Couple charged with murder of children in strange doomsday case

The mother of two kids who were found dead last year in the US and her new husband have been charged with murder in a bizarre case involving doomsday religious beliefs.

Lori Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell were each indicted by a grand jury Monday on charges of conspiracy, murder and grand theft in connection with the deaths of Ms Daybell's two youngest children, seven-year-old Joshua "JJ" Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan.

READ MORE: Man charged with conspiring to hide kids' bodies in his yard

Chad Daybell was also charged with one count of murder in connection with the death of his late wife, Tammy Daybell, just weeks before his marriage to the co-defendant.

Prosecutors say the pair endorsed specific religious beliefs in order to justify or encourage the killing of Lori Daybell's two kids. The children were missing for several months starting in 2019 until authorities found their bodies buried on Chad Daybell's property.

READ MORE: Human remains found at property of man tied to missing kids

Both the Daybells have been in jail for months awaiting trial on charges including conspiracy or destruction of evidence after prosecutors said they conspired to hide the childrens' remains. But the indictment released yesterday marked the first time murder charges have been brought in the case.

Both Daybells pleaded not guilty to the earlier charges. They have not yet had the opportunity to enter a plea on the murder charges.