A mother associated with a ‘Doomsday’ cult mercilessly took the lives of her two children, convinced that they were ‘zombies’. Lori Vallow Daybell was convicted of murdering her children, Tylee Ryan and Joshua ‘JJ’ Vallow, alongside conspiracy to murder her husband’s former wife, Tammy Daybell, and grand theft. The trial revealed Vallow Daybell’s extreme beliefs influenced by her partner in the cult, Chad Daybell.

Chad Daybell, her fifth husband, espoused bizarre teachings, claiming to have lived multiple lives on different planets and shared past lives with Vallow Daybell. In his teachings, he categorized individuals as “light” or “dark”, associating darkness with followers of Satan and light with followers of Jesus Christ. Reports indicated his belief in ‘zombies’, described as deceased people inhabited by evil spirits.

The couple believed that their children, Tylee and JJ, were ‘zombies’ and thought killing their physical bodies would release their souls. Vallow Daybell, during her conviction speech in 2023, spoke of heavenly experiences during childbirth, claiming a divine connection to Jesus Christ and the spiritual realm.

Vallow Daybell’s son, Colby Ryan, who was not at home during the tragic events, participated in a panel discussion in 2025 at CrimeCon in Denver. During the panel, journalist Nate Eaton relayed a message from Vallow Daybell expressing love for her son and referring to a Bible verse. Colby perceived his mother’s message as an attempt to portray herself as righteous.

Despite the message, Colby indicated he had no desire to communicate with his mother again. Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell faced separate trials, with Vallow Daybell receiving a life sentence in 2023 and Chad Daybell facing the death penalty in 2024. Vallow Daybell was later convicted in Arizona for conspiring to murder additional individuals.