List of All Articles with Tag 'ame'

A trio of Republican House committee chairs is demanding information from the Department of Justice on the pending plea and diversion agreements between prosecutors and Hunter Biden as part of their ongoing effort to inflict political damage on his father, President Joe Biden. In a letter to US Attorney General Merrick Garland, House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, and Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith said the decision by Delaware US Attorney David Weiss to allow Hunter Biden to plead guilty to two misdemeanour tax charges and enter into a deferred sentencing agreement on a single charge of lying on a gun background check form “raise serious concerns ... that the Department has provided preferential treatment toward Mr. Biden in the course of its investigation and proposed resolution of his alleged criminal conduct”. Mr Biden, who is President Biden’s youngest and only surviving son, has admitted to what have been well-documented struggles with alcohol and drugs, and during an aborted plea hearing last week said he’d been in and out of rehabilitation facilities on numerous occasions over the last few decades. During that court appearance, US District Judge Maryellen Noreika objected to a provision of the diversion agreement which stated that she — not prosecutors — would be responsible for determining whether Mr Biden might have breached the agreement’s terms, which would necessitate new criminal charges. The judge said the provision in question was “not standard” and “different from what I normally see” and suggested it violates the separation of powers in the US Constitution because it would put the judicial branch in the position of making a charging decision that is an executive branch function. Legal experts have opined that the provision at issue was an attempt by the department to protect Mr Biden from a situation in which a future Republican administration would manufacture charges against him. The current GOP frontrunner for the party’s 2024 presidential nomination, Donald Trump, has repeatedly pledged to jail Mr Biden, his father, and numerous other prominent Democrats. The GOP representatives asked Mr Garland to provide them with data on how often, if at all, the Delaware US Attorney’s office and the Justice Department have included similar provisions in diversion agreements. They also demanded information on who — prosecutors or Mr Biden’s defence attorneys — suggested that the agreement should place a final decision on new charges in a judge’s hands, and asked Mr Garland to provide a list of pretrial division agreements for other defendants who’ve been charged with the same gun-related offence as Mr Biden, as well as “all documents and communications referring or relating to each similar pretrial diversion agreement entered into by the Department in the last ten years”. Additionally, the committee chairs asked Mr Garland to provide a “generalized description of the nature of the Department’s ongoing investigation” into Mr Biden and an “explanation of why the Department originally agreed to a plea agreement” with Mr Biden if there are ongoing probes into him. It is unlikely that Mr Garland will provide any response that satisfies the GOP representatives, as the Justice Department’s policy for decades has been to not comment on ongoing investigations, even in response to congressional inquiries. Read More House Oversight chair admits GOP can’t back up Biden bribery accusations Hunter Biden’s ex-business partner testifies to Congress. Here’s what to know Biden acknowledges Hunter’s daughter Navy in public for first time

Watch as US vice president Kamala Harris delivers remarks at the 20th Women’s Missionary Society of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church Quadrennial Convention. Ms Harris has travelled to Florida to speak at the event, which comes coincidentally after Florida governor Ron DeSantis challenged her to come to the state. In a letter sent on Monday, Mr DeSantis, who is seeking the Republican Party’s nomination in the 2024 presidential election, touted Florida as the “number one state in the nation for education”. The vice president has been busy over the last few weeks, which saw her already visit Florida in July. Ms Harris was on a trip to speak at an event in Jacksonville, where she spoke out against some changes to how African-American history is taught in Florida. During her visit to the Ritz Theatre and Museum in Jacksonville, Harris lamented how damaging it is when schools don't discuss historical crimes as part of the curriculum. Read More DeSantis wants to meet with Kamala Harris over Florida’s Black history curriculum Biden goes west to talk about his administration's efforts to combat climate change Tim Scott rebukes DeSantis for new Florida Black history curriculum on slavery

