Lori Vallow, the “doomsday” mom accused of murdering her two children and burying their remains in a makeshift pet cemetery, was declared unfit for trial Thursday — even as police announced new charges in the death of her ex-husband.
Prosecutors charged Vallow, 47, with multiple counts of first-degree murder earlier this week for allegedly killing her two kids — 17-year-old Tylee Ryan and 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow — but an Idaho judge ruled Thursday she is not “competent to proceed” with the case, according to court records.
Fremont County District Judge Steven Boyce wrote in an order that a psychological competency evaluation was ordered on March 8 after Vallow’s “fitness to proceed” was questioned by counsel.
A licensed clinical psychologist conducted the evaluation and found Vallow was not mentally fit to proceed with the case and recommended “restorative treatment,” court records show — referring to a legal term for therapy that’s done when there’s an expectation the condition will improve in a reasonable time frame.
The ruling came the same day cops in Chandler, Arizona announced it would submit a conspiracy to commit first-degree murder charge against Vallow in the death of her fourth husband, Charles Vallow, according to the local NBC affiliate 12 News.
Local prosecutors will ultimately decide whether to pursue the charge.
Charles Vallow was shot to death by Lori Vallow’s brother, Alex Cox, during a fight in Chandler in July 2019, according to investigators. Cox claimed it was self defense but the case was ruled a homicide.
The Chandler Police Department submitted the new charges on April 1 after coordinating with investigators in Idaho, but they previously went unreported, according to the station.
Other details about the alleged conspiracy were not immediately available.
Vallow was previously charged with hiding her children’s remains and following her indictment on the murder charges, she was set to make her initial appearance in the case on Wednesday but the appearance was delayed and then postponed.
Judge Faren Eddins had said during the virtual hearing that Vallow’s counsel had made an oral motion to continue the proceeding in chambers prior to the start of the appearance, which he granted without explanation even though the state opposed.
Boyce’s Thursday order notes prosecutors are contesting the psychologist’s findings, so a hearing will be held in the future to determine how the case should proceed.
Vallow and her husband Chad Daybell are both members of the doomsday cult Preparing a People and allegedly espoused and taught “religious beliefs” with the purpose of “justifying” their kids’ deaths, prosecutors allege.
People close to the Idaho mom previously said she thought her children were possessed and zombies.
