The execution of Charles Vallow is not a family tragedy. There is nothing you can say to try to construe it in any way to make that a family tragedy. This case is about the defendant, not Alex Cox. He is involved in it because he’s a co-conspirator. We are not here to determine his guilty, albeit it’s quite obvious.”
3:02 p.m. “Only you get to decide. The state put up witnesses that had zero knowledge of a conspiracy. The state did not show you evidence of an agreement to commit murder. They showed you evidence of a family tragedy. Then they showed you the sad effects of a family torn apart because of that tragedy.” Lori finishes and walks away. Treena will now give a rebuttal.
3:01 p.m. Lori says when I’m done, the state will get up and rebut everything she has said because it’s their job to prove she committed a crime. “If you have not seen the evidence that leaves you firmly convinced that I have committed this very crime, then the state failed to show you the evidence that you need…because I did not commit this crime. The only interview the state admitted into evidence is mine, so I encourage you to go watch it.”
2:59 p.m. Lori says she was shocked Charles changed the life insuranace policy, but she was not angry. She says Charles was providing for their family and she had no motive to change that. Lori brings up Nephi – “this was the state’s evidence to murder over self-defense and it is utterly ridiculous.” Lori says in Mormon culture, Nephi signifies strong faith, courage. Treena objects as testifying. Judge sustains. Lori says state is trying to retrofit a crime that doesn’t exist. “This event was not a crime. It was a tragedy. Don’t let them turn my family tragedy into a crime.”
2:58 p.m. Lori says the two-minute period in the house changed their lives forever. Treena objects as testifying. Judge tells Lori not to testify about things not entered in as evidence. “How can you decide for another person if they feel threatened?” Treena objects. Judge allows it. “Why does the state want to blame someone for this tragic event? What evidence did the state show you in this trial that I wanted hard to come to my husband? We learned in this trial I was praying for my husband even though we were having maritial issues.”
2:56 p.m. Lori says Chandler Police were ineffective. They did not swab her hands, Tylee’s hands, Alex’s hands for gun powder residue. They didn’t test the floor board, the tile, Charles’ shirt. They did not search any of the cars on the scene and did not test the fun until 5 years later. “The Chandler Police Department treated this like it was – self-defense. On July 11, this was self-defense.”
2:55 p.m. Lori says law enforcement did not give them instructions to stay in town and they were not given further instructions. “Under Arizona law, I have the right to self-defense. Tylee has the right to self-defense. Tylee has the right to self-defense.” Lori says this was not planned or expected – it was shocking.
2:54 p.m. Lori asks why the state didn’t show all the evidence. Treena objects. Judge, annoyed, says, “Again, sustained. The jury can only consider what was admitted into evidence.”
2:53 p.m. Lori says Det. Duncan testified that the walk-thru was not recorded and nobody wrote a report about it “even though this would be crucial evidence for you, the jury, to have.” Treena objects and judge sustains as Lori keeps talking. Judge says jury can only consider testimony and evidence admitted into the trial.
2:52 p.m. Lori says “we learned” that Tylee, Alex and Lori were taken back to the house in a police van and directed to return back later when the scene was cleaned up. “We learned in this trial that we did as directed.” Lori says they did not return to the house so Alex could do a walk-thru. Many detectives were present during the walk-thru with Alex. Lori lists off the detectives.
2:51 p.m. Lori says she, Alex and Tylee did not know their interviews were being recorded. Lori says Alex’s phone was taken by police and no digital copy was taken by Chandler Police. Lori says Alex’s phone was returned the same day with no further inquiry. Lori says after her interview, she and Tylee were introduced to a victim’s advocate.
2:51 p.m. Lori says several witnesses testified their memory was better six years ago. Lori says Tylee and Alex were also interviewed, but those interviews were not shown. Treena objects. Lori keeps talking. Judge sustains the objection and says jury can only consider what was admitted as evidence.
2:50 p.m. Lori says most of her police interview was not played in court – just snippets – and asks the jury to watch the entire interview. “It is important for you to determine yourselves my deameanor and not listen to anyone else.”
2:49 p.m. “We learned that we asked for Tylee’s medication from the house, for her panic attack medicine, and it was not given to her. We learned Alex was taken to the Chandler Police Department uncuffed. We also learned that me and my daughter were taken the police department.” Lori mentions Det. Ynclan’s goal was to make “small talk” with them. State objects, judge says jury will determine what the goal was.
