Court Documents Allege Cult Connection For Lori Vallow, Chad Daybell

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Court documents filed in the case of two missing children out of Idaho made allegations that Lori Vallow, Chad Daybell, Lori’s niece and her brother were part of a cult that could be the linked to the children’s disappearance.

The allegations were cited in documents filed by Brandon Boudreaux, Melani Pawlowski’s ex-husband on March 17 in Maricopa County, Arizona, as part of a “Father’s response to mother’s motion to hold petitioner in contempt for his misleading and false statement made to the court.”

Melani Pawlowski is Lori Vallow’s niece.

Boudreaux referenced a “cult” in allegations that Vallow and her brother, Alex Cox, were responsible for an attempt on his life last October.

“He believes there remains a target on his back by the doomsday cult and followers of Mr. Daybell, Mother’s Aunt’s new husband,” the documents stated.

According to Boudreaux, Pawlowski moved to Idaho in late October to “live right next door to her aunt and the same complex as her Uncle… so that she could remain an integral part of the doomsday cult.”

Boudreaux also referenced another document, allegedly written by Ian Pawloski, Melani’s new husband, in which Pawlowski stated that “Melani had been told by Chad and Lori that their children had been possessed and had become zombies. She shared concerns that she’s been told Brandon needed to die and that may indicate Tylee and JJ needed to die as well.”

Melani Pawlowski married Ian Pawlowski on November 30, 2018 in Las Vegas. She divorced Boudreaux in July 2019.

In December, Ian allegedly met with detectives and the FBI to share those concerns stating, “If shooting Brandon was indeed based on the idea that he was no longer actually Brandon and needed to die as part of the Lord’s plan, then the kid’s lives could be forfeit based on the idea that they’re not really Tylee and JJ anymore.”

The document states that Ian then helped detectives record phone conversations with Lori and Chad in efforts to locate the missing children.

“They gave me a recording device that looked like a thumb drive on a keychain. My plan was to record anything that I thought could help locate Tylee and JJ, locate Chad and Lori, and understand what happened when Brandon was shot at,” the  document read. “If I thought Chad and Lori were going to be calling, I’d turn on the recorder and just let it run until they’d hung up. I don’t feel that anything substantial was recorded as Chad and Lori never talked about the kids or their location. Most of the conversations consisted of everyone commiserating about the current circumstances, discussing religious ideas, and just catching up.”

Furthermore, Ian claimed, “I’ve come to believe Melani doesn’t know anything about who shot Brandon or where the kids have gone.”

The court documents also reference “The Church of the Firstborn,” of which Lori and Chad were allegedly a part of.

Pawlowski stated that four days after meeting, Melani began sharing their beliefs.

“She talked about how she’d learned some of these things in the temple and others from Chad and Lori,” he said. “It felt like many of them were ripped straight out of Dungeons and Dragons manual. Between the stats, accounts of dark and light weapons, and words spoken in blessings, it sounded like someone had created a tabletop RPG based on the Bible.”

According to Pawlowski, “The Church of the Firstborn is a higher organization and God’s church in its truest form on Earth… The Prophet of the Mormon church presides over the general congregation while others are called specifically to run the Church of the Firstborn.”

According to the documents, there were multiple branches throughout the world and 144,000 have been called to bring to pass all signs of the second coming of Jesus Christ.

There were “multiple groups specializing in different powers and activities. Chad and Lori’s group specializes in healing and music,” the documents stated.

Dr. Cristina Rosetti, whose research focuses on Mormon fundamentalism, non-LDS Mormons, and underrepresented Mormon traditions, said the phrase, “The Church of the Firstborn,” was referenced in the Doctrine and Covenants, part of the canon of scripture of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“It references the Church of the Firstborn as people who are sealed up in the end times, and part of the first resurrection,” Dr. Rosetti said.

Rosetti said some have interpreted the reference in various ways, resulting in several splinter groups. In some instances, these off-shoots function as formal organizations separate from the Church, while others are more informal.

“There are many Mormons that are part of the LDS Church. They are members of record, but they also believe in additional things or go to different churches in addition to their LDS religion,” Rosetti said.

Moreover, the “Church of the Firstborn,” was also referenced in an e-mail allegedly sent from Chad Daybell to Lori Vallow in early 2019.

The e-mail included the “7 Seven missions to accomplish together,” which included:

1. Translate ancient records
2. Write the book about the translation process
3. Identify locations in northeast Arizona for white camps
4. Presidency of the Church of Firstborn
5. Help establish the food distribution as the tribulations start and the delegate
6. Ordain individuals to translation as the camps begin
7. Provide supplies to righteous members of families

Police in Chandler, Arizona confirmed to KSL they have recovered several emails connected to Lori and Chad, though they could not provide specifics on the e-mail, saying it was part of an active investigation.

“All emails that were connected to Chad and Lori are part of our investigation and we have them,” said Sgt. Jason McClimans of the Chandler Police Department.

In the meantime, Melanie Pawlowski’s attorney released a statement in response to Brandon Boudreaux response on Wednesday evening, denying claims that she was part of a cult.

“Melani Pawlowski has never been part of a cult. She may understand some of the extremist beliefs of her aunt, Lori Vallow, and Chad Daybell, but that does not mean that she has adopted those beliefs as her own. Melani does not judge those who accept those extremist beliefs, just like she does not judge you or me for what we believe. Melani holds on to her core beliefs as an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” said attorney Garrett Smith.