How Chad Daybell Recruited Lori Vallow: Spiritual Love Bombing and Religious Trauma

Lori Vallow still believes she'll be exonerated.In a March 2025 Dateline interview, she maintained her innocence. She claimed visions from Jesus. She showed no remorse.Her son Colby is left to figure out how to live in a world where his mother killed his siblings — and still thinks she was right.This is Part 5 of "The Chosen Ones" — the conclusion of our psychological examination of spiritual abuse and religious trauma through the Daybell case. Today we focus on the aftermath: how survivors rebuild when the person who harmed them never acknowledges what they did.We examine: Colby Ryan's prison calls with his mother The March 2025 Dateline interview How the AVOW community and conference circuit moved on The secondary trauma of systems that don't collapse The path to healing for spiritual abuse survivors Religious Trauma Syndrome and what recovery looks like This episode is for anyone following the Daybell case who wants to understand the human cost beyond the headlines. And it's for anyone who has left a high control religion and is figuring out what comes next.The apocalypse Chad Daybell predicted never came. The world kept turning. But for the families of Tammy, Charles, Tylee, and JJ — the world ended anyway.Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePodThis publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.#ChadDaybell #DaybellCase #ColbyRyan #LoriVallow #ReligiousTrauma #SpiritualAbuse #CultSurvivor #Healing #Aftermath #Deconstruction

Everyone around Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow saw something. The question is why they didn't act.This is Part 4 of "The Chosen Ones" — our deep dive into the psychology of spiritual abuse and religious trauma through the Daybell case. Today we examine the inner circle: the people who participated, enabled, or stayed silent while four people died.We cover:ALEX COX — Lori's brother, who shot Charles Vallow, and who investigators believe killed Tylee and JJ. According to testimony, Alex "100% believed" what Chad Daybell taught. He told his wife to shoot him if he ever became a zombie.MELANIE GIBB — Lori's best friend, the last person to see JJ alive. She participated in castings and heard Chad Daybell's zombie doctrine — but didn't realize she was being used as an alibi until police called.ZULEMA PASTENES — Who married Alex two weeks before he died. She testified about castings, the failed attempt on Tammy, and Lori's rage when it didn't work.CHAD DAYBELL'S CHILDREN — Who testified at their father's murder trial. For the defense.THE WIDER COMMUNITY — The conference circuit, the AVOW network, the families who watched transformations and didn't intervene.This episode is essential context for understanding how Chad Daybell's belief system sustained itself — and why it took so long to collapse.Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePodThis publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.#ChadDaybell #DaybellCase #AlexCox #MelanieGibb #ZulemaPastenes #LoriVallow #CultComplicity #SpiritualAbuse #ReligiousTrauma #Enablers

September 8, 2019. Yellowstone National Park. The last known photo of Tylee Ryan.According to investigators, she was dead within twenty-four hours. Her remains were found nine months later in Chad Daybell's backyard.This is Part 3 of "The Chosen Ones" — our deep dive into the psychology of spiritual abuse and religious trauma through the Daybell case. Today we examine Chad Daybell's "zombie" doctrine in detail: how it worked, who it targeted, and how it justified the murders of Tylee, JJ, Tammy, and Charles.According to trial testimony: Chad Daybell taught that demons could possess people after death Once possessed, the original person was gone — only a "zombie" remained Zombies couldn't be saved or cast out — they could only be destroyed Chad Daybell assigned "light and dark ratings" to categorize who was possessed Everyone rated "dark" ended up dead We trace how each victim was labeled: Charles Vallow: renamed "Ned," killed by Alex Cox Tammy Daybell: declared possessed, asphyxiated in her sleep Tylee Ryan: called "dark" after questioning her mother, dismembered and burned JJ Vallow: declared a "zombie," wrapped in plastic and buried This episode provides essential context for understanding how Chad Daybell's belief system enabled the murders — and why dehumanization is central to spiritual abuse in high control religion.Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePodThis publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.#ChadDaybell #DaybellCase #TyleeRyan #JJVallow #ZombieDoctrine #LoriVallow #Dehumanization #SpiritualAbuse #ReligiousTrauma #TrialEvidence

