ARIZONA NEWS

Gov. Katie Hobbs signs request to prosecute ‘Doomsday Mom’ Lori Vallow Daybell in Arizona

Aug 16, 2023, 4:44 PM

(Tony Blakeslee/EastIdahoNews.com via AP, Pool)...

(Tony Blakeslee/EastIdahoNews.com via AP, Pool)

(Tony Blakeslee/EastIdahoNews.com via AP, Pool)

PHOENIX — Gov. Katie Hobbs has signed a request to prosecute Lori Vallow Daybell in Arizona, her communications team confirmed Wednesday.

Vallow Daybell, 50, was sentenced last month to life in prison in Idaho for her role in the deaths of her two youngest children and a perceived romantic rival.

What is Lori Vallow Daybell accused of in Maricopa County?

With the Idaho case complete, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office moved ahead with plans to prosecute Vallow Daybell on two counts of conspiracy to commit murder.

A Maricopa County grand jury indicted Vallow Daybell in 2021 on a charge of conspiring to kill her fourth husband, Charles Vallow. Police said Vallow Daybell’s brother Alex Cox shot and killed Vallow on July 11, 2019, in Chandler.

A second Valley indictment unsealed in May of this year charged Vallow Daybell with conspiring to murder Brandon Boudreaux, her niece’s ex-husband. Police say Cox shot at Boudreaux in Gilbert on Oct. 2, 2019, but missed.

Cox was never charged and died later that year of what authorities determined were natural causes.

Echoes of Jodi Arias case

When extradited, Vallow Daybell won’t be the first high-profile female inmate held at a Valley jail.

In 2013, Jodi Arias was found guilty of murdering her ex-boyfriend in Mesa five years earlier. She was sentenced to life in prison in 2015, ending a case that drew years of national and global media attention.

Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone told KTAR News 92.3 FM earlier this month said the Arias case brought “energy into the space that normally doesn’t exist” but didn’t change how jail staffers performed their work.

Vallow Daybell will likely be held in an MCSO-run jail following her extradition.

Penzone expects his staff to maintain constant professionalism, though he acknowledged an inmate like the so-called “Doomsday Mom” would be a different beast.

“Obviously, due to the fact that this is extremely high profile, it’s going to garner a lot of attention. … It will create a little bit of a — I don’t want to say unrest, but there will be an energy to it that’s not always positive. So, we’ll be overly conscientious about the circumstances,” he said.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

Arizona News

Mugshot of Leonardo Santiago, who has been accused of first-degree murder in two Phoenix cases....

KTAR.com

Suspect in brutal murder/mutilation case implicated in another Phoenix homicide

One of the suspects in the murder and mutilation of a gay man at a Phoenix park has been implicated in a second homicide case, authorities said.

1 hour ago

Cactus Park Precinct...

KTAR.com

Escaped prisoner caught by citizens at Phoenix gas station

An escaped prisoner was caught by citizens at a Phoenix gas station Thursday night shortly after he fled from a detention center.

3 hours ago

no motor vehicles sign near arizona border...

KTAR.com

Arizona’s Sinema says Lukeville Port of Entry closure ‘unacceptable,’ unsure when it will reopen

The Lukeville Port of Entry has been closed for five days with no end in sight, a situation Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona says is "unacceptable."

6 hours ago

(Photo provided by Evolve Public Relations and Marketing.)...

KTAR.com

Google Fiber internet service is slated for Queen Creek in early 2025

Queen Creek is set to become the third community in Arizona to get Google Fiber - a high-speed internet service provided by Google.

6 hours ago

No freeway closures are scheduled in metro Phoenix the rest of the year. (ADOT Photo)...

KTAR.com

No weekend closures scheduled on metro Phoenix freeways through end of year

State transportation officials have no scheduled closures on metro Phoenix freeways through the end of the year.

6 hours ago

Buckeye Police Chief Larry Hall....

KTAR.com

Buckeye Police Chief Larry Hall to retire after 10 years on the job

After 10 years on the job, Buckeye Police Chief Larry Hall is planning to retire in January.

6 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

(KTAR News Graphic)...

KTAR launches online holiday auction benefitting Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley

KTAR is teaming up with The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley for a holiday auction benefitting thousands of Valley kids.

Follow @KTAR923...

West Hunsaker at Morris Hall supports Make-A-Wish Foundation in Arizona

KTAR's Community Spotlight this month focuses on Morris Hall and its commitment to supporting the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Arizona.

...

SCHWARTZ LASER EYE CENTER

Key dates for Arizona sports fans to look forward to this fall

Fall brings new beginnings in different ways for Arizona’s professional sports teams like the Cardinals and Coyotes.

Gov. Katie Hobbs signs request to prosecute ‘Doomsday Mom’ Lori Vallow Daybell in Arizona