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Judge wants progress report on Lori Vallow's mental competency

Vallow was ordered by a judge back in June to be committed to a mental health facility for up to 90 days. On Monday, the status hearing was pushed back until Sept. 8
Credit: KTVB
A composite image of Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow.

FREMONT COUNTY, Idaho — Attorneys for Lori Vallow, an Idaho mom accused of killing her two children, appeared before a judge Monday afternoon.

Vallow and her husband Chad Daybell were indicted in Fremont County on June 8 on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, grand theft by deception, grand theft, and insurance fraud.

They are accused of killing both Vallow's children, 16-year-old Tylee Ryan and 7-year-old JJ Vallow. The children's bodies were unearthed in June 2020 on Daybell's Fremont County property.

Neither the indictment nor prosecutors have shed any more light on how the children are believed to have been killed.

Vallow and Daybell are also accused of conspiring to kill Daybell's then-wife, Tammy Daybell, who was found dead in her bed in October 2019. Chad Daybell is also charged directly in his wife's murder, although Vallow is not.

Vallow was ordered by a judge back in June to be committed to a mental health facility for up to 90 days. That ruling put her trial on hold. 

On Monday, Judge Steven Boyce told attorneys for Vallow and the state of Idaho during a status conference that he had received two letters from the Department of Health and Welfare written by the treating physician. However, he stated those letters did not rise to the level of being an adequate progress report on her competency.

Attorneys for both sides agreed with Judge Boyce who then decided to set another status hearing for Sept. 8. The current order for Vallow will be extended until then. Boyce said he expects to receive a more complete progress report from the state before the next hearing.  The proceeding, which last less than 10 minutes, then concluded.

A motion hearing for Chad Daybell was scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Monday before Judge Boyce and was to follow the Vallow hearing.  However, that hearing was not broadcast online and was closed to the public. We are still working to find out what happened during those proceedings and will update this story when we get any new information.

Prosecutors have said they plan to seek the death penalty for Daybell. He is scheduled to stand trial on Nov. 8, 2021.

Watch more on the case of JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan:

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