Lori Vallow's Son JJ's Cause of Death, How Did He Die?
by Alaguvelan M
Updated Apr 27, 2023
Who is Lori Vallow?
Lori Vallow is a woman from the United States who has been charged with multiple crimes, including murder, related to the deaths of her two children, Tylee Ryan and Joshua "JJ" Vallow. She was born Lori Cox on June 26, 1973. Her case has received significant media coverage due to the circumstances surrounding the deaths of her children and her alleged involvement in a doomsday cult. Vallow is currently on trial for her alleged role in her children's deaths, which occurred in 2019.
Lori Vallow's case has been one of the most prominent true crime stories in recent years, in part due to its complex and bizarre nature. Before the deaths of her children, Vallow had a history of contentious relationships and legal troubles. She had been married multiple times and her fourth husband, Charles Vallow, was killed by her brother in apparent self-defense in July 2019. Vallow then quickly married Chad Daybell, an author with similar beliefs about the end of the world, and moved with him to Idaho.
Vallow's children, Tylee and JJ, were last seen alive in September 2019, and their disappearance sparked a months-long search that eventually led to the discovery of their bodies in Daybell's backyard in June 2020. Vallow and Daybell were both arrested and charged with various crimes related to the deaths of the children, as well as related to the deaths of Vallow's ex-husband and Daybell's previous wife.
Vallow and Daybell have been linked to a purported doomsday cult that believes in preparing for the end of the world. Vallow reportedly believed that her children were zombies and that their deaths were part of a prophetic plan. The case has gained national attention and sparked conversations about mental illness, religious extremism, and the criminal justice system. As of now, Lori Vallow's trial is still ongoing.
Lori Vallow's Son JJ's Cause of Death
On Wednesday, Ada County Coroner Dr. Garth Warren stated that JJ Vallow's death was caused by asphyxia resulting from a plastic bag placed over his head and duct tape covering his mouth. Meanwhile, the cause of death for his sister Tylee Ryan is homicide, although the means of death remain unspecified.
In cases where a forensic pathologist determines that death is a homicide but cannot identify the precise cause, the term "homicide by unspecified means" is used. Ada County Coroner Dr. Garth Warren testified to this during the trial of Lori Vallow, who is accused of killing her two children, JJ and Tylee. Additionally, Vallow is charged in connection to the death of her husband's previous wife. JJ and Tylee went missing in September 2019 and were later discovered buried in Chad Daybell's backyard.
During Wednesday's trial, Dr. Warren revealed that he conducted JJ's autopsy in June 2020 which lasted about four hours. The examination revealed that JJ was bound with duct tape and had bruises on his arms, as well as abrasions to his neck which are considered suspicious. According to Warren, the neck injuries could have occurred as JJ struggled to remove the plastic bag from his head, while the arm bruises were likely sustained before his death.
When JJ was discovered, he was wearing red pajamas and black socks, although his body was in a state of decomposition at the time of the autopsy. Law enforcement submitted JJ's pajamas and socks as evidence, and a toxicology report revealed low levels of ethanol, GHB, caffeine, and theobromine in JJ's liver sample. GHB is a drug that can be found in tissues after death and is sometimes used as a prescription medication, but it is also known to be misused as a "date rape" drug. According to Dr. Warren, it is difficult to determine whether the GHB in JJ's system occurred naturally or was administered to him.
What Happened to Lori Vallow's Son JJ?
Vallow attended court and heard disturbing testimony regarding the accusations against her. The 49-year-old mother of three is accused of murdering her two children, JJ, 7, and Tylee, 16, and has also been implicated in the death of Tammy, the ex-wife of her current husband, Chad Daybell.
As per court testimony, the 7-year-old died due to asphyxiation. Dr. Garth Warren, a forensic pathologist, testified that JJ had a plastic bag placed over his head and duct tape covering his mouth, leading to his asphyxiation. Evidence found during the autopsy indicated that JJ struggled to breathe during his final moments.
Scratch marks on JJ's neck and bruises on his wrists and ankles, where he was restrained with duct tape, were observed upon the discovery of his remains. Dr. Warren noted that the marks on JJ's neck could have resulted from his attempt to remove the plastic bag over his head. The autopsy on JJ's body, along with Tylee's, was conducted two days after their remains were found on their stepfather's property in June 2020.
Dr. Warren explained that in most autopsy cases, he receives a complete body and follows a standard process, but Tylee's case was unusual as her remains were received in three sealed bags. Investigators initially questioned whether the remains were human until Tylee's skull was found under a melted plastic bucket, confirming her identity. Prosecutors have alleged that Tylee was dismembered and burned, hindering forensic investigators from determining a definitive cause of death.
