Lori Vallow Daybell, the “doomsday mom” who is on trial for the death of her fourth husband, had a tense exchange with the woman who went on a date with him the night before he was murdered.
Vallow Daybell, who is representing herself in the trial, cross-examined the woman, Nancy Jo Hancock, on Wednesday, making occasional snide remarks as Hancock discussed her brief relationship with Charles Vallow. The prosecution objected several times and accused Vallow Daybell of being argumentative and asking irrelevant questions.
At one point, the judge called for a break and asked Vallow Daybell if she wanted to continue questioning Hancock about the nature of her text messages with Charles Vallow.
Hancock, 61, testified that she met Charles Vallow in early July of 2019 on a dating site for members of their church. The pair texted and talked on the phone for several days before meeting in person for dinner on July 10, 2019, the day before his death.
Hancock told prosecutor Treena Kay that they exchanged “hundreds” of text messages and would talk on the phone for hours. Charles Vallow told Hancock that he was in the process of a divorce, she testified, and talked “a lot” about Vallow Daybell and the issues they were allegedly having.
She said that Charles Vallow had expressed “concerns for his safety” and shared that he had changed the beneficiary on his $1 million life insurance policy to his sister.
Hancock said she was under the impression that Charles Vallow’s marriage had been having issues for “several months,” but it intensified at the beginning of 2019.
Hancock said Charles Vallow had “a lot of craziness going on around him,” but she kept talking to him because he was “very charming, and kind, and funny, and very clever.”
“He seemed pretty awesome,” she told Kay.
Hancock went on to say that at dinner, Charles Vallow was excited about seeing his son, Joshua “JJ” Vallow, the next morning to take him to school. Hancock testified that she and Charles Vallow were supposed to meet up on the day he was killed, but she never heard from him.
It wasn’t until months later when she was watching the news that she saw a story about his death, she told the court.
Vallow Daybell began her line of questioning by asking Hancock if she ever verified Charles Vallow’s claims that he was going through a divorce.
“No, I didn’t try and verify that,” Hancock responded.
“Would you have gone on a date with him if he would have said he was married?” Vallow Daybell asked, telling Hancock that they were not in the process of divorcing.
“Um, if I would have realized how married he still was, maybe not,” Hancock said. “But I just met for dinner. I wasn’t sleeping with him or anything.”
“Do you go on dates with married men?” Vallow Daybell shot back.
The prosecution objected and said Vallow Daybell was being argumentative. The judge sustained the objection.
“Your honor, do I not have a right to cross-examine this witness for what she has already testified to?” Vallow Daybell asked.
The judge told her she was allowed to cross-examine Hancock.
“So you did go on a date with a married man?” Vallow Daybell said, turning her attention back to Hancock.
“I did go on a date with Charles,” Hancock said. “I knew his divorce was not final.”
“His divorce was not started,” Vallow Daybell said.
“Okay,” Hancock responded.
The prosecution objected again after Vallow Daybell asked if Charles Vallow responded to a text message from Hancock asking if he was a good kisser. Prosecutor Kay said Vallow Daybell’s question was irrelevant. The judge sustained.
At one point, Vallow Daybell asked Hancock if she and Charles Vallow spent their dinner date talking about her.
“So you spent your whole date getting to know each other, talking about me?” Vallow Daybell asked.
“Don’t flatter yourself. No, we did not spend the whole time talking about you,” Hancock shot back.
Vallow Daybell also questioned Hancock on whether Charles Vallow had ever opened up about his contentious relationship with Vallow Daybell’s daughter, Tylee Ryan. Vallow Daybell received multiple life sentences in 2023 for the murders of Tylee, Joshua and her romantic rival.
Hancock said she did not recall them having that conversation.
“I’m sure you don’t,” Vallow Daybell mumbled.
The prosecution objected to Vallow Daybell making side remarks. The judge sustained.
Vallow Daybell then turned her questioning back to Hancock’s dinner date with Charles Vallow. She asked Hancock if it was common for men to talk about their “supposed ex-wives” on dates.
“It’s actually very common,” Hancock said.
“Really?” Vallow Daybell said. “Interesting.”
Prosecutor Kay again objected to Vallow Daybell making comments after her questioning.
“I’m sorry, your honor. I won’t do that again,” Vallow Daybell said.
“Please stop,” the judge said.