2:48 p.m. “Let’s look at what we learned in this trial. We learned a shooting occurred, that 911 was called, that law enforcement was notified, that police and EMS arrived at the scene. We learned that Alex came out of the house and was questioned by police in the driveway.”
2:47 p.m. “If the state fails to carry this burden, you must find the defendant not guilty,” Lori says, referring to several jury instructions. “Every defendant is presumed, by law, innocent. The state’s burden is proof beyond a reasonable doubt.”
2:46 p.m. Lori approaches the podium. “The state of Arizona has a 100% burden of proving that I committed a crime – a grievous crime. Conspiracy to commit first degree premeditated murder of my husband Charles Vallow.”
2:45 p.m. Back in the courtroom. Parties are seated and jurors are in their chairs. Lori Vallow Daybell will now present her closing argument.
2:28 p.m. “The evidence is beyond a reasonable doubt,” Treena says. She is finished. Total time for closing – one hour, 45 minutes. We will be back in 15 minutes.
2:27 p.m. Treena reviews the timeline of the morning – the fact Charles lay dying for 47 minutes before 911 was called. She talks about Lori’s demeanor and the fact we never saw Lori cry.
2:26 p.m. Treena reminds the jury of the evidence – life insurance, trying to drug Charles, her words to Alex, be like Nephi and her words to Chad Daybell.
2:24 p.m. Treena says this was not a case of crime prevention. “You can not shoot him while he’s on the ground.”
2:22 p.m. Judge says we need to have a break unless Treena will be done in the next five minutes. She says she is almost done.
2:20 p.m. Treena says this was not self-defense. Lori took Charles’ phone and kept him inside when she could have given it back and the disturbance would have been over.
2:19 p.m. Treena says Lori felt like she was Nephi – she was justified in killing Charles. “But Lori Vallow is not justified under Arizona law.” Treena reviews the law for non-justification for use of deadly physical force.
2:18 p.m. Treena shows the clip where Lori is at the scene laughing about how they just moved there. “Hi neighbor,” she says with a laugh as Alex is on the curb after an alleged attack.
2:16 p.m. Treena shows other examples where she says Lori’s credibility is questionable. She minimizes her actions of abandoning JJ – how many days, etc. During Ynclan’s testimony, Lori said it was hot in July and she needed shoes to walk her son into school. “As we saw in the Walgreens video, Lori was wearing something on her feet when she entered the store.”
2:15 p.m. Treena now plays a portion of the call Lori made to the life insurance company where she was upset she wasn’t the beneficiary. “Lori was untruthful and exaggerated to Banner Life Insurance.” They didn’t have 5 kids at home – they had 1 child in common, Treena says.
2:13 p.m. “Lori’s actions and statements do not fit the evidence,” Treena says. She shows a slide that says, “Credibility of defendant: Social Security.” She was untruthful two separate times to Social Security. Another slide: “Credibility of defendant: Life insurance.”
2:11 p.m. Treena reviews the jury instruction for credibility. She talks about Lori’s credibility and her demeanor on the day of the crime. “Nonchalant and calm.”
2:10 p.m. Treena shows photos of Lori entering and exiting Walgreens wearing shoes. And then Lori is wearing flip-flops at the scene. Tylee also has flip-flops on.
2:09 p.m. Treena shows close-up photos of Charles and his watch. No damage to his watch, no injuries to the back of his heat, one shored exit wound to his left shoulder.
2:07 p.m. Treena shows the jury photos of the bat. There is no blood on the bat and no damage to the bat. “You have a semi-professional baseball player and he sees someone with a gun and he doesn’t take his head off with it (the bat)? Knock him unconscious with it?” There was no skin, blood, sweat – nothing on the bat.
2:06 p.m. Treena shows “staged crime scene” photos. Charles dead on the ground and another photo of him in the autopsy room. We see the gunshots to his chest.
2:03 p.m. Charles was left handed. Treena plays a clip of Kay testifying. Charles was a left-handed pitcher. Treena plays a clip of Lori during her police interview talking about the bat. Lori said he was holding the bat swinging backward.
2:02 p.m. Treena shows a slide that says “Staging the Scene.” Bat was placed to the right of Charles to look like Charles was using it. Injury to Alex’s head – a small 1 inch cut. Alex used a paper towel to pat and rub the cut. No blood in the scene, no broken mirrors from alleged swinging bat or alleged scuffle. Shoes were left by the door to look like Lori ran out without shoes.