Dr. Warren examined Tylee's remains for indications of stab wounds or bullet marks but found none. As a result, Tylee's autopsy determined that her death was a "homicide by unspecified means" due to the inability to determine a specific cause. In court, Vallow's family members testified that she appeared uninterested in raising either child and was heavily involved in a "doomsday" cult, with allegations that she believed her children were zombies and killed them.
Pathologist Discloses the Cause of Death of Lori Vallow's Children
On Wednesday, an Idaho forensic pathologist provided a detailed account of the deaths of Lori Vallow's two children in 2019, revealing that her 7-year-old son was allegedly strangled to death with a plastic bag and duct tape over his mouth as part of the doomsday case.
During the murder trial of Lori Vallow, Dr. Garth Warren, an Idaho forensic pathologist working for the Ada County Coroner’s Office, testified that he conducted autopsies on Joshua “JJ” Vallow and Tylee Ryan a few days after they were discovered buried in the backyard of Chad Daybell’s home in June 2020. JJ was found in a pet cemetery and died of asphyxiation caused by a plastic bag over his head and duct tape over his mouth, while Tylee's cause of death was unspecified but her death was ruled a homicide. Authorities discovered Tylee's dismembered remains in a nearby fire pit.
According to EastIdahoNews, Dr. Garth Warren stated that JJ was discovered with a tight plastic bag over his head and there were indications of a struggle. During his testimony in Vallow's murder trial, Warren also noted that certain details stood out from JJ's autopsy right from the start. Warren mentioned that JJ was wearing a red pajama set when he was found wrapped in a garbage bag with the plastic bag over his head, as well as duct tape all around his body, including his forearms, hands, and ankles.
According to Warren, the autopsy on JJ revealed bruising on his arms and an abrasion on his neck, which indicated that he had struggled during the killing. The toxicology report showed low levels of ethanol, caffeine, and the date-rape drug GHB in his system. However, Warren could not conclude if JJ was given GHB or if it was naturally occurring in his body.
In contrast to JJ's autopsy, Tylee's remains were received in multiple bags, which Warren described as "unusual." Her toxicology report revealed the presence of ibuprofen, iron, and carboxyhemoglobin, but the cause of death was undetermined due to the dismemberment and burning of her body.
During his testimony in Vallow's murder trial, Dr. Garth Warren revealed that JJ and Tylee were killed in September 2019 before being buried in Chad Daybell's backyard. Warren said that JJ was found with a plastic bag over his head and duct tape on his mouth and body. He also had bruises on his arms and an abrasion on his neck.
JJ's toxicology report showed low levels of ethanol, GHB, and caffeine, but the amount of GHB was inconclusive. Tylee's autopsy was different because she arrived at the morgue in multiple bags, and her toxicology report showed positive for ibuprofen, iron, and carboxyhemoglobin, but her readings were extremely low, indicating that she was not alive when she was burned. Vallow pleaded not guilty to several charges and faces life in prison, while her defense attorneys insist that she could never harm her children.
According to EastIdahoNews, Warren provided graphic testimony about JJ's state when his body was found, saying there was dirt and mold on the clothing, and that the skin's color indicated the body was decomposing. Warren also mentioned a scratch-like abrasion on the left side of JJ’s neck and a hemorrhage on his right thumbnail. He noted suspicious bruising on JJ's ankles and decomposition changes in his organs, but no evidence of natural disease or trauma.
Warren explained that Tylee's autopsy was different as her remains arrived in three separate sealed bags. His team had to x-ray the remains to search for foreign objects as a possible cause of death, but they only found bones and debris that were blackened and charred due to the fire. The organs that were recovered also showed severe decomposition. Warren concluded that there was no evidence supporting that Tylee was alive when she was burned.
Lori Vallow's Son JJ's Cause of Death - FAQs
Lori Vallow is a woman who is on trial for the murder of her two children, Joshua "JJ" Vallow and Tylee Ryan. She is also accused of conspiring with her husband to kill his first wife, Tammy Daybell.
According to testimony from Dr. Garth Warren, the forensic pathologist who conducted the autopsies on the children, JJ was allegedly strangled to death with a plastic bag over his head and duct tape over his mouth. Tylee's cause of death was not specified, but her remains were found dismembered and burned in a fire pit.
Vallow's children were officially reported missing in December 2019, but they had not been seen since September of that year.
Dr. Warren noted that JJ's body had rapidly decomposed and showed signs of bruising on the ankles that may have been associated with the duct tape. He also mentioned a scratch-like abrasion on JJ's neck and a hemorrhage on his right thumbnail.
Vallow's defense attorneys maintain that she is a "loving" mother and could not have killed her children.