USA: couple of esoteric cults charged with triple homicide, including two children

In their eyes, their victims had become zombies.

A couple following the theories of the apocalypse appeared before a judge on Wednesday after being charged with a triple murder, including those of the two children of the wife in the US state of Idaho.

Lori Vallow, follower of theories mixing end of the world and reincarnation, and Chad Daybell, author of esoteric books, appeared by video conference, two days after being indicted by a special jury for killing 16-year-old Tylee Ryan , and Joshua "JJ" Vallow, a 7 year old boy with autism, in this northwestern state of the country.

The two children were last seen alive in September 2019 and their bodies were found in June 2020 near Chad Daybell's home in Rexburg, a small town in the rural state.

Chad Daybell is also accused of killing his wife, Tammy, in October 2019, two weeks before he moved with Lori Vallow to Hawaii, where the couple married.

Series of deaths in the family sphere

The two spouses are also accused of fraud.

Lori Vallow continued to receive child benefit after Tylee and JJ went missing, and Chad Daybell took advantage of two life insurance policies taken out in his wife's name.

They face the death penalty or several sentences of at least 10 years in prison.

The case began with a report in November 2019 of the children's grandparents, worried about having no more news.

The investigation took a gruesome turn when police discovered a series of deaths in the entourage of Lori Vallow and her new husband.

Besides Tammy Daybell, Ms Vallow's third husband, Joseph Ryan, Tylee's father, died in 2018, apparently of a heart attack.

In July 2019, her fourth husband Charles Vallow, with whom she was divorcing, was killed by Lori's brother Alex Cox, who said he was acting in self-defense. He himself died the following December after being found unconscious at his home. According to investigators, the couple claimed to have to "get rid" of evil spirits who turned some people into "zombies" and prevented their soul from accessing paradise. Lori Vallow considered her two children to be "zombies". Chad Daybell is scheduled to appear again on June 9. Lori Vallow's next appearance has not been announced as she requested a postponement.