SALT LAKE CITY — The Gilbert Arizona Police Department has released new information about the death of Alex Cox, one of the key suspects in the murders of Idaho children JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan. 

Alex Cox, the children’s uncle, died in December of 2019, three months after Tylee and JJ’s murders.

Alex Cox linked to multiple death investigations

Previous police documents have also linked Cox to the deaths of Charles Vallow and Tammy Daybell, two other figures in the story of Tylee and JJ’s murders.

According to KSL TV, the new information details other criminal charges related to Cox before his involvement in the deaths of his niece and nephew, that he had been suffering with shortness of breath in the weeks before his death, and that on the day he died he received a telephone “blessing” from Chad Daybell.

Chad Daybell remains in jail after investigators found the remains of his stepchildren, Tylee and JJ, on his property in Rexburg, Idaho.  He faces two felony counts of conspiracy to commit destruction, alteration, or concealment of evidence and two felony counts of destruction, alteration, or concealment of evidence.

The children’s mother, Lori Vallow Daybell, pleaded not guilty to felony counts of conspiracy to commit destruction and alteration or concealment of evidence. The court combined the two criminal cases ahead of their expected trial. 

Related stories: 

• A timeline of the missing Idaho children
• Idaho court rules to combine Chad and Lori Daybell trials
• Satellite photo shows Chad Daybell property on likely day of child’s burial

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