Daybell Closing Arguments on the Way: Nephi, Luminol, and a Wedding in Hawaii

Daybell Closing Arguments on the Way: Nephi, Luminol, and a Wedding in Hawaii The lead detective never read the Book of Mormon, but Google helped him learn that Nephi killed a man under divine orders—and somehow, that helped shape a murder investigation. As court reconvened in Lori Vallow Daybell’s Arizona trial, the state officially rested its case. The defense? Also ready to rest. No witnesses. No testimony from Lori herself. Her decision was final. With closing arguments expected Monday, the court is preparing jury instructions for what could be the final stretch. But before all that, Lori had questions. A lot of them. She stepped up to the lectern and grilled Detective Nathan Duncan like she was trying out for a legal drama. Why didn’t they test the bat for DNA? Why wasn’t Luminol used on the gun? What about the blood on Charles Vallow’s shirt? Duncan stood by the choices made—there was no visible blood, the autopsy was conclusive, and some things, he felt, just didn’t require further testing. Lori pushed: is it possible for protein to be present even if blood isn't visible? Duncan acknowledged it could be, but stuck to his reasoning. The bat—allegedly wielded by Tylee—wasn’t visibly bloody and had no damage. No blood, no Luminol. No DNA swabs either. Lori challenged him: if they had tested the bat and found Charles’ DNA, wouldn’t that corroborate Tylee’s story? The prosecution objected, the judge sustained. But Lori kept hammering the same point—why didn’t they look harder? Duncan explained that simply finding DNA on the bat wouldn’t prove much. It belonged to Tylee, lived in the house, and anyone could have handled it. As for fingerprints? Inconclusive. Still, no tests. She dug into his knowledge of the Book of Mormon too—asking about Nephi, a figure she had previously invoked. Duncan admitted he hadn’t read the book but had spoken to LDS members and done some Googling. Lori pushed again—there are four Nephis, she reminded him. She accused him of forming conclusions early and sticking to them, questioning whether his research was thorough or just conveniently limited. When asked who provided the core of the family context in his investigation, Duncan named Adam Cox—Lori’s estranged brother. Lori highlighted that he hadn’t interviewed her parents, her siblings, or even watched their interviews. Summer Cox was out of town, Duncan said. The others weren’t at the scene. Lori wasn’t buying it. She accused the investigation of being one-sided. Then there were the texts. So many texts. Messages between Lori and Chad Daybell, between Lori and Alex Cox, and between Lori and her niece, Melani. The language? Sometimes cryptic, sometimes romantic, sometimes just bizarre. Talk of "Zs"—supposedly dark spirits or zombies—and coded references to people being overtaken by evil. Melani was told not to go to Utah—it was “a setup.” Chad and Lori spoke in veiled terms about Social Security payments, forged documents, and divine missions. In the days after Charles Vallow was killed, Lori and Chad exchanged love notes, planned blessings, and fantasized about their new life together. A wedding followed just four months later, in Hawaii. The jury saw the photo: Chad and Lori, newlyweds on a beach, smiling. Meanwhile, the evidence paints a portrait of a tangled web—faith, manipulation, and a very mortal outcome. Through it all, Lori tried to flip the narrative. She emphasized how cooperative she had been with police, that she turned over Charles’ phone willingly. But Duncan said he wasn’t sure if Alex had done the same. His phone? It was never fully analyzed. The best they got were his call records from the carrier. The actual data? Gone. It was either a missed opportunity or an intentional blind spot, depending on which side of the courtroom you sit on. By late afternoon, both sides had nothing left to say. The prosecution stood by its evidence—volumes of it—arguing that Lori and Alex conspired to commit murder. Lori still insisted the state hadn’t proved its case. But the judge saw it differently: he ruled there was enough for a jury to consider. Court adjourns tomorrow to finalize instructions. On Monday, the jury returns at 10:30 a.m. for closing arguments. Then, it’s in their hands. #LoriVallowDaybell #TrueCrime #CharlesVallow #CourtroomDrama Want to listen to ALL our podcasts AD-FREE? 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