Judge Steven Boyce sentenced Lori Vallow Daybell to multiple fixed life terms in prison with no possibility of parole on Monday, handing down punishment for murdering two of her children and conspiring to murder a romantic rival.
The judge ordered Vallow Daybell to serve the prison terms consecutively rather than concurrently, saying it is important for her to be punished for each death.
Vallow Daybell, 50, was found guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy charges in May, as a jury agreed with prosecutors who said she wanted to eliminate her youngest children as part of a plan to embark on a new life with Chad Daybell, as well as conspiring to murder Daybell's previous wife, Tammy Daybell.
"You chose the most evil and destructive path possible," despite having a wealth of better, less harmful options, Boyce told Vallow Daybell. He juxtaposed her enjoyment of a honeymoon in Hawaii with her children lying in shallow graves in Idaho.
Her children — Tylee Ryan and Joshua Jaxon "JJ" Vallow — had been "burned, mutilated and dismembered, and buried like animals," Boyce said.
The judge noted the "disgust" he saw on jurors' faces during the trial. The scene was horrific, Boyce said, adding that while law enforcement, jurors and he himself will be haunted by images of the children's bodies, he saw no sign that Vallow Daybell feels any remorse.
The lengthy trial was full of strange and shocking moments. Prosecutors say Vallow Daybell was motivated by arcane religious beliefs about "dark energy" and the "end times," as well as by her desire to pursue a life with her new husband, Chad Daybell — which included conspiring to kill his now-deceased wife.
Vallow Daybell says her children and Tammy Daybell visit her
For the first time in the trial, Vallow Daybell gave an accounting of her own actions, speaking in court for roughly 8 1/2 minutes. But she insisted she is not guilty of murder and said her victims have visited her in spiritual form and are happy in the afterlife.
"Jesus knows me, and Jesus understands me," Vallow Daybell said, adding that she mourns those who died. But, she added, "Jesus Christ knows that no one was murdered in this case."
Vallow Daybell said she underwent a personal transformation in 2002, when she says she had a near-death experience while giving birth to Tylee.
"I had access to heaven and the spirit world," she said, adding that while she was tempted to remain in the afterlife, she returned to her body. "Since then, I have had many communications from people now living in heaven, including my children" and other relatives, she said.
"I know for a fact that my children are happy and busy in the spirit world," Vallow Daybell told the court, reading from a statement. She added that her "friend" Tammy Daybell is "also very happy and extremely busy."
Vallow Daybell said, "Tylee has visited me. She is happy ... and free now," adding that her son also visited her as "an adult spirit" who was very tall and is thriving in the afterlife.
When she finished her remarks, the judge asked Vallow Daybell if she was "fully satisfied" with the representation her attorneys had given her during the trial. She said she was.
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