New Video Shows Lori Vallow’s Ex-Husband Reported Her Months Before He Was Killed

Newly released police body camera footage shows Lori Vallow’s ex-husband Charles telling authorities he believed she had “lost her mind,” months before he was shot to death and their children went missing. The Gilbert, Arizona police footage, dated January 31, 2019, shows Charles Vallow telling officers he was unable to get in touch with his children — JJ and Tylee — and that he was concerned his ex-wife posed a threat to himself and them. 

At the time, Charles had just returned to their Arizona home from a business trip to Houston. In the video, obtained by NBC Phoenix affiliate KPNX, Charles tells the officers he believed Lori took his truck and locked him out of the house. After telling police he had tried for two days to get a hold of her and the children with no luck, he said he believed she could be a danger to their family. 

“She’s threatened me, to murder me, kill me,” he told authorities, later adding, “She lost her reality." When asked by officers how the Idaho woman might pose a threat to their children, Charles replied, "I don’t know what she’s going to do with them. Flee with them. Hurt them."

Charles told police Lori’s religious beliefs had recently changed and that she had been talking about being a God. According to him, Lori also told him at the time that someone had taken over his body. “She said ‘You’re not Charles,’" he told police. "’I don’t know who you are, what you did with Charles but I can murder you now with my powers.’"

In the video, police then ask Charles what he thinks she meant by statements about God and his body. "So, she’s speaking as a spiritual being?" the officers asked. "She’s not here," Charles said. "She lost her reality.”

Later that same day, Lori went into the police station to give her side of the story, alerting officers that she told Charles not to come home. She then voluntarily received a mental health check requested by her husband and was released. Charles Vallow was shot and killed five months later during an altercation with Lori’s brother, Alex Cox. Lori Vallow married her now-husband, doomsday novel author Chad Daybell, in November 2019. This was only four months after Charles' death. Daybell's former wife also unexpectedly died three weeks prior to his wedding.

As a result of the unexplained deaths and disappearances surrounding Lori Vallow, and the fact that she fled Hawaii after being unable to account for her own children, many believe that she is part of some doomsday conspiracy. Prior to his death, Charles filed for divorce due to Lori's radical “doomsday beliefs” and a fear for his life. Charles stated in the filing that Lori believes she is “a god assigned to carry out the work of the 144,000 at Christ's second coming in July 2020.” The Vallow children, 7-year-old JJ and 17-year-old Tylee, have been missing since September when their mother and uncle took them to visit Yellowstone National Park. 

Lori Vallow is currently in police custody in Idaho where she faces two felony charges for desertion and nonsupport of children, as well as resisting or obstructing officers, criminal solicitation to commit a crime, contempt of court, and willful disobedience of court process or order. She and Daybell, are also being investigated for murder, attempted murder and conspiracy in the death of Daybell’s former wife, Tammy.