The Maricopa County, Arizona medical examiner’s office has answered a major question in connection to the highly watched case of Lori Vallow Daybell. How did her brother, Alex Cox, die? Authorities say it was “natural”: He passed away from a blood clot.
AUTOPSY RESULTS: Alex Cox’s death has been ruled “natural” by the medical examiner. The cause is listed as “bilateral pulmonary thromboemboli” aka a blood clot. Alex is Lori Vallow’s brother who died suddenly in December. #azfamily pic.twitter.com/CEKG7KkLqV
— Kim Powell (@KimPowellTV) May 8, 2020
Here is the full autopsy report. Alex Cox’s wife said he complained of chest pain. He was found in the bathroom by her son, who called 911. He died at the hospital on December 12th. #azfamily https://t.co/yGcsco3TBZ
— Kim Powell (@KimPowellTV) May 8, 2020
Cox was found unresponsive by his girlfriend’s son in a bathroom last December, authorities said. The cause of death was immediately unclear, but it’s kind of thing that caught attention because of its context. He’d killed his sister’s previous husband Charles Vallow on July 11th and claimed self-defense. No charges were immediately pressed, though police had been looking into it even after Cox’s death.
His sister moved from Arizona to Idaho with his nephew Joshua Vallow, 7, and niece Tylee Ryan, 17, in September. Police say the children’s whereabouts have not been accounted for since then. They say no witnesses have confirmed Joshua’s location since after the 23rd. Lori Vallow’s mother Janis Cox told the TV show 48 Hours in a recent interview that she spoke to the child briefly over the phone on October 1st. As for Tylee, police have said that her whereabouts were unknown after a family trip to Yellowstone National Park on September 8th. Alex Cox had joined them, authorities said.
The #FBI, @RexburgPolice are asking any visitors to @YellowstoneNPS on 9/8/19 submit multimedia that may show missing kids, JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan, their mother Lori Vallow and uncle, Alex Cox. Photos/videos can be submitted online at https://t.co/8jl2wJCAza. pic.twitter.com/LyujbanGh6
— FBI Salt Lake City (@FBISaltLakeCity) March 5, 2020
Lori Vallow went onto marry new husband Chad Daybell in November, cops said. She’s not locked up in the Madison County Jail because she allegedly bolted out of Rexburg, Idaho rather than help the cops find the children.
The investigation and leads in this case cross many states. Alex Cox’s death isn’t even the first coincidentally linked to the situation. Chad’s previous wife, Tammy Daybell, died about two weeks before the November wedding, cops said. Joseph Ryan, who is Tylee’s father, passed away in 2018 of an apparent heart attack. Investigators have been taking a second look at those deaths.
Through an attorney, Lori Vallow Daybell has asserted her innocence.
The children remain missing.
Joshua “JJ” Vallow, and Tylee Ryan
Joshua Vallow has brown hair, has brown eyes, stands 4’0″, and weighs 50 pounds, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Tylee Ryan has blonde hair, has blue eyes, stands 5’0″, and weighs 160 pounds. The children were last seen September 23, 2019 in Rexburg, Idaho, authorities said. Officials said the little brother “may be in need of medical attention.”
Update – May 8, 8:17 p.m.: The Gilbert Police Department is still investigating.
“On 05/08/2020, the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office released the autopsy results for Alexander Cox which ruled the manner of death to be ‘natural,'” spokesperson Brenda Carrasco told Law&Crime in an email. “The next step for the Gilbert Police Department detectives assigned to the case will be to review the autopsy report in its entirety. This case is still active at this time.”
[Mugshot of Lori Vallow Daybell via Madison County Jail; images of Joshua Vallow, and Tylee Ryan via National Center for Missing and Exploited Children]
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