2 p.m. Treena says the defendant provoked Charles by taking his phone and refusing to give it back. “This defendant is the person who set up Charles so that her brother could shoot him,” Treena says. We now see photos of Charles dead on the floor. No CPR was given before the first responders arrived.
1:59 p.m. She plays another part of the interview with Lori. This was just a few hours after Charles died. Lori explains that Charles was screaming at her because she would not give him the phone.
1:58 p.m. Treena now plays a portion of Lori being interviewed by Det. Ynclan the day Charles was shot.
1:57 p.m. Next slide says Alex was like Nephi, but with a gun.
1:55 p.m. Next slide: Charles was in the house for 12 minutes before Lori left in his rental car. Lori and Alex waited 47 minutes after she left the house before calling 911. CPR was not performed on Charles. They wait for Charles to be dead to stage the scene. Lori and Alex talk twice during those 47 minutes.
1:54 p.m. “The defendant wanted her husband killed so bad that she’s willing to let her brother bring over a loaded gun with an unlocked gun case in a house with a 7-year-old autistic child,” Treena says.
1:53 p.m. Treena shows another slide laying out the timeline of events in March 2019, when Charles was no longer Charles and was an evil spirit, up through June and then into July.
1:51 p.m. Treena reminds the jury that Lori was laughing about the neighbors and was acting calm, nonchalant when she got back to the house after Charles was shot. Treena shows a slide that says a conspiracy may be inferred from circumstances showing a common criminal objective.
1:50 p.m. Treena says unlike Nephi, where the murder was justified, “Here, ladies and gentlemen, this murder was not justified.”
1:47 p.m. Treena displays a slide that shows what conspiracy is. A defendant agrees with one or more persons that one of them will engage in certain conduct, and the defendant intends to promote or assist in commission of conduct and would constitute the crime of first-degree murder.
1:46 p.m. While he was on his back, Charles was shot a second time by Alex, Treena says. This defendant and her brother murdered, executed her husband, Treena says. Words and physical evidence all tell you what happened that morning.
1:45 p.m. “When Charles was shot the first time, he did not fall straight back.” Treena says there were no abrasions on the back of his head, but there were abrasions on his knees.
1:44 p.m. Treena shows a photo of Charles lying on the floor with the phrase “Charles was laying on the floor when he was shot the second time.” We see another slide showing a shored wound to Charles Vallow’s left shoulder.
1:43 p.m. Alex fired two shots – and Treena shows the bullet in the floor and the bullet in the wall baseboard.
1:41 p.m. Treena says Alex brought a gun to his sister’s house and then waited for her husband to arrive. “What we see is a very planned out premeditated murder.” Treena shows signs of premeditation on the slide.
1:39 p.m. Treena shows a clip of Adam explaining who Nephi is. A prophet in the Book of Mormon – humble and faithful servant of the Lord who “ended up going to Jerusalem to get these plates back. He was run off, came back and then went back again because the Lord asked him too. When he did, King Laban, who was actually a wicked king, was laying on the ground drunk in front of him and Nephi was told to kill Laban…The spirit, or God, told Nephi to kill him.”
1:35 p.m. Treena shows texts from July 9 with Lori talking with Alex, Summer, and Melani about the plan and mission. More texts on July 10 with Melani wanting to go to a wedding, but Lori says she can’t – it’s more important for her to stay. “Lori gets everyone lined up to help her,” Treena says, referencing more texts on July 9.
1:34 p.m. Treena displays a slide with Christina on the slide and premeditation. Alex said he “just wanted to kill Charles to Lori Vallow” and Lori said she was drugging her husband with her son’s medication.
1:32 p.m. Treena explains what premeditation is – the defendant intended to kill another human being or knew she or a co-conspirator would kill another human being, and that after forming that intent or knowledge, reflected on the decision before killing.
1:31 p.m. Treena talks about the lack of words from Lori after Charles was killed shows she was well aware what was going on. Treena mentions her words to Chad – that Charles changed his life insurance policy. Motive was money and Chad.
1:30 p.m. Words, actions and motives need to be considered, Treena says.
1:28 p.m. There is no resonable doubt as to this defendant’s guilt, Treena says. She shows a slide that says conspiracy to commit first degree murder. First degree murder: 1. caused the death of another person and 2. intended or knew that she or coconspirator would cause the death of another person and 3. acted with premeditation.