During Chad Daybell's murder trial, prosecutors introduced some of the most chilling evidence in true crime history: spreadsheets.Documents recovered from Chad Daybell's computer showing lists of names — Tammy Daybell, Charles Vallow, Tylee Ryan, JJ Vallow, and many others — each assigned a "light and dark rating" on a spiritual scale Chad Daybell invented.Everyone rated "dark" ended up dead.This is Part 2 of "The Chosen Ones," our deep dive into the psychology of spiritual abuse and religious trauma through the Daybell case. Today we examine how Chad Daybell built his belief system, where it came from, and how it evolved from eccentric theology into a framework that justified murder.We cover: Chad Daybell's background as a gravedigger and cemetery sexton His self-published apocalyptic novels and claims they were visions from God The fringe LDS conference circuit and AVOW community How religious narcissism operates in high control religion Testimony about "light and dark ratings" and their escalation The "zombie" doctrine — how Chad Daybell taught that possessed people could only be destroyed The failed casting on Tammy Daybell and what happened next How the spreadsheets became evidence of premeditation If you're following the Daybell case closely, this episode provides essential psychological context for understanding how the murders were justified within Chad Daybell's belief system.Chad Daybell was convicted of first-degree murder in May 2024 and sentenced to death in June 2024.Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePodThis publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.#ChadDaybell #DaybellTrial #LightAndDark #ZombieDoctrine #LoriVallow #CultLeader #SpiritualAbuse #ReligiousTrauma #TrialEvidence #HighControlReligion

October 2018. A "Preparing a People" conference in Utah. Chad Daybell walks up to Lori Vallow and tells her they were married in a past life.This is the moment everything changed.Part 1 of "The Chosen Ones" examines how Chad Daybell used spiritual love bombing to transform Lori from a devoted LDS mother into someone who believed she was "a god assigned to carry out the work of the 144,000."We break down the mechanics of spiritual abuse:First, he made her feel seen. Chad Daybell told her she was special, chosen, set apart. He said he could recognize her spiritual significance when no one else could.Then, he made her feel exempt. According to testimony, Lori would say "It doesn't count for me" when doing things that would normally require repentance. Chad Daybell had convinced her the rules didn't apply to someone at her level.Then came the labels. Charles wasn't her husband anymore — he was a demon named "Ned." The children weren't her children — they were "zombies" possessed by dark spirits.This episode traces the path from that first conference to Charles Vallow's death in July 2019. We examine the AVOW community, the fringe LDS conference circuit, and the belief system Chad Daybell built that would eventually justify murder.If you're following the Daybell case — or if you've experienced religious trauma yourself — this episode provides essential psychological context.Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePodThis publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.#ChadDaybell #LoriVallow #DaybellCase #SpiritualAbuse #ReligiousTrauma #LoveBombing #CultPsychology #HighControlReligion #AVOW #Deconstruction

Lori Vallow Daybell is serving seven life sentences. Chad Daybell is on death row. Combined, they owe hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution to the families of Tylee Ryan, JJ Vallow, Tammy Daybell, and Charles Vallow. They will never pay it. But under Idaho's current Son of Sam law, there's a disturbing possibility: they could still profit from media deals.This week, Idaho Senator Tammy Nichols introduced legislation to modernize the state's 48-year-old statute — and the Daybell case was explicitly on her mind. The bill unanimously advanced out of committee for a public hearing. It addresses streaming rights, podcasts, and digital monetization that didn't exist when the original law was written in 1978.Here's the problem with the current law: payments to convicted criminals go into escrow for five years. If victims' families don't file civil lawsuits in time, the money eventually goes to the criminal. Chad Daybell's self-published doomsday prophecy novels — the books that started this entire nightmare — may still exist for sale somewhere. Whether they're generating income, and where that money goes, remains unclear under current law.The new bill requires anyone who pays an offender or "exploits the notoriety of a crime" to send payment to the state treasurer. Escrow periods can be extended by court order. Exceptions exist for news and documentary work where offenders receive only "normal interview fees" — protecting journalism while preventing killers from cashing in.Senator Nichols cited the Daybell case specifically when presenting the bill: "Just seeing trials like that... there's usually, eventually, book deals, movie deals... I just didn't feel that it was appropriate for criminals to be able to profit off of those."For the families of Tylee, JJ, and Tammy, this is about basic accountability. We break down what the bill does — and what it means for the Daybell case.#LoriVallowDaybell #ChadDaybell #DaybellTrial #TyleeRyan #JJVallow #TammyDaybell #SonOfSamLaw #IdahoMurders #DoomsdayCult #TrueCrimeJoin Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspodInstagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/tonybpodListen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.

