The doomsday cult mom, Lori Vallow Daybell, reached out from behind the bars of the Idaho Correctional Services with an eerie message for her only surviving child.
The 52-year-old, who may never enjoy freedom again, is serving out a string of life sentences for taking the lives of her two kids, her love rival, attempting a drive-by on another family member, and a conspiracy that had her fourth ex-husband fatally shot.
Highlights
- She sent a text message to her only surviving son, Colby Ryan, during his CrimeCon panel.
- Her message declared love and pointed to biblical scripture to claim innocence.
- Ryan dismissed the message, saying he has no interest in speaking to his mother again.
On Friday, September 5, her estranged son Colby Ryan was onstage at CrimeCon in Colorado (a convention of true crime enthusiasts), speaking about his mother locked away some 800 miles away when he became aware of a text message from her.
The incarcerated mother reached out to the journalist interviewing her only surviving son
Image credits: KGMB/KHNL
In the video posted on X, Eaton can be seen sitting next to Ryan, a 27-year-old father of two. He said, “She found out we were going to be here today; she sent me a message this morning.”
Eaton noted that he had already shared the communication with Hermosillo and Ryan backstage and received the go-ahead to tell the audience about it from both.
Image credits: FBI
“If you talk to Colby,” Eaton read from his phone. “Please tell him that I love him very much, NO MATTER WHAT.”
She used the message to double down on her claims of innocence
“You can ask him about Matthew 25,” Eaton’s account continued, before explaining that the scripture contained the parable of the ten virgins.
Image credits: Colby Ryan
Image credits: FBI
He then turned to Ryan for clarification, who said: “It’s her trying to talk about the wicked versus the good being sifted apart, basically.”
“It’s her way of trying to say she is still good, and basically godly.”
Ryan’s interpretation is an echo of his mother’s courtroom narrative, in which she denied conspiring to or slaying anyone, claiming instead that her family was struck by tragedy.
Image credits: FBI
“I want everyone to know that I mourn with all of you. I am sorry for your pain. Losing those close to you is painful, and I acknowledge all of the pain, and I do empathize, I feel it, too,” ABC News reported her saying in July 2023. “If I was accountable for these crimes I would acknowledge it.”
Colby Ryan has previously made his feelings about Daybell clear
Eaton asked Ryan, “Do you want to talk to her again?” and received a negative answer.
Image credits: FBI
Ryan has been vocal about his mother’s crimes. In August this year, he opened up about the internal conflict he faced processing his mother’s crimes and the ensuing trials.
“I think it was hard because I didn’t want to look vulnerable in front of Lori. I know that sounds weird, but I didn't really want to give her that in that moment,” he said, despite only appearing at the trial in question virtually.
Image credits: NBC
“I was prepared, but it’s always still really hard.”
The 27-year-old said he found it hard testifying in his mother’s presence, even though it was only virtually
Ryan went on to say that while it would have been easier to talk about his late siblings in another setting, doing it facing a court was the opposite.
Image credits: FBI
“When you speak to her [...] you’re not really talking to a normal person. And so there’s nothing that I'm gonna get from her. Even if there’s an apology, there would be nothing that’s satisfying.”
“I just learned to move on without needing that,” Kyma reported Ryan saying on August 4.
Ryan claims he is surprised Lori Vallow Daybell dodged a state execution
Image credits: Dateline/NBC
Reports indicate that Ryan has gone as far as calling for the state to execute his mother.
“I 100 percent agree she should have received the [...] penalty,” he said of his mother.”
“I was surprised when they took it off the table. Not to sound cold, but why would [her husband Chad Daybell] get it when she didn’t. They were her kids.”
