In the Netflix documentary series, “Sins of Our Mother,” about Lori Vallow Daybell, her mother, Janis Cox, shows a family tree that includes Alex Cox. Though he has since died, Alex Cox played a role in the Vallow-Daybell case that wasn’t entirely described in the show.
J.J. Vallow and Tylee Ryan, Vallow Daybell’s children, went missing in September 2019. Their bodies were found on June 9, 2020, in the yard of Vallow Daybell’s husband, Chad Daybell. Both have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and first-degree murder in the cases of the children and Daybell’s deceased wife, Tammy Daybell. Their joint trial is scheduled for January 2023 in Ada County, Idaho.
Here’s more about the role that Alex Cox played in the case.
Who is Alex Cox?
Alex Cox is the son of Janis and Barry Cox, and also the brother of Vallow Daybell. According to Fox 10 News, Alex Cox allegedly shocked Joseph Ryan, the ex-husband of Vallow Daybell, with a stun gun and threatened to kill him in 2007. He later pleaded guilty to an aggravated assault charge and served three months in jail.
In “Sins of Our Mother,” this incident comes up. Colby Ryan, son of Vallow Daybell, accuses Joseph Ryan of having abused him. The series also includes a clip of Alex Cox performing at a comedy show, saying that this alleged abuse was why he used a stun gun on Joseph Ryan.
According to KSL, these abuse claims were investigated and no charges were filed. Joseph Ryan’s attorney, Keith Taniguchi, said, “They took his bed, they took his clothes — they took everything out of the room and they were trying to find DNA and they didn’t find anything after an extensive forensic analysis so they never even charged him.” Ryan died in April 2018.
According to East Idaho News, Alex Cox killed Vallow Daybell’s fourth husband, Charles Vallow, in 2019. Cox said that he killed Charles Vallow in self-defense. Alex Cox died in December 2019 before there was further investigation of Charles Vallow’s death. A medical examiner ruled that Cox died of natural causes.
In September 2021, Fox 10 reported that Charles Vallow’s death was ruled a homicide upon further investigation. Vallow Daybell was charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the state of Arizona in relation to Charles Vallow’s death. Alex Cox is named in the charge as a person who conspired with Vallow Daybell to commit this crime. This charge was filed on June 24, 2021, after Alex Cox had already died.