Three women. Three abductions. Same beliefs. Same geography. Same church.Elleshia Seymour is now in Croatian custody after allegedly fleeing Utah with her four children because she believed the apocalypse was coming. She left behind a to-do list instructing herself to shred documents and buy a burner phone. She left a note she described as a "message from God." And she left a secret TikTok account filled with videos warning that Salt Lake City would be destroyed and COVID vaccines were turning people into zombies.Her children — ages 11, 8, 7, and 3 — are now trapped in a state-run orphanage in Dubrovnik. Their father is there. He can see them two hours a day. The three-year-old doesn't understand why he can't go home.This case would be disturbing enough on its own. But Elleshia Seymour isn't an anomaly. She's a pattern.Lori Vallow believed the same things. Her children J.J. and Tylee were murdered — their bodies found in her boyfriend Chad Daybell's backyard. Spring Thibaudeau believed the same things. She fled toward Canada with her teenage son before the FBI caught her.All three women came from LDS backgrounds. All three developed apocalyptic beliefs centered on the same theology — the same "end times" doctrine the Church teaches as mainstream. All three left children traumatized or dead.The LDS Church is worth an estimated $265 billion. It was fined by the SEC for hiding its wealth. It excommunicated Chad Daybell — but only after the murders. It excommunicated Julie Rowe — but only after years of influence.This is the story of a radicalization pipeline that keeps producing victims — and an institution that keeps looking the other way.#ElleshiaSeymour #LoriVallow #ChadDaybell #MormonDoomsday #LDSChurch #DoomsdayMom #TrueCrime #CroatiaAbduction #ChildAbduction #ReligiousExtremismJoin Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspodInstagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/tonybpodListen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.

Lori Vallow Daybell wants a new trial. Prosecutors just explained why she'll never get one. The Idaho Attorney General's office filed a 59-page brief this week responding to the "Cult Mom's" appeal, and it's a comprehensive takedown of all five constitutional claims. Her attorney conflict argument? Mark Means represented both Lori and Chad Daybell at the same time — co-conspirators in a capital murder case. Chad paid for the representation. The court had no choice but to disqualify him. Her speedy trial claim? She was found incompetent twice, resulting in 353 days of delays. She requested the venue change. You don't get to cause delays and then complain about them. The Arizona evidence showing the "dark spirit" pattern was properly admitted because it proved intent, plan, and modus operandi. Charles Vallow was declared "dark" and killed. Brandon Boudreaux was declared "dark" and shot at. Tammy Daybell was declared "dark" and died. JJ and Tylee were declared "dark" — and their bodies were found buried in Chad's backyard. Seven-year-old JJ was suffocated with a plastic bag taped over his head. Tylee's remains were burned. Lori spent those months collecting their Social Security in Hawaii. The Idaho Supreme Court will hear this appeal eventually. But the state's response makes clear: there's no constitutional violation here. Just a convicted murderer looking for an exit.#LoriVallowDaybell #Appeal #IdahoSupremeCourt #TrueCrime #ChadDaybell #JJVallow #TyleeRyan #CultMom #DoomsdayMom #CourtUpdateJoin Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISDOES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspodInstagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/tonybpodListen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872This publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.