Relatives of “cult mom” Lori Vallow’s victims have decried her unhinged claims during her sentencing trial. Vallow was sentenced on Monday to spend the rest of her life behind bars over the killings of her 16-year-old daughter Tylee Ryan, her nine-year-old son Joshua “JJ” Vallow and her husband Chad Daybell’s first wife Tammy Daybell. Vallow, 50, was convicted in May on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and grand theft in the murders that prosecutors say she and allegedly Mr Daybell plotted as part of their doomsday cult beliefs. In a shocking statement addressing the court just moments before she was handed down five consecutive life sentences without parole, Vallow said that her children “were happy and busy in the spirit world” and that she knew “her friend Tammy ... is also very happy and extremely busy.” Tammy’s sister Samantha Gwilliam has since slammed Vallow’s remarks. Ms Gwilliam was in court during the sentencing and deliver her victim impact statement along with her aunt Vicki Hoban and JJ’s grandparents Kay and Larry Woodcock. “I don’t know who she was talking to but she wasn’t talking to my sister,” Ms Gwilliam told Pretty Lies and Alibies podcast host GiGi McKelvey. The Woodcocks also described Vallow’s statement as “vile BS” in an interview with NewsNation. “This is part of her farse, her hoax, and she is never going to give it up. It’s just more of her crap, there is no other way to put it,” Ms Woodstock said. “To say that JJ and Tylee were happy and busy ... and then her friend Tammy? I mean get out of here.” Ms Woodstock and her husband had been frantically trying to establish contact with JJ before the little boy and Tylee vanished in 2019. They reported the children missing shortly after Vallow moved with them from Arizona to join Mr Daybell in Idaho. Tylee and JJ were missing for nine months before their bodies were found in June 2020 at a pet cemetery in Mr Daybell’s residence in Rexburg, Idaho. Tylee’s remains were discovered burned, while JJ was strangled to death and found still in his pyjamas and with a plastic bag over his head and duct tape over his mouth. “I had to sit there and I couldn’t say a word. She is absolutely playing this system, Mr Woodstock told NewsNation. “There is no way that she is a special being, that she talks to God, that she talks to the kids, that she talks to Tammy. That is a ridiculous statement. I can tell you right now that she is nothing but a five-gallon bucket of BS.” Tammy’s aunt Vicki Hoban also told the outlet that she believed Vallow didn’t take accountability for her actions as part of another plot to seek a new trial. District Judge Steven Boyce rejected Vallow’s request for a new trial last month. “I think she is creating a narrative now that will make her look crazy, which I don’t believe, I think she is just trying to figure out how to maybe get a new trial,” Ms Houb said. “It was just a slap in the face for her to continue to talk about Tammy as a friend. She was murdered in cold blood.” Tammy died a month after the children went missing. She was an otherwise healthy 49-year-old when she was initially believed to have died of a cardiac event — an autopsy later determined that her cause of death was asphyxiation. Mr Daybell is expected to stand trial over JJ, Tylee and Tammy’s death next year. Mr Daybell and Vallow were slated to stand trial together before Judge Boyce ruled in March that the cases would be severed. On Tuesday, Ms Woodluck took to Twitter to celebrate the news that Vallow had been booked into prison after her custody was transferred to the Idaho Department of Corrections. Arizona prosecutors are now expected to file for her extradition to the state so she can stand trial in the death of her fourth husband Charles Vallow, who was shot to death by Vallow’s late brother Alex Cox just months before her children vanished. “Hope the worst for her. She doesn’t deserve anything good. Someday I’ll forgive, just not quite yet,” Ms Woodstock tweeted. “It’s a great day to be alive!!! Thanks to all for your support. It’s meant everything to us.” Read More Lori Vallow - update: ‘Cult mom’ smirks in new mug shot after denying murders in bizarre sentencing statement Lori Vallow finally broke her silence at sentencing. It was too late Napping in court, three words and typing too loudly: Bizarre moments from Lori Vallow’s murder trial

