The story of Lori Vallow is a dark and complex tale involving religious fanaticism, mysterious deaths, and the disappearance of two children in Idaho. Lori, a 46-year-old mother of three, was once seen by friends and family as a dedicated and exemplary parent. However, her life took a drastic turn as she became deeply embedded in radical apocalyptic beliefs related to an offshoot of the Mormon faith. She began to experience what she claimed were visions from God, leading her to believe that the second coming of Christ was imminent, specifically predicting it for July 2020.

This religious obsession caused significant friction in her marriage to her fourth husband, Charles Vallow. Charles grew increasingly terrified of Lori after she claimed that his soul had been replaced by a dark spirit and that he was essentially a zombie. She reportedly threatened his life, claiming she had angels who would help her dispose of his body. In early 2019, Charles sought a divorce and expressed deep concern for the safety of their seven-year-old son, Joshua, known as JJ, who had autism. Charles noticed that Lori had suddenly given away JJ's specialized service dog, which he saw as a major warning sign. In July 2019, Charles was shot and killed by Lori's brother, Alex Cox, during a confrontation. Alex claimed he acted in self-defense, and the case was initially closed without charges.

Following the death of her husband, Lori moved to Idaho and established a close relationship with Chad Daybell, an author who wrote books about the apocalypse and religious end-time scenarios. Their connection was surrounded by tragedy; Chad’s wife, Tamara Daybell, died in October 2019. While her death was first thought to be from natural causes, it was later treated as suspicious and investigated for potential poisoning. Lori and Chad married only a few weeks after Tamara's funeral.

The focus of the authorities soon turned to Lori’s children, JJ and his teenage sister, Tylee Ryan. Tylee was last seen in early September 2019 during a trip to Yellowstone National Park. JJ was last seen later that month after Lori removed him from his school, claiming she would home-school him herself. When the police conducted a welfare check in November at the request of worried grandparents, Lori lied, claiming JJ was in Arizona with a family friend. By the time police returned the next day to follow up, Lori and Chad had fled the area.

The couple was eventually located in Hawaii in early 2020, where they appeared to be living a normal life. Despite a court order demanding that she produce her children by the end of January, Lori refused to cooperate or provide any information regarding their location. This led to her arrest and extradition. A disturbing potential motive emerged when Lori's niece revealed that the couple believed the children had been possessed by dark spirits and had become zombies. Investigators also discovered a storage unit rented by Lori containing the children's personal belongings, including JJ’s favorite blanket and clothing, which they had not taken with them. The case remains a harrowing investigation into how extreme beliefs can lead to a string of unexplained deaths and the disappearance of innocent children.

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