Lori Vallow Claims Divine Exoneration: ‘Jesus Showed Me We’ll Be Free’

Imagine sitting in a prison cell, convicted of some of the most horrific crimes imaginable, and still believing you’ll walk free one day. That’s exactly what Lori Vallow, the Idaho mother found guilty of murdering her own children, is claiming in a stunning new interview. Speaking from behind bars, where she’s serving life without parole, Lori insists that she and her husband, Chad Daybell—who’s on death row—will be exonerated. Why? Because, she says, Jesus told her so.

As a crime reporter who’s followed this twisted case from the start, I’m here to break it all down for you—why she’s saying this, what it means, and whether there’s any chance she’s right. Buckle up, because this story is as wild as it gets.

Who Is Lori Vallow? A Quick Recap of a Shocking Case

If you’re new to this saga, let’s get you up to speed. Lori Vallow, sometimes called the “Doomsday Mom,” grabbed headlines in 2019 when her two kids—16-year-old Tylee Ryan and 7-year-old Joshua “JJ” Vallow—vanished without a trace. At the time, Lori had just married Chad Daybell, a self-proclaimed prophet with some seriously out-there religious ideas. Months later, in June 2020, the kids’ remains turned up buried in Chad’s backyard in Idaho. And that’s not all—Chad’s first wife, Tammy Daybell, had died mysteriously just weeks before his wedding to Lori, a death later ruled a homicide.

Fast forward to 2023: after a gripping trial, Lori was convicted of murdering Tylee and JJ, plus conspiring to kill Tammy. Chad got the same guilty verdict, landing him a death sentence. The evidence? Overwhelming. The motive? A bizarre mix of greed and apocalyptic beliefs. So, when Lori Vallow says she’ll be exonerated, it’s not just surprising—it’s downright baffling.

Lori Vallow’s Bombshell Prison Interview

“I have seen things in the future that Jesus showed me when I was in heaven. And we were not in jail, and we were not in prison.”

In March 2025, Dateline aired an exclusive interview with Lori Vallow, and it’s safe to say jaws hit the floor. Sitting in her orange jumpsuit, handcuffs clinking, she looked straight at the camera and declared, “I have seen things in the future that Jesus showed me when I was in heaven. And we were not in jail and we were not in prison and they were still in the future, from now.” Yep, you read that right—she’s banking on divine visions to rewrite her fate.

Keith Morrison, the seasoned Dateline host, pressed her for details, but Lori stayed vague, leaning hard on her faith. She didn’t mention new evidence or legal loopholes—just these supposed glimpses of a free future. For a woman locked up for life, her confidence was eerie. But to understand why Lori Vallow believes this, we need to dig into her mind—and the strange world she and Chad built together.

The Doomsday Beliefs Driving Lori Vallow

Here’s where things get weird—and I mean really weird. Lori and Chad weren’t your average couple. They met through a fringe religious movement obsessed with the end of the world. Think less “Sunday church potluck” and more “stockpiling for Armageddon.” Their beliefs, loosely tied to Mormonism but way off the mainstream path, included something called “zombies.” Not the Walking Dead kind, but people they thought were possessed by evil spirits.

Prosecutors say Lori and Chad labeled Tylee, JJ, and Tammy as these so-called zombies, making their deaths some twisted act of salvation. During the trial, witnesses testified that Lori saw herself as a goddess-like figure chosen to usher in the Second Coming. Chad, meanwhile, wrote books about his “visions” and claimed to rank people on a light-to-dark spiritual scale. Together, they spiraled into a cult-like bubble where murder wasn’t just okay—it was holy.

So when Lori Vallow talks about Jesus showing her a future where she’s free, it’s not a random delusion. It’s the next chapter in a belief system that’s already cost lives.

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Background: The Rise of a Doomsday Believer

The Origins of the Vallow–Daybell Saga

Lori Vallow first entered national notoriety when her two children went missing in September 2019, only for their remains to be discovered buried in the backyard of Chad Daybell’s property in Idaho nearly nine months later. The ensuing investigation uncovered a web of shocking details:

• Bizarre Beliefs: Vallow and Daybell espoused an apocalyptic ideology rooted in distorted religious teachings loosely based on elements of Mormonism. They claimed to be on a divine mission, preparing for an imminent end-of-the-world scenario.
• Murder and Conspiracy: In 2023, Lori Vallow was convicted for the murders of her two children and for conspiring in the murder of Chad Daybell’s former wife, Tammy. Chad Daybell, convicted in a separate trial, is currently on death row.
• Cult Dynamics: Vallow’s case is frequently cited as one of the most disturbing examples of how extreme belief systems can lead to tragic outcomes. With chilling claims of possessing “special knowledge” from Jesus and even describing her role in casting out evil spirits, Vallow’s narrative defies conventional logic.

A Timeline of Tragedy

Over the past several years, the timeline of events has unfolded as follows:

• September 2019: Vallow’s children, JJ and Tylee, are last seen before disappearing.
• June 2020: The remains of the children are discovered in a makeshift pet cemetery on Chad Daybell’s property.
• 2023 Conviction: Lori Vallow is found guilty of multiple counts related to the murders.
• Prison Interview: In a recent interview for “Dateline,” Vallow renews her claims of innocence, asserting that divine visions have foretold her eventual exoneration.

This timeline not only outlines a series of heart-wrenching events but also sets the stage for the increasingly surreal narrative that Vallow continues to push.