New Jersey Lt Gov Sheila Oliver has died one day after being hospitalised for treatment for an undisclosed medical issue while serving as acting governor. Ms Oliver was taken to Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston on Monday, while Governor Phil Murphy was in Italy on a family vacation. Her family confirmed her death at the age of 71 in a statement on Tuesday. “It is with incredible sadness and a heavy heart that we announce the passing of the Honorable Sheila Y. Oliver, Lieutenant Governor of the State of New Jersey,” the family said in a statement to ABC7. “She was not only a distinguished public servant but also our cherished daughter, sister, aunt, friend, and hero.” No cause of death has been released. In a statement, Gov Murphy said he and his family were “incredibly saddened to learn of the passing of our dear friend, colleague, and partner in government.” Ms Oliver, a Democrat, was selected as Gov Murphy’s running mate in 2017, and was a “trailblazer in every sense of the word”, he said. In 2010, she became the first Black woman to serve as Speaker of the General Assembly, and was the second Black woman in US history to lead a house of a state legislature. “I knew then that her decades of public service made her the ideal partner for me to lead the State of New Jersey. It was the best decision I ever made.” Democratic Senate President Nicholas Scutari is serving as acting governor, the governor’s spokesperson Mahen Gunaratna said. The governor will be returning to the US “soon”, Mr Gunaratna added. Along with serving as Gov Murphy’s top lieutenant, Ms Oliver also oversaw the Department of Community Affairs, which coordinates state aid to towns and cities and supervises code enforcement. She had been twice elected to the lieutenant governor’s role in 2017 and 2021, becoming the second person to hold the post in New Jersey. Born and raised in Newark, Ms Oliver earned a degree in sociology from Pennsylvania’s Lincoln University before being elected to the Essex County board of chosen freeholders in 1996. Ms Oliver had served on the New Jersey assembly since 2004. “She brought a unique and invaluable perspective to our public policy discourse and served as an inspiration to millions of women and girls everywhere, especially young women of colour,” Gov Murphy said in a statement. “Beyond all of that, she was an incredibly genuine and kind person whose friendship and partnership will be irreplaceable.” Ms Oliver’s family requested privacy, and said details of a memorial service would be provided at a later date. Read More New Jersey sues federal highway officials in bid to stop New York City's plan to charge big tolls Manhattan architect, family man and accused serial killer: Who is Gilgo Beach suspect Rex Heuermann? Chris Christie slams Trumps as ‘Corleones with no experience’ New Jersey Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, first Black woman to serve as state Assembly speaker, dies at 71 The first generation of solar panels will wear out. A recycling industry is taking shape Blue blood from horseshoe crabs is valuable for medicine, but a declining bird needs them for food

Gilgo Beach suspected serial killer Rex Heuermann will appear in court on Tuesday for the first time since he pleaded not guilty in the bombshell case two weeks ago. Mr Heuermann will face a hearing at Suffolk County Court in Long Island, New York, according to court filings. It comes days after authorities revealed that a “massive amount” of evidence had been recovered from Mr Heuermann’s home in Massapequa – and after his estranged wife Asa Ellerup pleaded for privacy, saying the couple’s children “cry themselves to sleep” over the shock arrest and that she herself often wakes up “shivering” from the trauma. The 59-year-old suspect was arrested on 13 July and charged with six counts of murder in the deaths of Amber Castello, Megan Waterman and Melissa Barthelemy. He is also the main suspect in Maureen Brainard-Barnes’ killing. The women, all sex workers in their 20s, went missing in 2009 and 2010. Their remains were later found along a stretch of roadway in the Long Island shoreline community of Gilgo Beach. Mr Heuermann pleaded not guilty in his first court appearance on 14 July, where he cried: “I didn’t do this.” Read More Rex Heuermann’s wife pleads to be left alone after his arrest for Gilgo Beach murders Police rule out link between Gilgo beach killings suspect and unsolved murders in Atlantic City in 2006 How the Gilgo Beach serial killer turned the Long Island shore into a graveyard

