Opening statements were delivered Monday in an Arizona case against Lori Daybell, who was charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the death of Charles Vallow, her fourth husband.
Daybell’s brother, Alex Cox, killed Vallow after an argument in Chandler and claimed self-defense. However, a Maricopa County grand jury later indicted Lori Daybell, alleging she played a role in planning the killing.
She is also accused of conspiring to kill her niece's ex-husband, Brandon Boudreaux, the same year, but that case will be tried at a later date.
Cox died after the shooting of apparent natural causes and was never charged.
Prosecution wrapped its opening statement Monday around noon.
While waiting for jurors that were running late Monday morning, there was a discussion regarding Lori’s desire to call Boudreaux as a witness. He was struck from the list without prejudice, meaning the defense can try again. The Judge said they would have to show evidence of relevancy to the case. Boudreaux was allowed to come back in the room and sit with family members of Vallow.
Prosecutor Treena Kay kicked off opening statements by reading a message she says Lori sent to Cox. Kay said that message served as a sort of call to action for Cox, insisting Vallow’s death was not accidental or a matter of self-defense.
VIDEO: Watch the prosecution's opening statement on Monday, April 7:
Video: Watch Daybell's opening statement on Monday, April 7:
Kay said the jury will see text messages, crime scene photos and hear from people close to Lori. Prosecutors insisted this was all a plot used by Lori to enable her to start a new life with doomsday author Chad Daybell. The plan, Kay said, was to cash in on Vallow’s $1 million insurance policy.
Prosecutors also said Cox and Lori used religion and an idea of zombies to justify Vallow’s death, telling people his body had been taken over by someone named “Ned”.
Prosecutors claimed that on the day Vallow was shot, Cox didn’t call 911 for over 45 minutes. Kay said that during that time, he staged the crime scene but made mistakes. She told the jury Vallow was shot twice, and testimony there will be testimony from the Medical Examiner about the injuries. She said all evidence will show, the second shot fired came when Vallow was already on the ground.
Kay said evidence and testimony will show this was a planned murder.
Daybell is acting as her own attorney during this Arizona trial. She has court-appointed legal advisers who can take over her defense if needed.
The trial is expected to last up to six weeks.
The jury selection process was quicker than expected and took just a couple of days. In total, there are 16 jurors — three women and 13 men. Some of them will end up serving as alternates, but they won't know until the end of the trial.
Daybell is already serving a life sentence in Idaho after being convicted of murdering her two youngest children, 7-year-old J.J. Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan, and conspiring to kill her fifth husband’s previous wife, Tammy Daybell.
Earlier this year, an Idaho jury found her husband, Chad Daybell, guilty of the 2019 murders of J.J., Tylee, and Tammy.
