‘Doomsday cult mom’ Lori Vallow sent an unsettling message from behind bars to her only surviving child during an unusual moment at a crime convention.

Vallow’s estranged son Colby Ryan took the stage at CrimeCon 2025 to recount his experiences just weeks after his mother received two additional life sentences connected to a series of murders involving her and her doomsday author husband Chad Daybell.

The 52-year-old mother of three was first found guilty in 2023 for the murders of her children Tylee Ryan, 16, and Joshua ‘JJ’ Vallow, 7, as well as conspiracy to murder her romantic rival Tammy Daybell, 49.

This April, she was convicted of conspiring to murder her fourth husband Charles Vallow.

Two months later, she was convicted of conspiracy to murder Brandon Boudreaux – her niece Melani Pawlowski’s ex-husband – in a failed shooting plot.

This chilling case captivated the entire nation with its complex web of missing children, murders, and mysterious deaths, all tracing back to Vallow, her fifth husband Daybell, and her deceased brother Alex Cox, centered around their sinister, bizarre apocalyptic cult beliefs.

While Ryan spoke on stage Friday about the impact of his siblings’ murders, it became apparent that Vallow attempted to involve herself in the event from prison.

Journalist Nate Eaton, interviewing Ryan and Rexburg Police Lt. Ray Hermosillo, disclosed that ‘somehow Lori learned’ about the discussion and sent him a message to convey to her son.

‘If you talk to Colby, please tell him that I love you very much, no matter what,’ Vallow said in the message, which was in all caps.

The killer mom – who has spewed doomsday religious beliefs about zombies and dark spirits when confronted with the murders – went on to point to a Bible verse.

‘You can ask him about Matthew 25,’ she said.

Ryan said he believes the passage – the ‘Parable of the Ten Virgins’ – is his mother’s way of still claiming she is ‘godly’.

‘It’s her trying to talk about the wicked versus the good,’ he said.

‘It’s her way of trying to say that she is still good and, basically, godly.’

When asked if he ever wants to talk to his mom again, Ryan said no.

Now the sole survivor of his siblings, Ryan revealed he wishes his mom had been sentenced to death for the murders of his brother and sister.

Vallow was facing the death penalty at her first trial in Idaho but it was taken off the table just one month before the start date after her defense argued they didn’t have time to review the huge amount of discovery.

At Daybell’s trial the following year, capital punishment remained on the table and he was sentenced to death.

‘I 100 percent agree’ she should have received the death penalty, Ryan said of his mother.

‘I was surprised when they took it off the table. Not to sound cold but why would he get it when she didn’t. They were her kids,’ he said.

Hermosillo, who was the lead investigator on the case in Idaho, agreed.

‘If you’re asking me my opinion, yes, she should have. They were both involved. It was the same crime,’ he said.

Tylee and JJ were last seen alive in September 2019.

One month later, Tammy – a healthy 49-year-old mom-of-five – was found dead in her home in Rexburg, Idaho. Initially her death was ruled natural causes.

With her children missing and her lover’s wife now dead, Vallow and Daybell jetted off to Hawaii and married in a fairytale wedding on a beach.

Back home, a desperate search was launched to track down the missing children, with Vallow refusing to tell authorities or family members where they were.

Then, in June 2020, JJ and Tylee’s remains were found buried in the pet cemetery in Daybell’s backyard.

JJ’s body was wrapped in a plastic bag and duct tape. He was still wearing the red pajamas he was last seen wearing.

Tylee’s body had been dismembered and burned.

As the investigation into the children’s murders ramped up, Tammy’s body was exhumed and an autopsy found she died by asphyxiation.

The web of mysterious deaths, murders and attempted murders also began to emerge.

Vallow’s fourth husband Charles Vallow was shot dead by Cox in July 2019 when he went to pick up JJ from her home in Arizona.

At the time, his death was ruled self-defense as Cox claimed Charles Vallow attacked him with a baseball bat.

But Vallow conspired with Cox to murder him due to their cult beliefs – and so she could get her hands on a $1 million life insurance windfall.

One month later, Boudreaux was then targeted in a drive-by shooting.

In another bizarre twist, Cox died suddenly – and mysteriously – in December 2019 at the age of 51 just as Tammy’s body was being exhumed.

His death was ruled as natural causes.

During the CrimeCon discussion, Ryan hinted that he does not believe Cox died from natural causes.

Had he not died, Ryan believes Cox would have eventually confessed to police about his crimes.

‘I don’t know if he would have flipped [on Vallow and Daybell] but I think if he got caught he would have told what he did,’ he said.

He added that he believes Cox was ‘easily manipulated’ by Vallow and Daybell.

‘I just think that he was easily manipulated. He made really, really bad decisions,’ Ryan said.

‘I don’t know what was going on in his head.’

While Cox was unable to face justice, Vallow and Daybell were both arrested and charged with the murders of Tylee, JJ and Tammy in May 2021.

At their trials, jurors heard how Vallow and Daybell plotted the murders based on their doomsday cult beliefs, as well as for financial gain.

Friends revealed at Vallow’s trial that she had claimed the children had become zombies prior to their sudden disappearance. 

But, speaking Friday, Hermosillo said: ‘It was never about religion.’

‘It was that Chad and Lori wanted to have sex and wanted to have money.’

Vallow was convicted in 2023 of the murders of Tylee and JJ and conspiracy to murder Tammy and sentenced to life in prison.

Daybell was convicted of the murders of Tylee, JJ and Tammy in 2024 and sentenced to death.

Vallow represented herself in her second and third trials and was again convicted of all charges.

But, Hermosillo said the case might not be over just yet.

When asked if it was possible charges might be brought against Pawlowski in connection to Boudreaux’s attempted murder, he said cryptically: ‘Unfortunately I can’t answer that.’

Hermosillo then added: ‘I’m not done yet.’