Union Editorial’s latest longform project debuts on Netflix today: the chilling three-part docuseries, SINS OF OUR MOTHER, exploring the story of Lori Vallow, known to friends and family as a devoted mother of three, a loving wife, and a woman of God. But over the past three years, something went very wrong: Now Lori is in jail, waiting to stand trial for conspiracy to commit murder and first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of her fourth husband, her fifth husband’s wife, and her two youngest children. For the first time, Lori’s surviving son Colby steps forward to provide exclusive insight into his family’s backstory as well as their present-tense narrative as Lori faces justice. At the heart of this series is a single burning question: how did a seemingly normal woman become the most notorious mother in America? The docuseries was cut at Union, where the project team comprised Managing Director/ Partner Michael Raimondi, Partner/Editor James Haygood (Executive Producer on the series alongside Jonathan Chinn, Simon Chinn, and Todd Garner of Lightbox Entertainment), Katherine LeBlond (Producer), and Zach Kashkett (Editor, along with freelance editors Chris Walldorf and Jessica Potter).
“This was a complex story to tell, but during the process of putting it together more and more material became available,” said Haygood, whose previous collaborations with Netflix include HOUSE OF SECRETS and THE DEVIL NEXT DOOR. “So given all this new archival content released in the case, we weren’t just telling the story, but in various ways letting viewers experience it.”
“Lori Vallow has many faces. That of a mother, sister, wife…and liar,” said director Skye Borgman in a statement. “I don’t know if we will ever know exactly what motivated Lori to commit such unspeakable crimes. But to formulate any answer we must look at Lori through the eyes of the people who knew her best. Through the eyes of her community, family, friends and her only remaining son – Colby Ryan. Colby’s life will never be the same. Shaken to the bone at the realization that his mother is responsible for the most heartbreaking tragedy he has ever experienced. He grieves for a family that is no more and questions the blind faith of relatives left behind. Colby must navigate a world he has no business in. A world of lawyers, FBI agents, journalists and frauds. The avalanche of tabloid headlines blasting “CULT MOM” have subsided for now, but the inevitable is just around the corner. With the high-profile trial looming, the media firestorms will rage again, and salacious details will flood reddit forums and Lori Vallow will officially rocket to celebrity status – which is a crime of an entirely different nature.”
About Union
Union Editorial has offices located in Los Angeles, New York, Austin, and London, where it maintains an alliance with Marshall Street Editors. The company also develops and produces original content. Other Union companies include Hunter, which provides finishing services, vfx, graphics and mix for commercials, features and gaming. Union is presided over by Partner/Managing Director Michael Raimondi alongside Executive Producer Joe Ross and Head of Production Dani DuHadway in LA, Partner/Managing Director Caryn Maclean alongside Executive Producer Melissa Lubin in NY, Executive Producer Vicki Russell in Austin, and Logan Aries, Executive Producer of Hunter. The Union roster is comprised of Partner/Editors Jim Haygood, Einar Thorsteinsson, Jay Friedkin, Sloane Klevin, Marco Perez, Merritt Duff, Graham Turner, and Chris Huth, editors Daniel Luna, Laura Milstein, Jason Lucas, Karen Kourtessis, Kevin Ray, Nicholas Wayman-Harris, Rachael Connelly, Zach Kashkett, Andrea MacArthur, Amanda Perry, Justin “Q” Quagliata, Vinnie Hobbs, and Rick Lawley, as well as select projects with Guicho Flores, Teddy Gersten, Tim Thornton-Allan, Matt Chesse, John Mayes, Spencer Ferszt, Paul Plew and the Marshall Street roster.