FRACTURED FAMILY Lori Vallow’s brother breaks silence after ‘cult mom’ trial as family launches Tylee and JJ podcast ahead of sentencing

Lori Vallow's brother has spoken out for the first time since his "cult mom" sister was found guilty of murdering her children.

Adam Cox shared haunting memories from the months leading up to the deaths of Joshua "JJ" Vallow, seven, and Tylee Ryan, 16, as Vallow awaits sentencing for the horrific murders.

The Idaho mother was found guilty in May 2023 of killing her two children and conspiring to murder her husband Chad Daybell's first wife Tammy Daybell.

Vallow is not facing the death penalty but could be sent to prison for the rest of her life at her sentencing hearing on July 31.

The convicted killer is facing another conspiracy to commit murder charge in Arizona for the death of her fourth husband Charles Vallow.

And she's facing yet another case in Arizona for allegedly conspiring to kill her niece's former husband Brandon Boudreaux.

Lori's brother Adam Cox hasn't talked to her in four years.

He spoke out for the first time since her conviction in an interview with East Idaho News published on Thursday.

DEATH OF CHARLES VALLOW

From Adam's perspective, the case began in July 2019, when their brother Alex Cox fatally shot Lori's husband Charles.

Adam said that he was already worried about Lori's mental health at the time.

"I was driving to Tucson to my friend’s house… and I said to him, 'Something weird is going on. I haven’t heard from Charles,'" Adam recalled.

"It wasn’t like him not to text or call or anything. And so my friend said, 'What’s his name?' I said, 'His name is Charles Vallow.'

"He gets on his computer and types 'Charles Vallow' and (a news story) said that Charles Vallow was shot and killed by his brother-in-law."

Adam said that he was "crying hysterically" before getting into a "huge argument" with his parents because they were still supporting Lori and Alex at the time.

Charles suffered multiple gunshot wounds and Alex told police that he shot him in self-defense.

Alex died before the investigation into the shooting was finished.

JJ AND TYLEE VANISH

Adam also spoke about how he felt when he learned JJ and Tylee were missing in September 2019.

"I had tried to talk to my family but they’d cut me off completely," Adam said.

"My first instinct when I heard they were missing was that the kids were dead.

"There’s no way they’re alive. Otherwise, Lori would produce them."

After Alex died in December 2019 and JJ and Tylee's bodies were found on Lori's husband Chad's property in June 2020, Lori's uncle Rex Conner knew it was time for the family to start making amends.

The series of deaths had fractured the family but it wouldn't divide them entirely.

“Rex called me and said, ‘I think it’s time that we go to your mom’s house, have a sit-down, and I’ll be there to mediate,” Adam recalled.

“That was a very emotional day. A lot of feelings were said. … I told my mom and dad, ‘I forgive you. Let’s try to move forward.’

"So over the last two years, I’ve been going to their house on Sundays to eat dinner.”

Adam told East Idaho News that he's not prepared to speak to Lori again any time soon.

"The Lori that I see in court, it’s not the same person that I knew," he said.

"I think it would be very hard to even have a conversation with her… I just don’t think she’s there."

He added that Lori's mother calls her once a week but they only talk about simple upbeat topics because Lori has a tendency to shut down when asked about the case.

HONORING THE VICTIMS

Adam and Rex aren't letting Tylee and JJ's memories fade.

They are releasing a 10-episode podcast series on Friday about Lori's case called Tylee and JJ's Silver Linings.

Rex said of the title: "We’re all united in finding justice for the victims of this tragedy. It’s so uniting.

"We don’t care what other people’s politics are or their stance on social issues of the day. We’re all united in wanting justice for these victims. That’s a silver lining. I love that."

The pair said that recording the episodes and talking about their memories has been therapeutic for them and they hope it helps others.

“I know every family has problems, has issues, has division and people don’t talk to each other. I just feel like that’s such a bad thing to do,” Adam said.

“A lot of families like to sweep things under the rug and never talk about it again. Those are the kinds of things that I want to present to other people … and I would try to hope that we can help with that.”

They also plan to self-publish a book about the case before Lori is sentenced which they hope will help the public "fill the holes in a case that doesn’t make any sense."

Meanwhile, Chad Daybell is also accused of murdering JJ and Tylee and his trial is set to begin in April 2024.