Lori Vallow Daybell was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on July 31.
Daybell was found guilty of murdering her two children, 16-year-old Tylee Ryan and seven-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow on May 12, 2023, according to AP News. Police originally reportedly responded to a welfare call to check on Joshua but were unable to locate him or Tylee. The two victim’s remains were found months later on the Daybell’s property, according to AP News.
Idaho Judge Steven W. Boyce reportedly delivered the sentencing to Lori Daybell and her lawyers.
“You are sentenced to the custody of state board of corrections to serve the maximum allowed sentence, a fixed determinant term of life in prison with no possibility of parole,” he said.
At the trial, Daybell was also sentenced to life in prison for conspiracy to commit grand larceny and murder for both children. According to her indictment, Daybell continued to receive Social Security checks from the state after providing false information about the location of her murdered children.
“Murder is the most serious offense,” Judge Boyce said at the trial. “The most unimaginable type of murder is to have a mother murdering her own children and that’s exactly what you did.”
Her sentencing also included life in prison for conspiracy to murder Tamara Daybell, her husband Chad Guy Daybell’s first wife.
The grandparents of the murdered children spoke to reporters after the sentencing, expressing their gratitude that Lori Daybell would receive punishment for her actions.
“I will take life sentences without the possibility of parole consecutive,” Larry Woodcock, grandfather of Joshua, said. “It’s what we prayed for. It’s what we got.”
“We’ll never have JJ,” Kay Woodcock, grandmother of Joshua, said. “We’ll never have Tylee back again, Tammy’s family won’t have her back. But this is the closest thing we can, we can get to satisfaction.”
Chad Daybell will also be tried with the same charges for his role.
