'Doomsday Mom' Court Drama: Defense for Lori Vallow Files Notice After Murder Convictions

Doomsday Mom Lori Vallow, who was found guilty of murder and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the deaths of two of her children and her fifth husband's first wife, recently submitted a notice to appeal the verdict and sentencing, according to officials.

On Aug. 31, Jim Archibald, attorney for the “cult mom,” filed the notice, citing 16 issues in the trial and indicating there could be more by the time the appeal goes before a judge.

Archibald listed 16 issues that include questions surrounding decisions about Vallow’s competency, whether the court's decisions violated her right to a speedy trial, several inquiries about the technical details of the conspiracy charges and alleged conspirators, and whether the sentencing court properly reviewed evidence and if it abused its discretion in handing down the three life sentences without parole.

In the filing, Archibald also asked for a number of transcripts from the trial, including some that were sealed, officials said.

In May 2023, a jury found Vallow guilty after her weeks-long trial in Boise came to a close, as Front Page Detectives previously reported.

Vallow, who did not take the stand in her own defense, was accused of killing two of her children, 16-year-old Tylee Ryan and 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow, who were last seen in September 2019, as Front Page Detectives previously reported.

In November 2019, Lori married her current husband, Chad Daybell, just two weeks after the death of his first wife, Tammy.

Prosecutors argued during the trial that the couple used “doomsday” involving zombies to justify murdering the children and Tammy, officials said.

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The defense did not call any witnesses during the trial and argued that Vallow has the freedom to choose and practice her religion and that there wasn’t enough evidence to connect Vallow to the alleged crimes, according to CBS News.

Meanwhile, Chad Daybell is awaiting trial on the same charges after successfully arguing to have his case severed from his wife’s and waiving his right to a speedy trial.

Arizona has begun the extradition process to bring Vallow back to that state for the conspiracy trial.