“Cult mom” Lori Vallow has been sentenced to life in prison with no parole for the murders of her two children in a dramatic case that gripped the nation. Vallow, 50, was convicted in May of killing her seven-year-old son Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 16-year-old daughter Tylee Ryan, who vanished without a trace in September 2019. She was also found guilty of conspiring to kill her husband Chad Daybell’s first wife, Tammy, who died in October 2019. The verdict came after prosecutors convinced a jury that Vallow and Mr Daybell conspired with her brother Alex Cox to murder Tammy, JJ and Tylee as part of their bizarre cult beliefs – but also for financial purposes so that they could collect Tammy’s life insurance money and the children’s social security and survivor benefits. Before the sentence was handed down, the court heard victim impact statements from several family members devastated by the harrowing saga that’s seen countless twists and turns over four years. To the surprise of many, Vallow spoke herself and appeared to show no remorse for the deaths of her children and Tammy, claiming they were “busy” and “happy” in heaven. She appeared emotionless as the sentence was handed down. Read More Lori Vallow finally broke her silence at the sentencing. It was too late Lori Vallow claims ‘no one was murdered’ as she breaks silence in bizarre sentencing statement ‘Monster’ Lori Vallow is confronted by victims’ sobbing families at sentencing: ‘Cruel campaign of terror’

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has said that the investigation into Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia is “ready to go” – in a hint suggesting a potential indictment could be imminent. “The work is accomplished,” she told WXIA over the weekend. “We’ve been working for two and half years. We’re ready to go.” DA Willis said that there will be people unhappy with the outcome of the probe and praised the actions of local officials who ramped up security around the courthouse in Georgia last week. The DA previously indicated that any charging decisions would likely come in August. Separately, an indictment may also come soon in DOJ special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into Mr Trump’s efforts to overturn the election and into the January 6 Capitol riot. This comes after Mr Smith’s office added additional charges against the former president in the case involving his handling of classified documents on leaving the White House. Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos de Oliveira was charged in the case last week, becoming the third defendant. He appeared in court on Monday, and will be formally arraigned next week. He has not entered a plea. Read More Mar-a-Lago property manager is the latest in line of Trump staffers ensnared in legal turmoil Trump's early work to set rules for nominating contest notches big win in delegate-rich California What is an indictment? Donald Trump is facing his third and fourth of 2023

Lori Vallow’s attorney claimed that the “cult mom” who murdered her two children and conspired to kill her new lover’s wife is “misunderstood” and is actually “all about love” as he asked the judge for leniency at her sentencing hearing. The 50-year-old convicted killer appeared in Fremont County Courthouse in Idaho on Monday morning to be sentenced for the murders of her two youngest children Tylee Ryan, 16, and Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 7, and conspiracy to murder her new husband Chad Daybell’s first wife Tammy Daybell. Sitting slouched cross-legged at the defence table, Vallow kept her head down and refused to look her victims’ devastated family members in the eyes as they gave heartwrenching impact statements to the court and as prosecutors asked that she spent the rest of her life behind bars with no chance of parole. In a defence statement, Vallow’s attorney John Thomas asked the judge to give her “hope” that the “most hated woman in America” could one day be free from prison. “I think Lori Daybell is the most hated woman in America right now and maybe in the world. That hate will never bring closure to the victims,” he said. The attorney began his bizarre statement by saying that he used to be a prosecutor but realised that “I don’t think Jesus Christ was a prosecutor”. “He is our greatest advocate. And now I sit next to Lori Vallow,” he said. He went on to claim that Vallow – who conspired to kill her children and love rival – is “misunderstood” and people who know her, know she is actually “about love”. “People who truly know her know she’s about love. We didn’t always get along and our team has had a lot of misunderstandings,” he said. “But Lori’s overarching theme is about love. She is very different than who she plays on tv. She’s smart, insightful, witty.” Mr Thomas argued that Vallow’s sentence should be a fixed term to give her an incentive to rehabilitate herself with an eye to possibly being released from prison aged 70. “If we give her a fixed term we protect her from society