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Analyzing the Claims: What Does Exoneration Mean?

The Legal and Moral Implications

For most people, the word “exonerated” means that the truth has come to light and that justice has been served. However, when Lori Vallow uses the term, it appears to be less about legal vindication and more about a deeply personal, albeit delusional, interpretation of events.

• A Spiritual Escape: Vallow’s insistence on eventual exoneration seems rooted in her belief that a higher power—Jesus Christ—has already granted her a form of pardon. This spiritual escape is, to her, proof that the earthly legal process is merely temporary.
• Defiance of Evidence: Her claim directly contradicts decades of investigative work, forensic evidence, and multiple convictions. Despite the incontrovertible evidence presented in court, Vallow maintains that her divine visions will ultimately prove her innocence.

The Role of Religious Delusion

Experts who have studied Vallow’s case suggest that she suffers from what is known as a religious delusional disorder. This condition can allow individuals to function in daily life while harboring extreme, often unshakeable, false beliefs in one area—in Vallow’s case, her divine connection and prophetic visions.

• Living in Two Realities: Despite being fully aware of the mundane realities of prison life—orange jumpsuits, handcuffs, and the constant reminder of her crimes—Vallow continues to exist in a parallel spiritual reality where she is destined for redemption.
• Impact on Her Family: Perhaps most tragically, her delusions have also profoundly affected her surviving family members. In her interview, her only surviving son, Colby Ryan, was brought to tears as he grappled with the horrifying implications of her narrative.

The Legal Fight: Can Lori Vallow Actually Get Out?

Okay, let’s talk reality. Lori’s serving life without parole, and Chad’s awaiting execution. But she’s not done fighting. In September 2023, her lawyer filed an appeal with the Idaho Supreme Court, tossing out 16 arguments—like claiming she wasn’t mentally fit for trial and that her speedy trial rights were violated. Before her 2023 trial, Lori spent 10 months in a mental hospital, only getting the green light to face a jury after intense evaluation.

Legal pros aren’t holding their breath. “The evidence was airtight,” says Russ Richelsoph, a criminal defense attorney who’s followed the case. “Witnesses, forensics, financial records—it all lined up.” Appeals like Lori’s rarely flip a conviction unless there’s a major screw-up, like tainted evidence or a biased judge. So far, nothing suggests that happened here.

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Arizona Charges Add Another Layer

Oh, and Idaho’s not the end of the road. Lori Vallow’s got more trouble brewing in Arizona. She’s charged with conspiring to kill her fourth husband, Charles Vallow—who was shot dead by her brother in 2019—and attempting to murder her niece’s ex, Brandon Boudreaux, who survived a drive-by shooting. Her Arizona trial, originally set for 2024, got pushed to March 2025. Here’s the kicker: she’s representing herself, which has courtroom watchers raising eyebrows. Is she banking on those Jesus visions in Arizona, too?

What Experts and the Public Are Saying

Lori Vallow’s exoneration claim has people talking—and not quietly. On social media, reactions range from disbelief to disgust. “She’s lost it,” one X user posted. “How do you kill your kids and think you’re the victim?” Others wonder if she’s playing a long game, maybe angling for an insanity plea down the road.

Experts aren’t buying her story either. “She’s stuck in her own reality,” Richelsoph told AZ Family. “Refusing mental health evaluations in Arizona just proves she’s still all-in on this cult mindset.” Meanwhile, stats from the FBI show cult-related crimes are creeping up in the U.S.—not a huge spike, but enough to make cases like this a warning sign. The mix of faith and violence isn’t new—think Jonestown or Waco—but Lori and Chad’s story feels uniquely modern, a cautionary tale for the digital age.

A Case Study in Cult Danger

Want a comparison? Look at Keith Raniere and NXIVM. Like Lori and Chad, Raniere built a following with big promises—self-improvement instead of doomsday, but the control was similar. Both lured people in, then turned deadly. NXIVM didn’t end in murder, but it wrecked lives through blackmail and abuse. Lori Vallow’s case shows what happens when that control flips to homicide: a body count and a woman still convinced she’s righteous.

Why This Matters Now

So why’s Lori Vallow speaking out in 2025? Maybe it’s a desperate grab for attention, or maybe she really believes her visions. Either way, it’s reigniting debate about mental health, cults, and justice. Her kids’ grandparents, Larry and Kay Woodcock, have stayed vocal, pushing for JJ and Tylee’s memory to outlast Lori’s headlines. “She doesn’t get to rewrite this,” Larry told reporters after the Dateline airing.

For the rest of us, it’s a reminder: belief can be a powerful thing—for better or worse. Lori’s story isn’t just a crime; it’s a window into how far someone can fall when faith goes off the rails.

Will Lori Vallow Ever Be Free?

Here’s the bottom line: Lori Vallow’s chances of exoneration are slimmer than a razor’s edge. The evidence—bodies in the ground, financial trails, witness accounts—isn’t going anywhere. Her appeal might drag on, and Arizona could complicate things, but overturning a life sentence? That’s a long shot even without divine intervention. Chad’s death penalty appeal faces the same uphill climb.

Still, Lori’s not backing down. Her prison prophecy keeps this case alive, pulling us back into a nightmare that’s already taken too much. As a crime reporter, I’ve seen plenty of wild defenses, but this one’s in a league of its own. What do you think—delusion, defiance, or something else? Drop your take below.

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