The Shocking True Story of Sins of Our Mother
The Many Marriages of Lori Norene Cox
The Shocking True Story of Netflix's The Watcher
Born June 26, 1973 in California, Lori Norene Cox was raised in a devout Mormon family with her four siblings. She was a cheerleader at Eisenhower High School in Rialto, who was regarded as smart, friendly, and popular. After graduating, Lori tied the knot with her high school beau Nelson Yanes in 1992, much to her family’s dismay, though the union didn’t last long. While living in Texas, Lori married William Lagioia in October 1995, and her eldest son Colby was born the next year. They divorced in 1998, and in 2001, she wed Joseph Anthony Ryan Jr. He adopted Colby, and a year later, their daughter Tylee Ashlyn Ryan was born. During this time, Lori competed in the Mrs. Texas beauty pageant, and made an appearance on “Wheel of Fortune.” After years in a rocky relationship, the two divorced in May 2005. In February 2006, Lori and husband #4, Leland “Charles” Anthony Vallow, tied the knot in Las Vegas. Though he grew up Catholic, Charles converted to Lori’s faith, joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). He also had children from his past marriage, and together they adopted Charles’ biological young nephew, Joshua Jaxon, aka “J.J.” In 2014, Charles and Lori headed to Hawaii, with Tylee and J.J., before getting settled back in Arizona in late 2016.
Doomsday Delusions
In 2015, friends say Lori Vallow became obsessed with a doomsday-related book series by LDS author Chad Daybell. Daybell claimed that after two near-death experiences, once as a teenager and again in his 20s, he could see “beyond the veil” into the spirit world. In October 2018, Lori met Daybell for the first time at an event hosted by Preparing a People. The organization states that its mission is to “prepare the people of this earth for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.” The two also appeared together on religious podcasts. By all accounts, Lori was a loving and caring mother, up until she adopted radical religious beliefs. Friends and family noticed a change in her when she started talking about “the End Times” and having visions. Lori also got her brother, Alex Cox, into Preparing a People. The siblings had always been close, which others often realized was too close. She saw Alex as her protector, and it’s been said that he was considered the “family hitman.”
The Deaths of Tammy Daybell & Charles Vallow
The Shocking True Story of The Most Hated Man on the Internet
In January 2019, Charles Vallow returned home from a business trip to find Lori and the kids gone. Days before, she’d canceled his returning flight and drained their shared bank account. He told police that Lori believed she was a god sent to gather the 144,000 for the Second Coming, which she stated would be in July 2020. She also believed Charles was an evil spirit, and threatened to kill him if he interfered with her “mission.” Though Charles pleaded with police to have Lori committed to a mental health facility, officers determined she posed no threat. She’s later medically cleared at Community Bridges. On February 8, Charles filed for divorce. He continued to warn police and the Cox family about his estranged wife’s concerning state of mind, fearing for the safety of their children. On July 11, 2019, Charles went to Lori’s home in Chandler, Arizona to pick up their son J.J. There was reportedly an altercation, prompting Alex to shoot his brother-in-law twice in the chest in alleged self-defense. Police noted that Lori, who’d just returned home after taking J.J. to school, was in oddly high spirits, despite her husband’s death. In late August/early September, she and her family moved to Rexburg, Idaho. She’d relocated to be with Chad, even though he was still married. On October 19, Tamara “Tammy” Daybell, Chad’s wife of nearly 30 years, was found dead in their Salem, Idaho home. It was determined that she passed away due to natural causes. However, a little over a week prior, she reportedly saw an unknown assailant who tried to shoot her with a paintball gun outside her home. Oddly, Chad didn’t want to have an autopsy performed.
The Disappearances of Tylee Ryan & J.J. Vallow
The Shocking True Story of The Staircase
On November 5, 2019, mere weeks after his wife died, Chad Daybell married Lori Vallow in Hawaii. Notably, Tylee and J.J. were not with them. Friends and family said that Lori’s beliefs became darker, and she often accused people of being zombies, including both of her children. The last time J.J.’s grandparents Larry and Kay Woodcock spoke with him was August 10, but he was last seen alive on September 23, at school in Rexburg. On the 24th, Lori told the establishment that she was going to homeschool J.J. and that their services were no longer required. A trip to Yellowstone National Park in early September marked the last time Tylee was seen alive. Desperate for answers, Kay Woodcock contacted Rexburg Police Department to look into the whereabouts of her grandchild J.J., and Tylee. On November 26, officers conducted a welfare check at Lori’s home. She claimed that J.J. was with a friend in Arizona, and that Tylee was attending the nearby Brigham Young University. When officers returned the next day to issue a search warrant, they were gone. In December, Tammy Daybell’s body was exhumed from a Utah cemetery. Her death was ultimately ruled as suspicious. Chad and Lori would eventually become persons of interest. The next day, in a strange turn of events, Alex Cox was found unconscious in Gilbert, Arizona by the son of his new wife Zulema Pastenes. His sudden passing was attributed to blood clots and his blood pressure. By December 20, police were formally investigating the fact that Tylee and J.J. were missing. Lori and Chad weren’t seen for months, until January 25, 2020, on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. Lori was served with a court order to deliver the children to authorities in five days, which she failed to do. On February 20 2020, she was arrested and charged with “two felony counts of desertion and nonsupport of dependent children,” along with a slew of other charges. She was held on a $5 million bond until being extradited to Madison County Jail in Idaho in early March. On June 9, FBI and local law enforcement searched Chad Daybell’s property in Salem, Idaho, where they found two sets of human remains. Daybell was brought into custody and indicted on two felony counts. The deceased were confirmed to be Tylee and J.J..
Idaho v. Daybell & Vallow
In May 2021, charges were brought against Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell for the deaths of Tylee Ryan, J.J. Vallow, and Tammy Daybell. Both are facing multiple counts of criminal conspiracy and murder, among other things. Believing that she plotted with the late Alex Cox to kill Charles Vallow, Lori is also charged with conspiracy to commit murder in Arizona. Though not an open investigation any longer, some still believe that the siblings were involved in the death of Lori’s third husband Joseph Ryan in 2018. Alex Cox was also accused of targeting his niece Melani’s estranged husband Brandon Boudreaux back in 2019. Both Lori and Chad have pleaded not guilty to the charges. If convicted, they each face the death penalty. The joint trial is set to begin in January 2023. As of September 2022, what exactly happened to Tylee and J.J. remains unknown.
“Sins of Our Mother”
Since the disappearances of Tylee and J.J. were made public, several people have put out numerous books, podcasts, and TV specials covering the case. Director Skye Borgman teamed up with Netflix for the three-part docuseries “Sins of Our Mother,” which premiered September 14, 2022. The series includes interviews with those who were once part of Vallow and Daybell’s inner circle, including former pals and family.