until her 70s and she helps other inmates and becomes a better person.” After Mr Thomas finished his sentencing recommendation, Vallow took the opportunity to address the court herself. She shockingly claimed that “no one was murdered” as she broke her silence for the first time over the horrific murders of her two children and her lover’s wife in a chilling statement at sentencing. In the bizarre remarks, the so-called “cult mom” read out a Bible quote, spoke of visiting “heaven” and continued to channel her doomsday cult beliefs while claiming “I have had many communications with Jesus Christ”. While her victims’ loved ones were forced to listen in horror, she claimed that she had communicated with her murdered children Tylee Ryan and Joshua “JJ” Vallow as well as “her friend” Tammy Daybell from beyond the grave – and that they are “very happy”. Ultimately, Judge Steven Boyce was not swayed by either argument and Vallow was sentenced to five life sentences, three consecutive, without the possibility of parole. Read More Lori Vallow had two alleged accomplices in her children’s murders. One will never face justice Cult beliefs, hazmat suits and charred remains: Key revelations from Lori Vallow’s murder trial A doomsday cult, murders and children buried in a pet cemetery: The twisted case of Lori Vallow Lori Vallow claims ‘no one was murdered’ as she breaks silence in bizarre sentencing statement

Police in Los Angeles are hunting for around 11 suspects after a security guard was beaten to death outside a popular Hollywood nightclub. The shocking attack unfolded at around 2am on Sunday outside the Dragonfly Hollywood nightclub close to Santa Monica Boulevard and Wilcox Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The security guard, a 32-year-old man who has been identified as Daniel Sandifer by The Los Angeles Times, was working at the Hollywood hotspot at the time when he was confronted by the large group of people. The altercation quickly turned violent with witnesses reporting seeing the group beating and stomping on Sandifer, according to ABC7. Officers arrived on the scene to find Sandifer lying in the street unresponsive. They performed life-saving measures on him but he was pronounced dead from his injuries upon arrival at the hospital. Now, a manhunt is underway to find up to 11 suspects responsible. It is not clear whether the group of people knew the victim prior to the violent attack. It is also unclear if the group had frequented the club that night for Dragonfly’s “Signature Saturday” event. The Dragonfly describes itself as the “most popular Hip Hop night club scene LA has to offer” with several famous faces including Tyga and Megan Thee Stallion known to have partied there in the past. It remained closed on Sunday and its “Sunday Night Fever” event was cancelled in the wake of the tragedy. Dragonfly posted an Instagram story on Sunday announcing the closure and saying it was mourning the death of its bouncer. “As we begin to process and mourn the loss of our colleague, Dragonfly will be closed,” the post read. “Our hearts are with his family at this time.” The LAPD is asking anyone who witnessed or recorded the incident to come forward with information. “We know that oftentimes people will record these types of incidents on their cellphone,” Detective Samuel Marullo told ABC7 from the scene. “We would encourage them to share that with us as it can help bring a sense of justice to this person’s family.” He added that investigators are canvasing the neighbourhood for security cameras which may have picked up the events surrounding the attack. “One thing we know was that there was a lot of people present – a lot of people on the street – many of whom left the scene prior to police arriving.” Law enforcement officials have not publicly identified Sandifer yet but a cousin of the man, Evette Sandifer, identified him to The LA Times. Ms Sandifer said her cousin was a hardworking man who took care of his two daughters and was the primary caretaker of his grandmother who is in hospice. Ms Sandifer said: “I’m sure the club provided some footage. That’s on them, but everybody has cellphones nowaday. We need to get some suspects and hold them accountable.” Anyone with information can contact LAPD’s West Bureau Homicide at (213)382-9470. Read More Hollywood nightclub death – latest: Security guard fatally beaten outside Dragonfly club as 11 suspects on run Hospital security guard fatally shot while on the job by suspect later killed by Portland police

US troops in Niger have been restricted to the American military base in Agadez, Niger, as the Biden administration works to restore democratically-elected President Mohamed Bazoum to power.

