Ever had that friend who gets way too into essential oils or CrossFit? Well, Lori Vallow skipped right past the harmless hobby phase and dove headfirst into apocalyptic cult territory. And unlike your cousin’s weird MLM scheme, this one ended with multiple bodies.
I’ve been following this case since those kids first went missing, and let me tell you—it’s the kind of story that makes you check your doors twice before bed. (I certainly did, much to Ryan’s annoyance.)
From Mormon Mom to “Exalted Goddess”
Lori started out normal enough—raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, married a few times, had kids. You know, the usual life trajectory. But somewhere along the way, her religious interests took a sharp turn into the land of yikes.
In October 2018, she met Chad Daybell at a “Preparing a People” event. If that name sounds like the title of a low-budget apocalypse movie, your instincts are spot on.
Chad, a self-published author of doomsday fiction (red flag the size of Texas), convinced Lori she was an “exalted goddess” destined to lead the chosen 144,000 people through the end times. Nothing says healthy relationship like “honey, you’re a deity and everyone else is expendable.”
The Beliefs That Kill
Their spiritual cocktail was one part Mormon theology, two parts apocalypse fantasy, with a splash of “making it up as we go.” The resulting mixture was as toxic as my college roommate’s jungle juice.
They developed a ranking system of “light” and “dark” spirits—essentially spiritual Yelp reviews for humans. Those with high “vibrations” were spiritually enlightened. Those with low vibrations? Well, they were just zombies possessed by evil spirits.
And what do you do with zombies? According to testimony from former group members, you “cast them out”—which apparently meant something far more permanent than sage-smudging your apartment.
The Family That Prays Together… Stays Missing Together
Here’s where my true crime obsession gets genuinely heartbreaking. Lori’s children, 16-year-old Tylee Ryan and 7-year-old J.J. Vallow, disappeared in September 2019. When questioned, Lori claimed J.J. was staying with a friend in Arizona. (Pro tip for future murderers: pick a better lie. This one’s as convincing as “my dog ate my homework.”)
For months, she refused to cooperate with authorities. Meanwhile, she and Chad were living their best lives in Hawaii—getting married on the beach while her children were nowhere to be found.
The horrific details of the Vallow-Daybell murders eventually came to light when the children’s remains were discovered buried on Chad’s property in June 2020. I still remember exactly where I was when that news broke—standing in my kitchen, coffee mug halfway to my mouth, completely frozen.
The Cult Connection
What makes this case so fascinating (in that can’t-look-away-from-a-car-crash kind of way) is how their beliefs justified everything. According to members of their spiritual inner circle, Lori and Chad believed they were on a divine mission to prepare for the Second Coming by eliminating “dark” individuals.
The group operated like a spiritual pyramid scheme—Chad at the top, Lori as his goddess-queen, and various followers beneath them, all striving to raise their “vibrations” and make the cut for the apocalypse team.
Lori reportedly encouraged followers to cut ties with their children as part of their spiritual journey. Because nothing says “enlightened being” like abandoning your offspring. (I can barely leave my cat alone for a weekend without guilt-texting the pet sitter hourly.)
The Warning Signs We All Miss
What terrifies me most about this case isn’t just the murders—it’s how easily people can slide from mainstream beliefs into dangerous extremism without anyone raising serious alarms.
The progression from “attending church on Sundays” to “my kids are zombies who need to be eliminated” doesn’t happen overnight. There were warning signs—increasingly bizarre religious statements, cutting off family members, sudden moves across states.
But in a world where we’re all told to respect religious differences and not judge others’ spiritual journeys, these red flags often get dismissed as “just Karen being Karen.”
Next time your friend starts talking about vibrations, portals, and how certain people are “dark,” maybe check their basement. Just saying.