Court documents say Charles Vallow killed because of wife Lori's religious beliefs

July 2024 · 5 minute read

(KUTV) — Probable cause documents released Thursday by Chandler, Arizona police, contend text messages and other communication gathered in the case against Lori Vallow Daybell show she used religious beliefs to justify the murder of her fourth husband, the late Charles Vallow. He was shot and killed in July, 2019.

Prosecutors in Maricopa County, Arizona charged Vallow Daybell with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder on Tuesday. The newly released court documents are heavily redacted but provide a synopsis of evidence in the case. It uses text messages, police body camera footage, cell phone records and witness testimony to build the case against Vallow Daybell for the indictment.

Alex Cox — Vallow Daybell's brother — called 911 to say he shot Charles Vallow in July 2019. He told police it was done in self defense but the newly released court documents refute that account by attempting to show Cox and his sister planned the killing of her estranged husband when he came to Arizona to confront her about "her extreme religious beliefs." Documents state:

...evidence shows that Charles' death was a planned event and necessary to prevent Charles and others from confronting Lori about her extreme religious beliefs when he came to town on 07/11/2019. The death of Charles Vallow was also necessary in order for Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow to marry and fulfill their religious prophecy.

Police say messages to Vallow Dayball by phone show the killing was intentional and compared it to a scriptural killing, according to texts. One message sent after the death said:

It was a Nephi and Laban ending.

The court documents explain the significance of that justified death claim in context of the Book of Mormon when a prophet named Nephi is commanded to uses a sword to kill Laban. The documents contend Vallow Daybell believed she was selected to prepare 144,000 people for the end of the world. The number is a reference to a Bible prophecy in the Book of Revelation. Documents say she "believed she was an exalted Goddess and she and Chad were directed to lead 144,000 people..."

The document also claims physical evidence didn't match Cox's description of the shooting, including that he shot Charles Vallow twice while he was standing. Police said one bullet showed Charles Vallow was already laying on the floor when the second shot was fired.

Documents say Cox believed his mission on earth was to protect his sister. Cox died in December, 2019, a death the medical examiner said was of natural causes involving a blood clot. Documents say he shot his brother in law and then waited to call police.

"Charles would have laid dead or dying for approximately 43 minutes before Alex called 911. During this time, Phone (sic) records indicated that Alex called Lori."

Questions were raised publicly about Charles Vallow's death after Lori's children disappeared and were eventually found dead, drawing national scrutiny to several untimely deaths of people close to her.

Documents explain that Vallow Daybell and those around her including her brother and Chad Daybell used alternate names for people including calling Charles Vallow "Ned Schneider" — a dark spirit he was said to be possessed by — and Hiplos. It says Lori and Chad believed they had extraordinary abilities, like teleportation, praying away demonic spirits and visionary capabilities. They also believed they were qualified to detect dark and light scales associated with people and scores of trust.

Investigators said in the documents:

Coincidentally, if you shared their belief system, your score was favorable. If you offered any opposition to their belief or their destiny, you were seen as possessed.

It also said:

Through interviews conducted with (REDACTED) and (REDACTED), the belief system regarding dark spirits and zombies was revealed. Both witnesses were in direct communication with Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell and were being provided instructions regarding their missions to prepare for the second coming of Christ. Both indicated that they were told long before 07/11/2019 that Charles had died, and his body was taken over by an evil spirit.

Chad Daybell, Lori's fifth husband, also faces charges in connection with the deaths of the two children and the death of his first wife, Tammy, who died in October 2019. He pleaded not guilty. Lori and Chad were married within a month of Tammy Daybell's passing.

After a psychological evaluation, Vallow Daybell was recently found incompetent to stand trial. Both cases are still developing.

Here is a condensed timeline of events:

Read more about the latest developments in the Daybells' cases here.

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