“Cult mom” Lori Vallow was confronted by her victims’ sobbing family members at her sentencing hearing where they branded her a “monster” and described her 1,841-day “cruel campaign of terror”. The 50-year-old convicted killer appeared in Fremont County Courthouse in Idaho on Monday morning to be sentenced for the murders of her two youngest children Tylee Ryan, 16, and Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 7, and conspiracy to murder her new husband Chad Daybell’s first wife Tammy Daybell. Sitting slouched cross-legged at the defence table, Vallow kept her head down and refused to look her victims’ devastated family members in the eyes as they gave heartwrenching impact statements to the court. JJ’s grandmother Kay Woodcock broke down in tears as she told Vallow she will “never understand” how she – who once appeared to be a loving mother – could have murdered the son she “chose” to adopt. “The deplorable woman that chose to be his mother, the woman who five years earlier made the conscious decision to stand in front of a judge and swore to provide for, care, love and protect him,” she sobbed. “Lori always showed her deepest appreciation that we gave her the greatest gift ever, being JJ,” she said. “That same mother murdered [her son]... and I will never understand it.” Ms Woodcock is JJ’s biological grandmother and the sister of Vallow’s fourth husband Charles Vallow. She told the court how when JJ was born, he spent time in the NICU and was born with drugs in his system because his parents struggled with substance abuse. She described her joy as she and her husband Larry Woodcock took in JJ as their own son. They “loved every minute of raising him”, she said, describing it “as priceless”. But, around a year later, Vallow and Charles Vallow adopted the little boy. Sobbing, Ms Woodcock said that they all believed that would be best for JJ – who had autism – so he could grow up with younger, more energetic parents who had greater access to the resources he needed. Describing Vallow as a caring mother to JJ, Ms Woodcock said it was even more “mind-blowing” that the woman who “chose to be his mother” could a few years later be the same person to murder him. “I knew it was the best thing for him. I knew she [Lori] would always be 1000 percent involved in his care... that is part of why this is so hard – how could someone [do this]... it’s mind-blowing and I will never understand it,” she said. Ms Woodcock went on to speak of 16-year-old Tylee and how close the teenager was to her younger brother. “It warmed our hearts seeing her and JJ together,” she said. “The love they had for each other is evident in the last photo they have with each other,” she added, referring to the final photo of Tylee alive – an image of her taken on a trip to Yellowstone National Park with Cox, Vallow and JJ. Ms Woodcock began her statement by reeling off a list of numbers and said they are “more than numbers”. “Today marks 1,481 days that have been filled with terror,” she said. “One was the day that my brother was murdered.” In August 2019, Charles Vallow was shot dead by Vallow’s brother Alex Cox at her home in Arizona. Vallow is currently awaiting trial on charges of conspiracy to murder for Charles’ killing. “This was the beginning of her cruel campaign of terror,” said Ms Woodcock. Ms Woodcock said that Vallow’s killing spree “all began with greed” for a $1m life insurance policy in the event of Charles Vallow’s death. She said she would have given her the money if she could only have just let JJ and Tylee live. “I would have given her the money. She could have let JJ and Tylee live and have $1m,” she said. “She could have been free to be Chad’s mistress and foot the bill with money from spilled blood. JJ and Tylee could have lived with us and had wonderful lives.” Following Charles Vallow’s murder, she said that she was fearful for JJ’s safety but that – legally – she had no rights to step in and take him into her care. When JJ and Tylee then went missing, she described “319 days” of “pure hell” where she feared the worst – only for it to be realised when their remains were found in Mr Daybell’s yard. “Nothing can describe the pure hell of not knowing where the children were,” she said. “319 days from the last day we were allowed to be able to Facetime with JJ and the day we knew the children had been found, in Chad Daybell’s backyard, buried like animals.” Vallow’s only surviving child Colby Ryan said in a statement read by prosecutors how he had lost so much as a result of his mother’s actions. “I’ve watched everything crumble and shredded to pieces,” he said, speaking about all the things that Tylee and