Lori Vallow Daybell Makes Her First Appearance in Arizona Court, Representing Herself

Lori Vallow Daybell faced a Maricopa County judge on Friday morning for her initial hearing since being granted permission to represent herself in court.

Vallow Daybell, who was convicted in Idaho in 2023 for the murders of her two children, Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow, has now been extradited to Arizona to face additional charges of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.

In Idaho, she received a life sentence for her role in the deaths of her children, who had previously lived in Arizona. Her current husband, Chad Daybell, was sentenced to death in the same case.

In Arizona, Vallow Daybell faces two separate cases. The first involves the 2019 shooting death of her former husband, Charles Vallow, in Chandler. The second case stems from an October 2019 incident in Gilbert, where her niece’s ex-husband survived an alleged shooting attempt. Both cases will be tried independently.

Entering the courtroom Friday, Vallow Daybell appeared confident, introducing herself as Lori Daybell and requesting that the court update its records to reflect her legal name. The judge agreed to the change, updating the case to list her as Lori Daybell, formerly known as Lori Vallow.

During the proceedings, Vallow Daybell petitioned the judge to compel the state to provide records related to her extradition from Idaho to Arizona in 2023. The judge questioned the relevance of these documents, given that the charges stem from indictments issued in 2021 and 2022. The prosecution indicated that they did not plan to use any extradition records during the trial.

Vallow Daybell also submitted two additional motions and raised concerns about communication challenges while in custody, including delays in receiving court orders and responses. She assured the court of her commitment to proceed with the case without unnecessary delays.

Her mother and sister were present in the courtroom but declined to comment on the proceedings.

Jury selection for the first trial is slated to begin in March.