An Arizona judge recently made the decision to allow Lori Vallow Daybell, also known as the “cult mom,” to act as her own representation during the trial concerning the alleged murder of her fourth husband and the attempted murder of her niece’s ex-husband.
In a separate case, Lori Vallow Daybell had previously been found guilty in Idaho for the murders of two of her children, 7-year-old JJ Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan, as well as the first wife of her fifth husband, Tammy Daybell. Her fifth husband, Chad Daybell, faced similar charges and was subsequently convicted. Vallow Daybell received three consecutive life sentences, while her husband was sentenced to death.
Following these convictions, Vallow Daybell was extradited to Arizona to face charges related to the alleged conspiracy in the murder of Charles Vallow and the attempted murder of Brandon Boudreaux. These crimes were reportedly linked to Vallow Daybell’s brother, Alex Cox, who passed away under seemingly natural circumstances several months after the incidents in 2019. Cox had also been connected to the cases in Idaho, adding a layer of complexity to the investigations.
Judge Justin Beresky made the decision about representation a day after doctors said during a competency hearing that Vallow Daybell was fit to stand trial, KSAZ reported.
During Friday’s hearing on representation, Beresky asked Vallow Daybell why she wanted to represent herelf.
“For the past five years that I’ve been incarcerated,” she said, “I have taken upon myself to study case law and criminal rules of procedure in the State of Idaho and Arizona, as well as federally.”
She added that she studied family law for a decade prior to her arrest in 2020 and that she has “real trial experence.”
“I have participated in three different full trials from beginning to end,” she said, although it’s unclear what trials those were, other than her own murder trial in Idaho.
Beresky cautioned Vallow Daybell about the dangers of representing herself without the multiple years of experence an actually lawyers has.
“A person who represents themselves, they don’t get any breaks,” said attorney Benjamin Taylor. “The judge holds that person who represents themselves to the same standards as an attorney.”
Her two current attorneys will be considered her “advisory counsel,” the judge said.
Vallow Daybell’s Arizona trial is set to begin on March 31, 2025.
