Lori Vallow Daybell Ruled Competent to Stand Trial for Ex-Husband’s Death

An Arizona judge has ruled that Lori Vallow, the so-called "Doomsday Mom," is mentally competent to stand trial for the murder of her ex-husband. This decision comes after a series of competency evaluations and months of legal back-and-forth.

Vallow, who was convicted in Idaho last year for the deaths of her two children, Tylee and JJ, as well as for her involvement in the death of Tammy Daybell, her current husband Chad Daybell’s first wife, now faces two conspiracy to commit murder charges in Maricopa County, Arizona. The charges relate to the death of her ex-husband, Charles Vallow, and a shooting attempt on her niece's ex-husband in Gilbert. The shooting attempt was unsuccessful, as the victim was unharmed.

Following her extradition from Idaho to Arizona in November of last year, Vallow was booked into the Estrella Jail in Phoenix, where she has remained for almost a year. In Arizona, Vallow has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The issue of Vallow's mental competency has been a central focus in both Idaho and Arizona cases. In Idaho, Vallow was found incompetent to stand trial at first and was sent to a state hospital for treatment to restore her competency. She was later deemed competent and proceeded to trial. A similar evaluation was requested in Arizona by her previous attorney, but Vallow's new defense team argued that she was fit to stand trial. The prosecution, however, pushed for the continued evaluation, and multiple doctors were consulted.

Judge Travis Marderosian, who has overseen the case, ruled on Thursday that Vallow is mentally competent to proceed with her trial, citing the results of the evaluations.

Vallow’s legal team also raised concerns about whether she would be allowed to represent herself during the trial. Judge Marderosian clarified that while Vallow would not be allowed to defend herself fully, she would be permitted to participate in her defense and assist her attorneys.

The ruling allows the case to move forward, and Vallow is scheduled to appear in court for a status conference on Friday. Investigators believe that dark religious beliefs motivated the crimes, a theory that continues to underpin the case against Vallow and her husband Chad Daybell.

Vallow is currently serving a life sentence in Idaho for her involvement in the deaths of her children, and her husband Chad Daybell was sentenced to death in the same case.

This latest development means that the wheels of justice are moving forward in the Arizona case, which will now focus on the charges of conspiracy to commit murder in relation to Charles Vallow’s death and the shooting attempt in Gilbert.

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