The divorce petition was dismissed that March, however, and Charles’ son from another relationship told Fox 10 that his father wanted to try to save the marriage. However, the son (he didn’t want his name made public) helped his father move from Arizona to Texas with JJ that month as well.
“Lori had basically just disappeared, and he had no idea where she went for I think two-ish months, and so eventually he was like, ‘Alright, I have to move away for JJ’s sake, for JJ’s safety,’ and so he decided to move to Houston,” the son said.
Charles eventually took JJ back to Arizona, where Lori and Tylee were still living, and it was at their home in Chandler where Charles, 63, was fatally shot by Lori’s brother, Alex Cox, on July 11, 2019. Local headlines reported that the shooting occurred during a “family fight,” or “family argument.” “I got in a fight with my brother-in-law and I shot him in self-defense,” Cox told the 911 dispatcher.
According to Cox, Charles and Lori had been having an argument and he went to intervene, worried that Charles would get violent with his sister. Tylee then came into the room with a bat, ostensibly to defend her mom, but Charles took the bat and hit Cox in the head with it. Cox told Chandler police that he then went to his room to get his gun. Charles was shot twice in the chest.
Cox first told police that Lori had left with the kids before he shot Charles, but Lori told investigators she heard the gunshots from the kitchen and then went outside to check on the kids, who were waiting in Charles’ rental car, and then drove away in that vehicle.