Lori Vallow Sentenced to Life in Prison Without Parole in Murders of Her Kids, Chad Daybell’s First Wife

Lori Vallow will spend the rest of her life behind bars.

Two months after she was found guilty in her triple murder case, the 50-year-old was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, according to NBC News.

Back in May, an Idaho jury found Lori was responsible for first-degree murder in the killings of her 16-year-old daughter Tylee Ryan and her 7-year-old son Joshua "JJ" Vallow. Additionally, Vallow was found guilty of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and grand theft by deception in the killings of her two kids as well as guilty of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the death of her husband Chad Daybell's first wife, Tamara "Tammy" Daybell. (For his part, Chad has pleaded not guilty on all counts and will be tried separately.)

Prior to her sentencing, Lori, whose religious beliefs were examined during the trial, told the court that she had been in contact with the "spirit world," adding that Tylee and JJ told her they were happy.

"Jesus knows me and Jesus understands me," she said, per NBC News. "I mourn with all of you who mourn my children and Tammy. Jesus Christ knows the truth of what happened here, Jesus Christ knows no one was murdered in this case. Accidental deaths happen, suicides happen, fatal side effects from medications happen."

Tylee and JJ were last seen in September 2019. At the time of Tylee's disappearance, she had been on a trip to Yellowstone National Park with her mom and uncle Alex Cox, who had fatally shot Lori's fourth husband Charles Vallow a few months earlier in July. (Alex, who died in December 2019, told 911 dispatches he acted in self-defense, according to Fox10 Phoenix. He was never charged for the case.)

Meanwhile, JJ was last seen two weeks later at school in Rexburg, Idaho. At the time, Lori had taken him out of elementary school with plans to teach him at home. However, by November, his paternal grandparents, Larry and Kay Woodcock, reported both him and Tylee missing.

Shortly after, Lori and Chad left town and got married, reappearing on the Hawaiian island of Kauai in January 2020. Police said they continued to evade questions from police about the children's whereabouts, per NBC News. And, by June of that year, the kids' remains were found on Chad's Idaho property.

As for Tammy, who Chad was wed to up until a few weeks prior to marrying Lori, the 49-year-old died in October 2019 from what was believed to be natural causes. However, after conducting further examination, authorities ruled her death as a homicide, per NBC News.

Following Lori's sentencing, her son Colby Ryan—from her second marriage—shared a heartbreaking message mourning the loss of his two siblings.

"My children will never know their uncle, their aunt or grandfather, or even their grandmother," he said in a court statement, per NBC News. "Tylee and JJ brought so much light into this world. With their lives stolen, I'd like to share this: I believe nothing could or ever will be the same."

Meanwhile, JJ's grandmother Kay reflected on the heartbreaking journey for justice.

"The grief my family and I have endured is immeasurable," she noted, "as Lori cruelly took my big brother Charles, my adorable grandson JJ, and my beautiful niece Tylee, and sweet Tammy. Lori is undeniably a monster."

Click here for a full breakdown of the murder case, which inspired the documentary Sins of Our Mothers.