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Day three of Lori's trial featured veteran officer Daniel Coons back on the stand. Treena's re-direct examination highlighted Coons' investigative methods, evidence analysis, and bullet trajectories, supporting the conclusion that Charles was standing for the first shot and on the ground for the second. Darkmatter: Day Three in "Doomsday Mom" Lori Daybell's Trial 2025: Daniel Coons with the Chandler Police Department Back On The Stand.
Nancy Jo Hancock testified about her brief relationship with Charles, whom she met through an LDS dating site in early July 2019. They bonded through extensive texting and long conversations, during which Charles shared details about his strained marriage with Lori. Despite the challenges, Nancy Jo remembers Charles being "strangely calm and kind" toward Lori. She described Charles as funny, kind, great at banter, and an overall "awesome guy," even amidst the chaos surrounding him. Nancy Jo knew that Charles and Lori had a child living with Lori at the time, and she was aware of Charles' older children as well. She clarified that their relationship was not exclusive, noting that another woman had sent Charles provocative photos and requested money—something Charles found humorous.
Nancy Jo met Charles in person for the first and only time on July 10, 2019. After Charles' flight delay, they spent the evening at a restaurant talking until it closed, continuing their conversation outside by Nancy’s truck for another 30-45 minutes. She recalled Charles being "like a kid on Christmas morning" with excitement to see his son JJ, whom he planned to take to school the following day. Charles was also looking for a place to live and planning to meet with Adam Cox. Nancy Jo noted that Charles was very fit and strong, and despite all the personal struggles he shared, she was surprised by how kindly he spoke of Lori. He expressed hope that Lori would be a good mother, which Nancy Jo found unusual—most men she had dated spoke about their exes in more critical terms.
During their interactions, Charles told Nancy Jo he had changed his life insurance beneficiary to Kay. Nancy Jo suggested he inform Lori about this, considering the safety concerns and financial implications Charles had described. Charles chuckled and agreed it might be a good idea. Nancy Jo stated she had "no beef in this case" and was unfamiliar with Charles' or Lori's family at the time. On July 11, Nancy Jo texted Charles around 11 a.m., asking about his morning with JJ, but received no response. After calling him later that day and still hearing nothing back, she was puzzled by his lack of communication and assumed he had decided not to continue their connection. She had no idea that Charles had been shot and killed. Months later, in December, she was shocked to see Charles' photo on TV alongside the announcement of his death on the date of their meeting. Realizing the timing, she reviewed her text exchanges with him and confirmed that their date had taken place just one day prior to his tragic death.
During Lori’s questioning of Nancy Jo, Lori confirmed they had not met before. Lori asked if Nancy Jo had any way to verify that Charles was going through a divorce, to which Nancy Jo said no. Lori then asked if Nancy Jo was surprised to learn later that Charles was not divorcing; Nancy Jo responded that Charles was in the process of getting a divorce. Lori pressed Nancy Jo, asking if she would have gone on a date with Charles if she knew he was married and if Nancy Jo dates married men—questions which drew objections from Treena as argumentative and harassing, both sustained by the judge. Lori also asked if Charles and Nancy Jo spent their entire date speaking about Lori, to which Nancy Jo quipped, “Don’t flatter yourself, No.” Nancy Jo clarified they also talked about the church, their families, and other topics. When asked whether Charles had talked about Tylee, Nancy Jo said she didn’t believe so. Lori further questioned Nancy Jo about Charles’ life insurance policy, asking if he mentioned its value. Nancy Jo said Charles disclosed it was $1 million but did not elaborate further.
At one point, Lori asked whether it was common for men Nancy Jo dated from the website to talk extensively about their ex-wives. Nancy Jo replied, “It’s actually very common.” Lori responded with “Interesting,” prompting an objection from Treena. Lori apologized and promised not to repeat such remarks. Lori also questioned Nancy Jo about the timing of her text messages to Charles, seeking specifics. Nancy Jo replied that they were sent after dinner but did not recall the exact times. When Lori pushed for further details on what Charles had discussed with Nancy Jo, Nancy Jo reiterated that she had already testified to the topics they covered. Lori demanded more specifics, leading the judge to call for a sidebar. The judge cautioned Lori, saying, “Are you sure you want the witness to answer the question about what things were said about you? Because you’re opening a really big door.”
