Lori Vallow, the convicted murderer already serving three life sentences without parole, has been labeled as the "driving force" behind the conspiracy to kill her children and her romantic rival, according to allegations made by her alleged co-conspirator's attorney, John Prior.

 

 In three court documents filed on Thursday, Prior asserted that Chad Daybell, Vallow's fifth husband, was under Vallow's control and manipulated by her. He further claimed that Vallow groomed her late brother, Alex Cox, to carry out the murders of her children, Tylee Ryan, 16, and J.J. Vallow, 7, as well as Chad Daybell's first wife, Tammy Daybell. Prior went as far as to suggest that Vallow "handed her son off to be killed by Alex."

 

 The grim discovery of J.J.'s intact body buried in a garbage bag near Tylee's burned and dismembered remains on Daybell's Salem property shocked the nation on June 9, 2020. That same day, Chad Daybell was arrested and has remained in custody at the Fremont County Jail since then. It is believed that the children were murdered in September 2019 and buried on Daybell's property shortly afterward. Tammy Daybell met a tragic end due to suffocation in her Salem home on October 19, 2019, according to court records. Just two weeks later, Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow tied the knot in Hawaii.

 

 John Prior's legal motions are aimed at striking the death penalty from Chad Daybell's case, based on the argument of relative culpability. He asserts that Vallow's influence on Daybell was substantial and that Daybell should not face the same punishment as Vallow. Prior cited statements from the state indicating that "Lori manipulated Chad through emotional and sexual control," and "Chad was not going to act without Lori saying so."

 

 In a second filing, Prior emphasized that Vallow remained in charge of the conspiracy throughout and argued that the state should not present theories of relative culpability that differ from Vallow's trial. Failure to do so, Prior warned, could result in "unreasonably disparate sentences" for the co-defendants, violating the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

 

 In a third filing, Prior claimed that Daybell was unaware that requesting a speedy trial could help him avoid the death penalty. Vallow declined to waive her right to a speedy trial, and additional evidence introduced shortly before her trial led to the removal of the death penalty from her case. Prior stated that Daybell's initial waiver might be called into question if the death penalty is not struck from his case, potentially raising concerns about ineffective assistance of counsel under the Sixth Amendment.

 

 A hearing is scheduled for November 29 at the Fremont County Courthouse in St. Anthony, where the defense, prosecution, and Judge Steven Boyce will discuss the possibility of removing the death penalty from Chad Daybell's case. They may also consider Daybell's request to allow cameras during his hearings leading up to his trial scheduled for April 1, 2024, in Ada County. Monthly pre-trial meetings between all parties are planned ahead of the April trial.

Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj

The latest on Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com