ADA COUNTY, Idaho — The murder trial against Lori Vallow, or Lori Vallow Daybell, entered its fifth day of witness testimony Friday.
On Thursday, the jury heard from key witness Melanie Gibb, Lori Vallow's former friend, and Chandler Police Detective Nathan Duncan. Duncan, who testified to the investigation into the shooting of Charles Vallow, was back on the stand Friday morning. Typically, evidence from separate cases are not allowed in a murder trial, but Fremont County Judge Steven Boyce made an exception -- he instructed the jury that the evidence from Charles Vallow's murder is allowed only to show motive and nothing else.
Charles Vallow was shot and killed by Alex Cox, Lori Vallow's brother, in what he said was self-defense after a heated argument. Cox has since died, but Lori Vallow was indicted in her husband's death in Arizona for conspiracy to commit murder.
Cameras are not allowed in the courtroom, but KTVB investigative and courts reporter Alexandra Duggan was there, bringing updates below:
3:30 p.m.: Court adjourns for the day after John Thomas, Lori Vallow's defense attorney, began his cross-examination of Pastenes.
He asked if she was gullible -- Pastenes said, "I see people's positive side... I try to believe their intentions are always good. I have become a lot more cautious since meeting Chad and Lori. My views have changed."
Thomas inquired about the 'castings' the group did on Charles Vallow in order to get the evil spirits to exit his body. Pastenes said that she believed castings can happen, as they are in the Bible, but that Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow mixed in their own teachings and reasonings. She doesn't believe in what they told her anymore, she said.
Thomas asked why.
“There are two children that died, a mother of five who died. I would consider that evil now," Pastenes said.
She also told Thomas that she was taught the only way to get rid of an evil spirit or demon is if you burn or bind the body in order to not let another demon in "in a two minute window."
"It had nothing to do with physical burning?" Thomas asked. Pastenes said yes.
Her testimony will continue on Tuesday, April 18, as there is no trial scheduled for Monday, April 17.
2:15 p.m.: Pastenes explains the 'light and dark' system. Tylee Ryan was a 4.1 'dark.' Lori Vallow was a 4.3 'light.'
Lori Vallow would tell Pastenes how long people were going to live, she said.
"She told me JJ was going to have a very short life," Pastenes said.
Alex Cox, Lori Vallow's brother, believed all of this, Pastenes said. He believed he was his sister's protector "and took it seriously."
1:56 p.m.: Pastenes describes the night Tammy Daybell was shot at on Oct. 9, 2019. She said she was with Lori Vallow, doing a 'casting' on Tammy Daybell to a demon named 'Viola' when she got a phone call. Lori Vallow seemed angry, Pastenes said.
"She was scary angry" Pastenes said. She overhears Lori Vallow say, "Idiot, can't do anything right."
Dec. 11, 2019, Alex Cox was speaking to Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell over the phone when Pastenes walked in. The discussion revolved around Tammy Daybell's body being exhumed that day.
Pastenes said she was questioning Cox over the death of Tammy Daybell. “Alex was very quiet, unresponsive. He said ‘I think I'm being their fall guy.’ I said fall guy for what? What have you done? He said 'either i am a man of God or I am not.'"
Cox dies the next day of natural causes.
12:57 p.m.: Pastenes said she asked Lori Vallow how she was financing moving to Rexburg from Arizona. Lori Vallow told her she was receiving multiple social security benefits from the deaths of her husbands.
When Pastenes went to visit Lori Vallow in Rexburg, she asked her where Tylee Ryan was. Pastenes said Lori Vallow told her, "she had to be free" and "don't ask."
Pastenes claims she also said Tylee Ryan was possessed by a demon named 'Hillary.'
11:45 a.m.: Pastenes says their group of friends did multiple 'castings' to release the demons from Charles Vallow.
"Lori said the reason Charles moved to Texas was there were doctors there that helped people" with possession "to keep the body alive."
Pastenes said Lori Vallow told her she was instructed to "cleanse the Earth" of evil spirits.
11:15 a.m.: Pastenes describes meeting Lori Vallow and attending the Utah conference where Lori Vallow met Chad Daybell.
The group began spending time together and Daybell eventually blessed Pastenes, telling her she had multiple lives on Earth.
"He told me i had been Lori's daughter, and during that probation I had been killed at a young age, age 14, that I had been raped and my body had been dismembered," Pastenes told the jury.
10:15 a.m.: Zulema Pastenes, Alex Cox's wife when he died, is expected to testify. She was also Lori Vallow's good friend and a part of their religious groups.
9:45 a.m.: Many text messages from multiple iCloud accounts belonging to Lori Vallow are shown to the jury.
Alex Cox texts Lori Vallow about "Ned" the spirit that they believe is possessing Charles Vallow.
Cox tells Lori Vallow, "Have fun and get rid of Ned already."
On July 7, 2019, days before Charles Vallow is shot, Lori Vallow tells Cox, "They are planning some kind of intervention," and "Thank you for standing by me, it's all coming to a head this week."
A week after his death, Lori Vallow texts Chad Daybell, "I just got the letter from the insurance company saying I'm not the beneficiary. It's a spear to my heart." She then says she believed Kay Woodcock, her son's grandmother, changed the life insurance policy to benefit herself.
Chad Daybell tells her, "That's terrible."
Later that month, Chad Daybell texts Lori Vallow he feels like "Harry Potter under the stairs" because when he is released, he gets to see her. "I sense permanent freedom is coming," he writes.
In another text to her, Chad Daybell writes about "death percentages" that "helped track" Charles Vallow. "Tammy is close... Her percentage has fallen."
Text messages are also shown to the jury between Lori Vallow and Zulema Pastenes, Alex Cox's wife. Lori Vallow tells her she was "given instructions" to "rip, tear or burn" to let energy out of the body.
On Sept. 3, 2019, just days before Tylee Ryan is last seen, Alex Cox texts Lori Vallow their Wi-Fi information.
"Network name is anti-Laman and password is 2manykids."
Laman, in the Book of Mormon, is known for his rebellion against his fathers and brothers.
Lori Vallow replies, "Funny!!"
9:02 a.m.: Lori Vallow emails Chad Daybell under a fake name pretending to be Charles Vallow, asking Daybell to help "him" write a book and come down to visit. These emails are presented to the jury.
Charles Vallow finds this email and begins confronting his wife and the Daybell's. At this time, Lori Vallow is telling her family that Charles Vallow had been unfaithful to her.
In an email to Tammy Daybell, he writes: "Tammy, my name is Charles Vallow. I have disturbing information regarding your husband and my wife... I apologize to be the one sending this, but something has to be done."
In an email to Lori Vallow, he writes:
“It just keeps killing me. Maybe that's your goal."
“There really is something wrong with you. I don't want to do what i have to do but you have to be exposed for what you really are."
“Lying has become second nature to you.”
“You have destroyed me. Please tell me why. Please."
“We have a son to raise, but that's all we have in common. I will work with you in his best interest and be there Monday evening.”
“I've been entirely faithful to you since the first day we’ve met."
Right before Charles Vallow is shot, he texts Lori Vallow's other brother, Adam Cox: "Al is here." Adam Cox responds, "They're planning something."
8:35 a.m.: Lori Vallow appears wearing a black blazer and glasses. The prosecution calls back Det. Nathan Duncan.