As part of our Hidden Killers 2025 Year in Review series, we revisit the opening week of one of the most sensational murder trials in America — the Arizona case of Lori Vallow Daybell, the self-proclaimed “Doomsday Mom” now defending herself against charges of conspiracy to murder her fourth husband, Charles Vallow.In this two-part breakdown, Tony Brueski teams up with former prosecutor and defense attorney Eric Faddis and retired FBI Behavioral Analysis Chief Robin Dreeke to unpack the chaotic courtroom drama, bizarre legal strategy, and psychological meltdown that have turned this trial into both a legal cautionary tale and a study in delusional self-belief.In part one, Tony and Eric dissect the prosecution’s sharp, disciplined opening statement — a methodical narrative of motive, manipulation, and murder. Prosecutors allege Lori conspired with her brother, Alex Cox, to eliminate Charles for a $1 million life insurance policy and clear the path to marry apocalyptic author Chad Daybell. With evidence including religious texts misused to justify killing, texts to Alex invoking scripture (“I will be like Nephi”), and forensic proof that Charles was shot twice — one bullet fired after he collapsed, the state paints a chilling picture of faith twisted into fanaticism.Then comes the chaos. Lori, representing herself, opens with rambling monologues, misplaced objections, and narcissistic cross-examinations that seem designed more to satisfy curiosity than to construct a defense. Her fixation on her late husband’s private life leaves jurors bewildered and prosecutors almost amused. As Faddis notes, “It’s like watching someone try to build a house without knowing what a hammer does.”Part two turns darker, as Robin Dreeke analyzes the devastating testimony of Alex Cox, now deceased but still very much present in the trial through recordings, statements, and evidence. Dreeke explores how narcissism, shared delusion, and familial loyalty intertwine in Lori’s world — and how her brother’s past words now serve as the prosecution’s most powerful witness.Was Lori’s courtroom confidence a sign of faith — or pure delusion? And how does a woman who once claimed divine authority handle being her own undoing?🎙️ Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski — 2025 Year in Review: The Trials, The Psychology, and The Crimes That Defined the Year.#LoriVallowDaybell #CharlesVallow #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #EricFaddis #RobinDreeke #TrueCrimePodcast #DoomsdayMom #CultPsychology #CourtroomDrama #SelfRepresentation #ChadDaybell #FamilyConspiracy #YearInReview #TrueCrimeTodayWant to comment and watch this podcast as a video?Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspodInstagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/tonybpodListen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872

As part of our Hidden Killers 2025 Year in Review series, we revisit one of the most surreal and unsettling trials in modern American true crime — the Arizona murder trial of Lori Vallow Daybell, the so-called Doomsday Mom who’s decided to defend herself in court while accused of orchestrating the murder of her fourth husband, Charles Vallow.This episode pulls listeners straight into the Chandler, Arizona home where it all happened: two bullets, one body, and forty-seven silent minutes before anyone called for help. Tony Brueski and Defense Attorney Bob Motta (Defense Diaries) dissect the prosecution’s opening narrative — one of delusion, greed, and cold calculation — and the defense’s bizarre self-representation strategy that’s turning the courtroom into a psychological sideshow.Prosecutors allege Lori conspired with her brother, Alex Cox, to kill Charles for a $1 million life insurance payout and to clear the way to marry her apocalyptic “soulmate,” Chad Daybell. The evidence? Texts invoking scripture to justify murder (“I will be like Nephi”), phone records revealing coordination, and chilling forensic details showing Charles was shot twice — the second bullet fired downward after he collapsed. Firefighters testified the scene looked staged: no CPR, no struggle, and an eerily spotless floor. Lori, meanwhile, was running errands — Burger King, Walgreens, dropping off her son — as her husband’s body cooled on the tile.But this isn’t just about evidence; it’s about ego and delusion on trial. Motta breaks down Lori’s decision to act as her own lawyer — fumbling through legal jargon, cross-examining witnesses who seem to know more law than she does, and repeatedly trying to exclude “inconvenient” evidence from the record. As he puts it, Lori’s courtroom presence is “less Harvard Law, more hostage to her own hubris.”The prosecution, for its part, is playing this round differently — keeping the talk of “zombies” and dark spirits to a minimum while focusing on motive, money, and manipulation. The goal: strip away the spiritual theatrics and reveal the human greed underneath.🎙️ Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski — 2025 Year in Review: The Trials, The Delusions, and The Darkness That Defined the Year.#LoriVallowDaybell #CharlesVallow #HiddenKillers #TonyBrueski #BobMotta #DefenseDiaries #TrueCrimePodcast #DoomsdayMom #ChadDaybell #MurderTrial #CourtroomDrama #ReligiousDelusion #ApocalypticBeliefs #YearInReview #TrueCrimeTodayWant to comment and watch this podcast as a video?Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspodInstagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/tonybpodListen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872