Curtis Jackson
UPDATE 5:30 p.m. Kay Woodcock took the stand late Thursday afternoon in Lori Vallow Daybell murder trial.
Kay Woodcock broke down during her testimony as she spoke about learning about Charles’s death.
Soon after, Lori cross-examined Kay.
The trial will resume on Monday at 10 a.m. Pacific (11 a.m. Mountain).
UPDATE 4:45 p.m.:
PHOENIX (KIFI)—Testimony continued in the Lori Vallow Daybell murder conspiracy trial taking place in Phoenix on Thursday.
Lori’s brother, Adam Cox, took the stand first in the morning. Cox testified that Charles Cox, Lori’s then-husband, asked him to come to Phoenix to help with an intervention with Lori. He was living in Wichita at the time. He said he flew in on July 10 and was to stay with his brother, Alex Cox. When he arrived, he couldn’t get a hold of Alex and ended up staying at his parent’s home.
Adam answered questions about texts between him and Charles on the morning Charles was shot. Adam said he texted him and never heard back. Adam didn’t learn of his death until he visited with a friend in Tucson a day later.
Adam answered questions about Alex and others in their family.
In cross-examination, Lori asked Adam when the last time they saw and spoke with each other was. When Adam said he couldn’t remember, she asked if it was during a family dinner in 2018 and if they were eating her green chile chicken enchiladas. He said he didn’t remember.
She also mentioned all the places Adam had lived and where she lived and asked if they were not physically close, to which Adam said yes.
Next on the witness stand was Sarena Sharp. She stayed at Lori’s home for a Preparing the People conference. She was to stay with Melanie Gibb but instead stayed at Lori’s home because it would be quieter, and others were staying there from the conference, as well. That was the first time she met Lori.
Sarena said Lori would say things that went against the teachings of the LDS Church. She said she remembered her talking about how they don’t need to repent anymore and trying to get all of them to believe it. She also talked about light and dark levels of spirits.
Lori started her cross-examination by asking Sarena if she took the oath before taking the stand and if her testimony would be accountable to God. Sarena said yes.
During questioning, Lori asked with a heightened voice if Lori mentioned Zombies during their ‘Girl’s weekend.’
“So in the instance when you said that, I mentioned to you something about zombies, I would like to know what I said to you exactly verbatim about zombies,” Lori asked.
“Well, that was I remember we talked about zombies in 2019 for the girls weekend. You had mentioned zombies,” Sarena said.
“I mentioned zombies at that weekend out of my mouth and not someone else but me?” Lori asked.
Argumentative,” Prosecutor Treena Kay.
“Overruled,” Judge Beresky said. “ You can ask. Why don’t you rephrase that question?” the judge said.
“Okay. So, you’re saying under oath that I said the word zombies at that meeting? Or are. I’ll go with that,” Lori asked.
“To the best of my recollection, it was that weekend during the girls weekend 2019. And that was six years ago. So like, verbatim, I don’t remember verbatim, but I think it was that weekend,” said Sarena.
“So it could have been that someone else was talking to you about zombies, but I was actually there also. Is that correct ,” Lori said cutting into Sarena comment.
“I’m going to object that the witness has answered that question and said it was her.” Prosectuor Kay said.
“Overruled. She can answer,” the judge said.
“Would you mind restating, please?” Sarena said.
“Is it possible that someone else said the word zombie and not me? At that meeting, when we were all there with the girls? It’s possible, but I don’t think it was, I think…” Sarena said.
“What did I say exactly about zombies? I want to know the sentence I said to you about zombies,” said Lori.
“Hold on again. Ask questions Okay. I have just asked and answered. So rephrase your question,” said the judge.
“What sentence did I say to you with the word zombie in it?” Lori asked.
“I’m going to object. Asked and answered,” Prosecutor Kay said.
“Technically it has been asked and answered, but go ahead and answer,” said the judge.
“Again, I don’t remember verbatim. That was what, six years ago?” Sarena said.
“So, it could be possible that it really never came out of my mouth. Is that true?” Lori said.
“I’m going to object again, it’s been asked and answered for the third time,” said Prosecutor Kay.
“Sustained,” said the judge.
Lori then moved on asking questions about religious prophets.
Chandler Police Detective William McDonald and forensic scientist Marrisa Francisco took the stand.
Then Kay Woodcook, Charles Vallow’s sister, took the stand in the afternoon.
ORIGINAL:
PHOENIX, Arizona (KIFI) – Testimony is expected to begin with a new witness taking the stand on Thursday morning in the Lori Vallow Daybell murder conspiracy trial.
On Wednesday, Lori Vallow Daybell questioned the woman who met with her late husband the night before he died.
Nancy Jo Hancock said she met Charles Vallow on an LDS dating site about a week before he was killed. She said they met for the first time for dinner the night before he died. She said they discussed many topics, including meeting JJ the next day, Lori and Charles’s expected divorce, and briefly discussing changing his life insurance plan.
They made plans to meet on July 11, 2019, but he never answered the texts Hancock sent him. It wasn’t until December when she learned of his death on the news.
“I was watching the TV, and it was talking about a case and his picture came on the screen, and I…shocked was an understatement,” Hancock responded when asked how she learned about his death.
In Lori’s cross-examination, Lori questioned their relationship and how she met Kay Woodcock and her brother, Adam Cox.
“Can I go back and change how I met your brother? I forgot this until right now. So, on a dating app, your brother’s picture came up on my dating app. And I sent him a message and said. But he had a different name that he used, not Adam. And so, I just sent him a message and said if he was going to use someone else’s pictures, he should probably pick someone different than Adam Cox,” Hancock said. “That’s how I met him,” she said.
“That’s how you met my brother Adam?” asked Lori.
“Correct,” said Hancock.
“Do you know what perjury is?” Lori asked.
“Absolutely, yep,” Hancock answered as the prosecutor said, “Argumentative.” In which the judge agreed.
Prosecutors called Christina Atwood to the stand. She was a friend of Lori’s when they lived in Arizona.
Prosecutor Treena Kay asked Atwood about meetings she attended about dark spirits and how Charles may be possessed by one.
After a meeting on June 9, 2019, Atwood said she was uncomfortable because of a conversation with Lori and Alex Cox. Cox stated he wished he could kill Charles. Atwood said Lori mentioned she would crush some of JJ’s medicine and put it in Charles’s drink mix.
She told Lori that if anything happened to Charles, she would go to the police. Lori said they were being silly and meant nothing by it.
Lori Vallow Daybell did not question Atwood for cross-examination.
The trial will continue on Thursday morning, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Pacific time (11:30 a.m. Mountain).
Victor Perez being treated at the Portneuf Medical Center. Photo courtesy of family.
Victor Perez before an officer-involved shooting on April 5, 2025. Courtesy photo.
