New bodycam video shows 2nd encounter between now dead husband of Lori Vallow and Gilbert Police officers
PHOENIX - More layers peeled back on the Arizona connection to the case of Joshua "JJ" Vallow and Tylee Ryan, two missing kids whose remains were found in Idaho.
Interactive Timeline: Searching for JJ & Tylee
JJ and Tylee were last seen in September 2019. The disappearances have uncovered a complicated sequence of events, including details surrounding the death of Charles Vallow, the former husband of the children's mother, Lori Vallow, details of unorthodox religious beliefs that included allegations of cult membership, and details surrounding the death of Tammy Daybell, the former wife of Chad Daybell. Chad Dayell is Lori's current husband.
In late January, Idaho authorities say a child protection action was filed on behalf of JJ and Tylee, and that a court has ordered Lori to physically produce the two children to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare in Rexburg within five days of being served with the order. Lori, ultimately, failed to obey the court order.
Lori was subsequently arrested and accused of child abandonment, resisting/obstructing an officer, solicitation to commit crime and contempt of court. She was extradited back to Idaho, where a judge set a $1 million bail.
Chad, meanwhile, has pleaded not guilty to felony destruction and concealment of evidence charges. No murder charges have been filed yet in JJ and Tylee's deaths, and both Chad and Lori have preliminary hearings in July.
Video shows Charles Vallow's plea for help
On Thursday, Fox 10 obtained more body camera footage from Gilbert Police, which shows Charles once again pleading for help in 2019, nearly six months before his death.
The video was taken from a hotel in Gilbert where police responded in January 2019 to meet Charles, who had a long night after petitioning for Lori to get mentally evaluated.
This would mark the second time in a day that Charles warned police about his wife. Charles told officers he took the keys, phone and wallet belonging to Lori, found in her car while she dropped off JJ at school. The hotel key Charles says she left behind led him there.
The reason for it all, however, was hard for police to absorb.
"You're [Latter Day Saints]?" said Charles, in the video. "She thinks she's married to Moroni in the past."
In May, FOX 10 reported on some of the religious documents exchanged between Chad and Lori. An attachment sent from Daybell on January 22, 2019 lists Lori alleged past lives. including, among other lives, a life where she was the wife of prophet Moroni.
Charles said those words just two weeks before filing for divorce, claiming Lori called herself a "God prepared for the second coming of Christ" in July 2020, and if Charles got in her way, she would murder him.
Worried for her mental health, Charles petitioned for Lori to be involuntarily committed for an evaluation at Community Bridges.
"I've tried to support her as much as I could, but it's gotten really, really bad lately," said Charles. "She's had a break. Says I'm Nick Schneider. I've taken over Charles' body."
In fact, Charles told Gilbert Police the same thing overnight, hours before the officers helped him kick in his own door after he said Lori changed the locks to their home, only to find out she had moved out with their kids. Now, Charles wanted to see if Lori was indeed staying at this hotel.
"We just can't go in. You're not allowed in. We can't either," said one officer.
After learning Lori isn't inside the hotel, Charles spoke with a Gilbert Police sergeant, telling him his wife already threatened his life over the phone, and said she did not care about their kids.
"If she's as irrational as you say, I think you should get your son out of school and prevent that from happening," said Sgt. Scott Gallas.
"She needs help. She needs some serious help. I want her to get help. I'm worried about her," said Charles.
That same day, Lori, Tylee Melanie Gibb went to Gilbert Police regarding the stolen purse. With knowledge of the petition, police advise her to check herself into Community Bridges for the evaluation.