The best friend of an Idaho woman accused of killing her two children in a bizarre religious ritual testified on Thursday that the “doomsday mom” believed her children were “zombies” and that her son, JJ, was possessed by a demonic spirt, ABC News reports.
Lori Vallow Daybell, 49, was charged with murder, conspiracy and grand theft. She faces life in prison if convicted.
Her husband, Chad Daybell, 54, who will be tried separately, could face the death penalty if convicted.
Both have pleaded not guilty.
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They are accused of killings of 7-year-old Joshua "JJ" Vallow, and Tylee Ryan, 16, as part of a “doomsday” religious cult.
The children’s remains found buried on Chad Daybell’s property in 2020.
Melanie Gibb, Vallow Daybell’s former best friend, said during testimony that the Daybell couple held extreme religious beliefs.
"(Vallow Daybell) has shared with me that he told her that they had been married in another time period," Gibb said.
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Gibb recorded a phone call in which she asks the Daybell couple about their son’s whereabouts that prosecutors played in court.
"Where is he? I've been asking, where is he," Gibb is heard asking.
"I could tell everything - where JJ is right now. And that would not be good for JJ," Vallow Daybell replied.
Gibbs under cross examination from defense attorney John Thomas acknowledged that she was involved in “some of these casting out of devils and, and evil spirits.”
"Okay, and during the times that you were doing these castings or, or casting of evil spirits? Did you ever feel like this was the wrong thing to do," Thomas asked her.
"It felt very unusual. It was very innocent to me," Gibb replied.
Prosecutors earlier this week showed images of the children’s remains. They allege the couple killed their children over doomsday-motivated religious beliefs.
The case is the subject of a Netflix docuseries and a Lifetime movie.
