The high-profile trial of “doomsday cult mom” Lori Vallow who is accused of killing her two children and new husband’s ex-wife has got underway in Boise, Idaho.
Ms Vallow, 49, is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy and grand theft in connection over the deaths of her daughter Tylee Ryan, 16, and son Joshua “JJ” Vallow, seven.
Tylee and JJ were last seen alive in September 2019. Their bodies were found buried on Ms Vallow’s new husband Chad Daybell’s property in Idaho in June 2020.
Ms Vallow is also charged with conspiracy to murder Mr Daybell’s first wife Tammy Daybell, who died suddenly in her sleep in October 2019.
Ms Vallow has pleaded not guilty to all charges in a dramatic case spanning a string of murders, unexplained deaths and bizarre cult beliefs about killing zombies.
Jury selection took place last week in Ada County Courthouse with a pool of 1,800 potential jurors narrowed down to 12 jurors and six alternates on Friday.
As the trial gets under way, Ms Vallow will be forced to come face to face with JJ’s grandparents after Judge Steven Boyce denied her request to ban them from the courtroom.