JJ will now never experience after their lives were cut short. Tammy’s sister Samantha Gwilliam also took the stand to deliver an emotional victim impact statement where she dismissed Vallow’s doomsday cult beliefs that she and Mr Daybell are “exalted” beings and that their victims were “zombies” or “dark spirits”. “You are a liar, an adultress and a murderer,” she told her. “I am not a dark person or a zombie. For me and my family to be presented that way is unacceptable,” she said. “Everyone knows what liars you are. They now know what horrible things you have done. “You are not an exalted being. There is no huge event that is going to save you. No angels are coming to rescue you.” Instead, she said that Vallow will now spend her life behind bars. Ms Gwilliam also read out a statement from her father Ronald Douglas who spoke of “the eternal ramifications” of Vallow’s actions on their family. As well as taking away Tammy, Vallow’s actions had also torn apart the family that they still have left. Following Tammy’s murder and the chilling revelations that came out over the past three years, Tammy’s mother’s health deteriorated significantly and she passed away. Beyond that, Mr Douglas said that the family had also lost their relationship with Tammy and Mr Daybell’s five children – who he said have believed their father’s lies. In her victim impact statement, Tammy’s aunt Vicki Hoban slammed Vallow’s “shameful” conduct during the murder trial, calling her out for “smirking, smiling, giggling, talking” – something that was “extremely disrespectful to watch”. She said it was time for Tammy’s story, and not Vallow’s. “Tammy was beloved. There will be a huge void in our life. This is Tammy’s story. She was a mom, a grandma, a niece, a friend, a librarian,” she said. “More than a librarian, she was a teacher. Her last days went to preparing a bookfair for underserved children.” The night she was killed, she said she imagines Tammy went to bed with “no idea what the plan was for that night”. “Unbeknownst to her, Lori had already killed two of her children. Tammy was already on her list of obstacles,” she said. “Instead ofa good night’s sleep, Tammy was brutally executed in her own bed. She was taken from us by murdering thieves.” Vallow is facing a maximum sentence of life in prison after the death penalty was taken off the table ahead of trial. Vallow was found guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and grand theft over the deaths of her daughter Tylee Ryan, 16, and son Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 7, back in May. She was also found guilty of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the death of Mr Daybell’s first wife Tammy, 49. Judge Steven Boyce ruled last month that only victims’ immediate family members would be permitted to speak at the sentencing hearing, ruling out some loved ones who hoped to have their say in court. Vallow will also have the opportunity to speak before the court – something she declined to do at her trial. Judge Boyce said that a pre-sentence assessment was carried out, producing a 430-page report to inform his sentencing decision. However, he said that Vallow refused to participate in the assessment. Her sentencing comes almost three years after JJ and Tylee vanished without a trace in September 2019 – sparking fears for their safety from desperate family members all the while Vallow refused to say where they were. One month later, Tammy – an otherwise healthy 49-year-old – also died suddenly. Her death was initially ruled natural causes. This bizarre spate of disappearances and death came just months after Vallow’s fourth husband Charles Vallow was shot dead by Vallow’s brother Alex Cox in Arizona in July 2019. With Vallow’s children and both of their spouses then out of the way, she and Mr Daybell embarked on a new life together – flying to Hawaii to get married in a fairytale wedding on the beach. But, with months passing since the last signs of life of Vallow’s children, concerns continued to grow, prompting authorities to exhume Tammy’s body. A subsequent autopsy revealed that she had died by asphyxiation. In June 2020 – nine months after they were last seen alive – Tylee and JJ’s remains were found buried on the grounds of Mr Daybell’s property in Rexburg, Idaho. JJ, who had autism, had been smothered with a plastic bag taped over his face, his little body still dressed in a pair of red pyjamas. Tylee’s cause of death meanwhile has been impossible to establish as the teenager’s dismembered, charred bones and body parts were found scattered in the ground on Mr Daybell’s pet cemetery. Jurors in Ada County Court in Boise, Idaho, took