Lori continued with additional cross-examination, noting that her questioning would take more time. Lori began by confirming that Nancy Jo had seen news of Charles’ death on TV. Nancy Jo stated that after seeing this, she reached out to Kay Woodcock and has since texted her occasionally about unrelated matters. Lori asked how many times Nancy Jo had texted Kay, though Nancy Jo couldn’t recall an exact number—possibly more than ten. Lori then asked if Nancy Jo’s messages to Kay had been turned over to the state, and Nancy Jo explained that they hadn’t, but she would have provided them if asked. Lori questioned Nancy Jo about her interactions with Treena Kay, learning that they had met in person once, had one other phone call, and exchanged text messages about logistical details related to appearing in court. Nancy Jo couldn’t estimate the number of texts exchanged. When asked about the duration of her meeting with Treena, Nancy Jo said it lasted around an hour to an hour and a half. She confirmed no one else was present at that meeting.
Lori asked if Nancy Jo had ever spoken to Adam Cox, Charles’ brother. Nancy Jo explained that she had encountered Adam at her grandson’s pickleball tournament, where she recognized him from media coverage related to Lori’s case. Nancy Jo greeted Adam, and he asked who her grandson was on the team. She noted that she knew who Adam was, but she didn’t believe Adam knew who she was at the time. Nancy Jo introduced herself by name during their brief conversation. Additionally, Nancy Jo mentioned that Lori’s brother had appeared on a dating app using Adam’s photo but under a different name. She messaged the account, advising the person not to use someone else’s photo. During Lori's questioning, she asked Nancy Jo how many messages she had sent to Adam and whether she had scheduled a date with him. Nancy Jo laughed, clarifying that she had not.
Lori asked if Nancy Jo had ever interacted with Brandon Boudreaux. Nancy Jo shared that Brandon attends the same church as her daughter and had been at her daughter’s house briefly. Nancy Jo knew who Brandon was because her daughter told her, but Nancy Jo did not introduce herself to him and may not have spoken to him directly that day. Lori asked if Nancy Jo was aware that Brandon was married to her niece, which Nancy Jo confirmed she knew.
Lori asked if Nancy Jo had spoken with law enforcement about the case. Nancy Jo confirmed she had spoken with Det. Nathan Moffatt in 2020, likely in April, during a phone interview lasting about 45 minutes. Nancy Jo clarified that she and Treena Kay first communicated about 4–5 weeks ago, which included their first meeting. Lori asked if Nancy Jo was aware that Lori didn’t know Charles was on dating websites, but Treena objected to the question as speculative, and the judge sustained the objection. Nancy Jo shared that Charles had assumed Lori was having an affair and moving on. Lori asked Nancy Jo if it would be fair to say that she had only known Charles for about a week, to which Nancy Jo agreed. Lori followed by asking if Nancy Jo had any contact with Charles after their date on July 10, and Nancy Jo replied, “Well, he was dead.” Lori confirmed that Nancy Jo contacted Kay Woodcock five months after Charles died to express her condolences about his passing, their dinner together, and how much Charles loved JJ. Lori cut Nancy Jo off mid-response with a curt, “Thank you. That’s enough.” She then walked back to her table, concluding her cross-examination.
Treena began her re-direct questioning by confirming that Nancy Jo had reached out to police after learning Charles was dead, rather than the police contacting her. Nancy Jo shared that Charles had told her he changed his life insurance policy beneficiary to Kay and had spoken about how much he loved JJ, their adoption of JJ from Kay, and other details. Nancy Jo recalled feeling overwhelming shock when she saw Charles’ case discussed on TV. Treena asked Nancy Jo if she had shared all of the information Charles told her during her police interview, and Nancy Jo admitted she likely hadn’t, as the interview was conducted in an ask-answer format. She had expected to be interviewed again but was surprised when no follow-up occurred.
Treena clarified Nancy Jo’s interactions with Adam Cox, asking if Nancy Jo had ever discussed the case with Adam. Nancy Jo confirmed she hadn’t spoken to him about case details, noting that their conversation at the pickleball tournament a week and a half ago might have included general mentions of their testimony but no specifics. Nancy Jo shared that Adam had also seen her grandson during that encounter. Treena asked if she and Nancy Jo had discussed what Nancy Jo told police during their meeting, to which Nancy Jo confirmed they had. Nancy Jo also affirmed Treena had instructed her to "just tell the truth."
Finally, Treena asked if Charles made an impression on Nancy Jo. She described Charles as a "large personality," noting his wit, gregariousness, and southern accent, which left a strong impression on her. Nancy Jo also confirmed that Charles had expressed verbal indications of stress during their interactions, adding "definitely" when questioned on this point. While she began to elaborate, the judge instructed her to keep her answer concise. Neither the defense nor prosecution had any follow-up questions, and Lori conferred briefly with her investigator before concluding her involvement.
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