BOISE, Idaho — The cause of Alex Cox's death was ruled as natural causes in an autopsy report from the Maricopa County Medical Examiner.
Cox, the brother of Lori Vallow, died on December 12, 2019, months after he killed Vallow's estranged husband, Charles Vallow, allegedly in self-defense.
The medical examiner's report also mentioned that high blood pressure and a blood clot in his lungs could have contributed to his natural death.
Vallow's brother was one of the last people photographed with 7-year-old JJ Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan, who have been missing since September. Cox was photographed with both missing children at Yellowstone on Sept. 8, 2019.
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Arizona police said Cox killed Vallow's ex-husband, Charles Vallow, in July of 2019 in apparent self-defense. Cox said he and Vallow were arguing and Vallow started swinging a baseball bat at him. Cox then shot and killed Vallow in what he described to police as self-defense.
On Friday evening, Cox's widow's attorney released a statement on what they think of the medical examiner's findings. His widow, mother, sister, and niece said they're pleased with the reports.
Their statement goes onto say, in part, "In interviews with many news agencies, the family stated numerous times what they knew to be true - Alex's death had no sinister aspect. With a degree of vindication, the family hopes that the confirmation of this truth will help all to step back, take a breath, and allow the truth to unfold through the process."
For Vallow, she still sits in the Madison County Jail and is expected back in court on July 9 for a preliminary hearing.
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