A reporter who has been closely following the investigation into the disappearance and deaths of Lori Vallow’s children appeared on Tuesday’s episode of “Crime Stories with Nancy Grace” — and shared some inside revelations about possible further criminal charges against Vallow and her husband Chad Daybell.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, the remains of Vallow’s two children Tylee Ryan, 16, and JJ Vallow, 7, were discovered buried in Daybell’s Salem, Idaho, backyard on June 9; nine months after both children were last seen alive on separate dates in September 2019.
Vallow had previously been in custody in nearby Madison County on felony child desertion charges as well as three misdemeanors. On the day the children were found dead, Daybell was taken into custody. He remains in the Fremont County Detention Center on two felony counts of destroying, altering, or concealing evidence. Both he and Vallow are facing additional charges of conspiracy to destroy, alter, or conceal evidence.
As Nancy Grace explains in the latest “Crime Stories” episode, prosecutors in Madison County were compelled to drop the felony desertion charges against Vallow, as the investigation revealed that both her children very likely died in September — meaning she didn’t actually desert them.
Neither Daybell or Vallow have been charged with murder, and many following the case that has gripped national attention are wondering why.
Nate Eaton of East Idaho News revealed on the episode that Daybell and Vallow may be looking at more serious charges once the autopsies of the children, which are still pending toxicology results, are completed.
Eaton said that he’s been in contact with a source close to the investigation, who assured him that authorities are working towards holding Vallow and Daybell accountable for any crimes they may have committed — even though evidence strongly indicates that Vallow’s since-deceased brother Alex Cox was directly involved in the disposal of the bodies, suggesting that he may have also been responsible for their deaths.
“We’ve got one shot at this. We can’t mess it up,” Eaten said, appearing to paraphrase his conversation with the source.
Eaton said he believes investigators are working carefully to build a case against Vallow and Daybell that will stick — and that neither suspected felon is in any danger of being able to meet the $1 million bail attached to their felony charges in Fremont County.
“They are not going anywhere,” Eaton said of Vallow and Daybell, noting that they both have extremely limited funds.
“[Investigators] are in no rush,” Eaton said. “They are waiting for the autopsy results for the children.”
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[Feature image: Tylee Ryan and JJ Vallow/Facebook]
