What Happened to JJ and Tylee? Who Killed JJ and Tylee? Why Did Lori Vallow Kill Tylee and JJ?
by Kowsalya
Updated Apr 24, 2023
What Happened to JJ and Tylee?
Tylee Ashlyn Ryan and Joshua Jaxon "J.J." Vallow were two children from Chandler, Arizona who disappeared in September 2019. Tylee was last seen alive on September 8, 2019, at Yellowstone National Park, while J.J. was last seen on September 22, 2019, at Rexburg's Kennedy Elementary School.
Police began questioning the children's mother, Lori Vallow Daybell, and her new husband, Chad Daybell after they claimed that J.J. was staying with a family friend in Arizona. This led to the discovery that Tylee was also missing. Complicating the investigation was a string of suspicious deaths. Lori's estranged 4th husband, Charles Vallow, was shot and killed in July 2019 by Lori's brother, Alexander Cox.
In October 2019, Chad's wife, Tammy Daybell, died in her sleep, initially recorded as "natural causes", but later determined to be asphyxiation by someone else. On February 20, 2020, Lori was arrested in Kauai, Hawaii, and charged with desertion and nonsupport of her dependent children.
She was extradited to Idaho and transported there on March 5, 2020. On June 9, 2020, police executed a search warrant at Chad's home and discovered the remains of J.J. and Tylee buried in shallow graves in Chad's backyard. Chad was arrested on charges of destruction or concealment of evidence. On May 25, 2021, Lori and Chad were charged with the first-degree murders of Tylee, J.J., and Tammy.
Who Killed JJ and Tylee?
The deaths of Tylee Ryan and Joshua "JJ" Vallow were the result of intentional actions by their mother Lori Vallow Daybell and her new husband Chad Daybell.
The couple was indicted on May 25, 2021, for the first-degree murders of Tylee, JJ, and Chad's previous wife Tammy Daybell. According to court documents, the children were killed in September 2019, shortly after they went missing, and their bodies were hidden on Chad Daybell's property in Rexburg, Idaho.
The couple was previously charged with felony counts of desertion and nonsupport of dependent children and obstructing an officer in relation to the children's disappearance, but the murder charges were added after the discovery of the children's remains.
Police and investigators worked tirelessly to find the children and piece together what happened to them, which led to the eventual arrest and charging of Lori and Chad.
The case drew national attention due to the bizarre circumstances surrounding the deaths, including the suspicious deaths of Lori's estranged husband, her brother, and Chad's previous wife, as well as the couple's beliefs in an apocalyptic religious doctrine.
Why Did Lori Vallow Kill Tylee and JJ?
According to prosecutors, Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell allegedly conspired with Lori's brother, Alex Cox, to murder Tammy, JJ, and Tylee based on their doomsday cult beliefs. The motive behind the killings was not only religious reasons but also financial gain, as they aimed to collect Tammy's life insurance money and the children's social security and survivor benefits.
Their cult beliefs included a "rating system of light and dark," where they categorized the spirits of people around them. Eventually, they began to view some individuals, including the children, as "zombies" and believed that the only way to eliminate them was by destroying their bodies.
Did they Find JJ and Tylee Vallow?
Yes, the remains of Joshua "JJ" Vallow and Tylee Ryan were found on June 9, 2020, buried in shallow graves in Chad Daybell's backyard in Rexburg, Idaho. The discovery of the children's remains was a heartbreaking and shocking turn of events in the case, which had garnered national attention due to its bizarre and cult-like aspects.
The news devastated the family and friends of JJ and Tylee, who had been desperately searching for them for months, and brought to a close a lengthy and complicated investigation into their disappearance. The discovery of their bodies also led to the arrest of Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell on charges related to their deaths, and they are currently awaiting trial for murder and other crimes.
Who is JJ and Tylee?
JJ (Joshua "JJ" Vallow) and Tylee Ryan were two children who were murdered in 2019. JJ was born in 2012 and was adopted by his mother, Lori Vallow, and her husband, Charles Vallow, in 2014. Tylee was born in 2002 and was Lori Vallow's biological daughter from a previous marriage.
What Happened to JJ and Tylee - FAQs
Tylee Ashlyn Ryan and Joshua Jaxon "J.J." Vallow were two children from Chandler, Arizona who disappeared in September 2019. Tylee was last seen alive on September 8, 2019, at Yellowstone National Park, while J.J. was last seen on September 22, 2019, at Rexburg's Kennedy Elementary School.
The deaths of Tylee Ryan and Joshua "JJ" Vallow were the result of intentional actions by their mother Lori Vallow Daybell and her new husband Chad Daybell.
According to prosecutors, Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell allegedly conspired with Lori's brother, Alex Cox, to murder Tammy, JJ, and Tylee based on their doomsday cult beliefs.
JJ (Joshua "JJ" Vallow) and Tylee Ryan were two children who were murdered in 2019.