1:27 p.m. Treena explains what Burden of Proof means. Proof beyond a reasonable doubt is proof that leaves you firmly convinced of the defendant’s guilt. It is not proof beyond all doubt or all possible doubt.
1:26 p.m. Treena gives an analogy. You’re on a beach and you close your eyes. When you open them, you see fresh footprints. Someone comes by and says, “Did somebody walk by here?” You say, “They must have gone that way based on the footprints.”
1:25 p.m. Treena explains the difference between direct and circumstantial evidence. “Direct is testimony of a witness who saw, heard or otherwise sensed an event. Circumstantial is proof of a fact or facts from which you may find another fact. The law makes no distinction between direct and circumstantial evidence.”
1:24 p.m. Christina testified a progression of Lori’s beliefs becoming more deviated from the LDS religion. She was beginning to go through translation, knew all the women from prior lives and did not need to repent.
1:23 p.m. Treena reminds the jury about Christina Atwood’s testimony. Christina said on multiple occasions, Lori said that Charles was possessed.
1:21 p.m. Lori told “lots of people” that her husband is possessed of an evil spirit named Ned and like Nephi, she can get rid of him, Treena says. She plays another clip of Sarena Sharp saying Lori told her Charles was no longer Charles. Lori used the term “zombie.”
1:19 p.m. Treena plays a clip of Sarena testifying about Lori not needing to repent and her changing physically and spiritually. Another clip of Charles being possessed by an evil spirit called Ned.
1:17 p.m. In 2018, Lori told Adam she was turning into a celestial state. Lori told Adam she did not need to eat and that she had more priesthood authority than the priesthood. Treena plays a clip from Adam’s testimony.
1:15 p.m. Treena shows another slide showing multiple text messages between Chad and Lori. We see the marriage certificate from Sweet Hawaii Wedding between Lori and Chad. Now we see a slide about the “twisted religious beliefs justifying killing Charles.” She did not need to repent, she was in a celestial state, she was above the priesthood, she knew about others who were dark or zombies, she was like Nephi – justified to kill Charles.
1:14 p.m. Treena mentions the fake email account set up pretending to be a woman named Karen Walker asking Chad to come to Arizona to help Charles write a book. Charles found these emails and confronted Chad and Lori about the affair.
1:13 p.m. We are about to start video from the courtroom
here.
1:12 p.m. Treena displays a screen that says “Affair with Chad Daybell.” Sarena testified about this and messages from the iCloud show flight screenshots of visits, text messages, and their marriage on Nov. 5, 2019.
1:11 p.m. Lori knew before she went to Social Security how much money she would get after Charles died. “I will still get the $4,000 a month from SS,” she wrote in a text message to Chad. On July 28, Lori continues to be angry about Charles changing the policy, Treena says. That’s when Lori texted Kay about it.
1:10 p.m. Treena displays a slide that says “Lori Vallow’s words show the motive of money” and it’s the texts between Lori and Chad where Chad wonders if the life insurance changed “after he got two bullets to the chest.”
1:09 p.m. “Even in the smallest of things, this defendant exaggerates, minimizes and is untruthful,” Treena Kay says. “Charles Vallow was not accidentally shot. Her brother intentionally shot him. There was no accident about that when you shoot someone twice.”
1:08 p.m. Treena talks about money being the motive. She plays Lori’s call to the insurance company inquiring about the $1 million. She told Robin Smith Scott that Charles had been accidentally shot.
1:07 p.m. The night of July 11, Lori and Chad talk multiple times. Treena says the motives in the case are money, Chad Daybell and religious beliefs (twisted to justify murder).
1:05 p.m. Lori has Charles’ phone the entire afternoon of July 11. She calls Chad, Alex takes photos of the phone and Lori calls the mortuary. None of Charles’ family knows he’s dead at this point. Lori, Alex and Tylee return to the home at 3:11 p.m. That’s when she gives the phone to police.
1:04 p.m. Alex calls Lori at 7:52 a.m. Then he calls her again at 8:06 a.m. Alex calls 911 at 8:36 a.m. Police were advised the shooting just occurred. Police and fire were told CPR was given. Lori returns to house at 8:48 a.m. Lori is interviewed at Family Advocacy Center at 9:40 a.m.