almost seven hours to find Vallow guilty on all charges over the three murders after a grueling six-week trial where the panel heard harrowing details about the doomsday cult mom’s path of deadly destruction and were shown graphic images of the murdered children’s remains. The state called over 60 witnesses to lay out its case that Vallow was motivated by both her cult beliefs but also lust for Mr Daybell and financial greed when she conspired with him and her brother Cox to kill the three victims. In a bombshell move, Vallow’s attorneys declined to present any defence case or call any witnesses and the “cult mom” chose not to take the stand to give her side of the story. Vallow’s legal troubles and the chilling case are far from over. Following her sentencing, she is expected to be extradited to Arizona where she is awaiting trial on charges of conspiracy to murder her fourth husband Charles Vallow and the attempted murder of her niece’s husband Brandon Boudreaux. Meanwhile, Mr Daybell is still awaiting trial for the murders of JJ, Tylee and Tammy – with a scheduled trial start date set for 1 April 2024. But, the third person accused of being a co-conspirator in the case won’t ever have his day in court. On 11 December 2019 – hours after Tammy’s body was exhumed – Cox died suddenly at the age of 51. His death was ruled natural causes, with indications of a blood clot wedged in the arteries of his lungs. However the overdose drug Narcan was also found in his system. Read More Lori Vallow sentencing – live: ‘Cult mom’ faces life in prison for murders of children and Chad Daybell’s wife Did a doomsday cult really drive Lori Vallow to murder her children? A doomsday cult, murders and children buried in a pet cemetery: The twisted case of Lori Vallow

In 2020, Lindsay Shiver posted a wedding photo on Instagram about her “perfect marriage” to a former Auburn University football player. But their relationship may not have been picture perfect as it seemed. Their relationship looked like a modern-day romance: football player meets beauty pageant queen. Mr Shiver played as a deep snapper for Auburn’s football team from 2006 to 2008, before signing with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons. And before becoming Mrs Shiver, Lindsay Shirley was named Miss Houston County in 2005. “So thankful for that fitness class 13 years ago that brought us together and all of the love, laughter, and life we have created ever since! I love you babe,” she wrote in the 2020 post. “Cheers to many more.” Three years after toasting to “many more,” Lindsay Shiver was accused of plotting to murder Robert Shiver. The couple – with their three kids – had a home in the Bahamas, according to the Thomasville Times-Enterprise. That’s where Ms Shiver met Terrance Bethel, the outlet reported. “On July 16, 2023 at Abaco, while being together did, with a common purpose agree to commit an offense, namely the murder of Richard Shiver,” a police report obtained by the outlet said. According to court documents, Robert Shiver filed for divorce on 5 April, and his wife subsequently filed counterclaims. But it wasn’t until 28 July, that his soon-to-be ex-wife would be accused of plotting his killing. Bahamas investigators found out about the alleged plot in a roundabout way. According to Bahama Court News, officials were looking into a suspect for an unrelated break-in at Grabbers Bed Bar & Grill. WhatsApp messages on the suspect’s phone revealed the murder plot. Three people were arrested: Mrs Shiver; her alleged 28-year-old lover, Mr Bethal; and 29-year-old Faron Newbold, purported to be the hired hitman. They were arrested in Abaco, and the three were then flown to Nassau, where they are currently being held in custody. They were not required to enter a plea, Bahama Court News reported. The trio appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley on Friday, according to the Thomasville Times-Enterprise. They are scheduled to appear in court again on 5 October. Although the pair appears to not follow each other anymore on social media, their descriptions are still in-sync. Mrs Shiver’s Instagram bio reads, “Mom to the Shivertrio,” while Mr Shiver’s reads, “Dad to the trio!” The former football player has worked at Senior Life Insurance Company since 2009, where he serves as executive vice president, according to the company website. Read More American mother-of-three arrested in Bahamas over alleged plot to kill ex-football star husband Lori Vallow had two alleged accomplices in her children’s murders. One will never face justice A doomsday cult, murders and children buried in a pet cemetery: The twisted case of Lori Vallow