‘Cult Mom’ Trial: Lori Vallow Warned of ‘Spiritual Attack’ the Same Day Brother Died

Lori Vallow Daybell’s nephew-in-law testified on Thursday that Vallow and her husband warned of a “spiritual attack” the same day her brother Alex Cox died in 2019.

Cox reportedly died of natural causes in December 2019, months after he fatally shot Lori Vallow’s fourth husband, Charles Vallow, in Arizona. Ian Pawlowski testified that his wife, Melani Pawlowski, informed Lori Vallow (her aunt) of Cox’s death after Cox’s wife had contacted her, according to East Idaho News.

“She had been told by Chad [Daybell] and Lori that there was going to be a spiritual attack that day. With Alex dying, that confirmed it,” he said.

Ian went on to say that he does not believe a “spiritual attack” killed Cox and he has “no clue” how Lori Vallow or Chad Daybell knew of any attack. He claimed that upon learning of Cox’s death, the couple conducted a series of blessings over the phone that he was sometimes included in, East Idaho News reported.

In addition to Charles’ slaying, Cox’s death came months after Chad Daybell’s wife, Tammy Daybell, died in Idaho in October 2019. Lori Vallow’s two children, J.J. Vallow and Tylee Ryan, vanished in September 2019. Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow got married in Hawaii in November 2019, amid her children’s disappearances.

Tammy’s initial cause of death was listed as pulmonary edema with the manner being ruled as natural. However, officials now believe she was asphyxiated her death was a homicide.

Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell are charged with killing Ryan, J.J., and Tammy. Lori Vallow is currently standing trial and Chad Daybell will be tried later.

Lori Vallow’s children were missing for nine months before their remains were discovered on Chad Daybell’s property in June 2020. J.J.’s body was reportedly found in a plastic bag that was wrapped in plastic. His face, arms, wrists, and feet were wrapped with duct tape. Ryan’s burned remains were on the property, though her entire body was not intact.

Prior testimony revealed that J.J. was suffocated with a plastic bag and duct tape. Ryan’s cause of death was undetermined due to the condition of her remains.

Lori Vallow has said she was with Melanie Gibb, David Warwick, or her husband when her son and daughter died in her brother’s apartment in Rexburg, Idaho. She allegedly said she was at her residence, also in Rexburg. She claimed she was in Hawaii when Tammy was killed at her husband’s home in Salem, Idaho. She stated she was with two other people at the time.

Lori Vallow — believed to have been involved in a so-called doomsday cult — allegedly told a friend that her children had become zombies and the only way to exorcise their bodies of evil spirits was to kill them.

In Arizona, Lori Vallow is charged in connection with Charles’ death.

Lori Vallow, who is not facing the death penalty, underwent psychiatric treatment twice before she was deemed fit to stand trial in Idaho. Cameras are not allowed in the courtroom per a court order.

The trial continues. 

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[Featured image: Handout]