1:03 p.m. An incoming message from Adam to Charles at 7:37 came in. It was not read until 12:13. Charles puts JJ in his rental car. Lori takes Charles’ phone and won’t give it back. Alex shoots and kills Charles. Lori leaves in Charles’ rental car with his phone and wallet.
1:02 p.m. On July 11, Chad “Bubby” texts Lori at 6:06 a.m. They text back and forth. Charles arrives at the house at 7:35 a.m. Adam warned Charles, “They are planning something.” Last outgoing message from Charles was at 7:37 a.m.
1 p.m. Adam called Alex at 3:22 p.m. Adam texted. No response. Summer messaged Lori that Adam and Zac are going ot a movie. As the night goes on, Adam texts Alex. No response. Lori tells Melani B. at 7:18 p.m. that Alex is at her house. He brings a garbage bag with some clothes and an orange duffle bag with his .45 caliber handgun and gun case. Summer messages Lori that night that she asked Zac and Adam to stay at her house, but Zac was going to Mimi’s and Adam was waiting for Alex to text him back.
12:58 p.m. Alex calls Lori and they talk for 56 minutes on July 9. The next day, Chad called Lori and they talk for 149 minutes. Lori is also texting Melani about the “mission” and to distract Brandon by faking sick. Adam arrives in Phoenix at 12:20 p.m. Sumer messages Lori that Adam and Zac are on teh way from Sky Harbor at 2:38 p.m. Chad calls Lori at 3:06 p.m. and they talk for 30 minutes.
12:57 p.m. 7:22 p.m. on July 9: Lori texts Melani B. “U can’t go tomorrow. It’s coming to a head. This week will change everything. Call me.” Lori also texts Alex. “So the plot thickens. Call me when u can. Getting sleepy…I need to come get the stuff at your house tomorrow. Lots to do. Thank you for standing by me. It’s all coming to a head this week. I will be like Nephi I am told! And so will you.”
12:55 p.m. Treena puts a timeline on the screen to detail the “premeditated execution of Charles Vallow.” June 29 and 30 – Charles learned Lori is having an affair with Chad Daybell. Charles emails Chad about the affair. Charles emails Tammy about the affair. Charles tells Adam about the affair. On July 9, Charles texts Adam he booked him a flight to Phoenix. Adam called Alex about staying with him. Chad and Lori talk three times.
12:54 p.m. Treena tells the jury that anything Lori said during her opening statement was not presented as evidence during the trial.
12:53 p.m. Treena says Lori and Alex used a “twisted religious belief” to get the $1 million life insurance so they could be like Nephi. “Evidence presented at this trial has proved to you beyond a reasonable doubt that this defendant is guilty of conspiracy to commit first degree murder.”
12:52 p.m. Treena reminds jury of Nancy Jo Hancock’s testimony. Nancy Jo went on a date with Charles the night before he was killed. “Charles told her all about Lori. The things she was saying, the things she was doing. She told Charles the night before that he should probably tell Lori that you changed the benficiary.”
12:50 p.m. Treena says Lori’s plan to kill Charles wasn’t just known by her, Chad and Alex. “It was also known by her brother, Adam.” Adam and Charles had planned an intervention for Lori. When Adam learned Charles had been shot and killed by Alex, Adam told his mom, “Lori and Alex conspired to kill Charles.” Treena: “He knew. He was right.”
12:48 p.m. Treena Kay approaches the lectern and stands directly in front of the jury. “July 18 of 2019, just seven days after this defendant and her co-conspirator shot and killed Charles Vallow, the defendant texted Chad Daybell.” Her words tell us she was involved in this killing, Treena say. Motives were Chad and money. “I just got the letter from the insurance company saying I am not the beneficiary. It’s a spear through my heart. Who do you think he changed it to?”
12:46 p.m. Judge is on the bench. He mentions Lori’s request to have an exhibit admitted for appeal purposes only. It won’t go back to the jury during deliberations. Judge asks for jury.
12:45 p.m. Back in the courtroom. Lori is at the defense table chatting with her investigator and drinking from a bottle of water. Treena Kay, her paralegal and Det. Nathan Duncan are at the prosecutor table. Colby Ryan and his wife Kelsee at in the courtroom sitting next to Kay Woodcock.
READ LIVE UPDATES WATCH TRIAL HERE
www.eastidahonews.com
www.crimewatchers.net
