for the first time since the attempted coup we have the only u.s. journalist on the ground just hours until team usa's high-stakes match against portugal our one-on-one with the legendary megan rapinoe. remembering paul reubens, the actor beloved for the pee-wee herman character. his secret health battle and the tragic death of a rising star from hbo's "euphoria" at only 25 >> announcer: this is nbc "nightly news" with lester holt good evening, everyone and welcome the sad and at times bizarre trial of an idaho mother who was convicted of killing two of her children and conspiring to kill her husband's former wife ended today with multiple life sentences. the judge ordering lori vallow daybell to spend the rest of her life in prison without the chance of parole the toetails of case, her claim to be a godd her children zombihe believed, captured headlines around the world. before she was sentenced vallow daybell offered no remorse. as she addressed the court, declaring no one was murdered and suggesting the deaths of her 7 and 16-year-old children could have been the results of accidents or even suicides miguel almaguer has details. >> i do not fear death. but i look forward to it >> reading from notes moments before a judge ordered her to spend the rest of her life behind bars, lori vallowbell, th idaho mother convi conspi to murder her hud's fr wife, brher silence and remained defiant. >> no one was murdered in this case accidental deaths happen suicides happen. fatal side effects from medis i for a fact that my childree happy and busy in the spirit world. >> reporter: with vallow daybell claiming she has spoken to the victims in the afterlife, the tragic and bizarre case led to sensational headlines. dubbed the doomsday cult mom, vallow daybell claimed her children were zombies and she was a goddess sent to usher in the biblical apocalypse. the mutilated bodies of 7-year-old j.j. and 16-year-old tylee were found on the property of her new husband, chad daybell, a self-published author who wrote about doomsday and whose former wife he is also accused of killing >> i have always mourned the loss of my loved ones, and i have lost many in this mortal world >> reporter: as the judge admonished vallow daybell for showing no remorse, prosecutors say the motive was money, arguing the mother killed her children to collect benefit checks >> the crime scene was a horrific thing to have to review >> reporter: despite the heinous crime, vallow daybell's attorney pleaded for mercy. but family members say she deserves none. >> we're done. lori -- we are done with lori. she is no more to us >> miguel joining me now. miguel, where does lori vallow daybell's husband's case stand at this hour >> reporter: lester, chad daybell, who has pleaded not guilty, faces similar charges his wife lori was convicted of his trial on murder and conspiracy to commit murder scheduled to get under way next year. he too faces life in prison, lester >> miguel, thank you for that just breaking tonight, police say a potential mass shooting was averted after a gunman opened fire outside a jewish school in memphis and tried to get in the school before fleeing. ron allen is following developments what have you learned so far >> well, lester, this all began around 12:20 this afternoon when police say a man tried to enter the margolin hebrew academy in memphis armed with a gun. when he couldn't get in he fired shots outside the jewish school, which police say had safety procedures in place. thankfully no one there was hurt the school gave police a photo of the andescrin of his k. officer that vehicle and pullhe suspect over police say he got out with his hand on a gun and officers opened fire, hitting the suspect, who's now in a hospital in critical condition. the assistant chief of police says that a tragedy was averted in memphis today. >> very troubling. ron, thank you for that a first court appearance today for the mar-a-lago employee prosecutors say tried to delete surveillance video under orders from donald trump the republican front-runner tonight slamming the charges garrett haake now with late details >> reporter: indicted mar-a-lago employee carlos de oliveira free tonight on $100,000 bond, entering no plea during a first hearing in federal court in miami. prosecutors say he sought to delete surveillance videos subpoenaed as part of the classified documents case de oliveira allegedly telling another mar-a-lago staffer, quote, the boss wanted the video deleted. mr. trump, who now faces 40 separate counts in the case, posting "mar-a-lago tapes were not deleted. they were voluntarily handed over. i never told anybody to delete them." >> these are ridiculous indictments. >> reporter: the former president this weekend lashing out at those charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty, and at the federal prosecutors who may bring another indictment regarding his actions before january 6th, writing he expects to be indicted, quote, any day now, arguing charges are being revealed now because he's the republican front-runner against president biden. >> they waited 2 1/2, almost 3 years so that they could bring them right in the middle of my presidential election, because it's election interference. these are crooked people >> reporter: the attorney general appointed a special counsel to take over the doj investigation three days after mr. trump announced his campaign while the d.a. leading a similar probe in georgia now says an indictment there could come by the end of august >> we're ready to go >> reporter: as his legal challenges mount, the "washington post" reporting mr. trump's political group spent more than $40 million on legal costs in the first half of 2023 defending the former president and his allies some of mr. trump's rivals now intensifying their attacks. >> these guys were acting like the corleones with no experience >> i think we need a new leader i think he was good then i don't think he's going to be good going forward. >> reporter: the former president shrugging off those critiques and the charges against him, which have so far done little political damage, today suggesting he'll skip the first gop debate but might still watch it to help him pick a vice presidential nominee. lester >> garrett haake, thanks this was a deadly day in ukraine as russia launched an attack on president zelenskyy's hometown just one day after a drone strike on moscow and we're learning more on the whereabouts of the man behind the brief mutiny against president putin. here's richard engel >> reporter: with two missiles launched at ukraine tonight russia destroyed much of an apartment building full of civilians, killing a 10-year-old girl and her mother in president zelenskyy's hometown it's unclear if the strike, which ukrainians described as terrorism, was retribution, but it came just 24 hours after drones exploded in moscow for the third time in days, hitting high-rises in downtown and making president putin look weak and the capital vulnerable russia blamemed ukraine. zezelenskyy, whihile not claiming responsibility, gave his most direct t admission yet of cross-border strikes "gradually the war is returning to russian territory," he said. in ukraine russian troops are battling an intensifying ukrainian offensive and doing it without some of their most experienced troops mercenaries from the wagner group are off the battlefield after their leader, yevgeny prigozhin, launched a short-lived mutiny putin branded prigozhin, once a trusted aide, a traitor but then cut a deal with him. the potential reasons why are now becoming more clear tonight prigozhin posted that wagner troops are for the moment in belarus, awaiting orders. and d video from b belarus shows s the mercenaries training special forces poland, a nato ally across the border, is on high alert just in case but africa seems to be prigozhin's main focus now. we reported how wagner in coordination with the kremlin props up weak african leaders including the president of the central african republic in exchange for control of gold and diamond mines. just last week putin hosted 17 african leaders in russia. and on hand to greet them was prigozhin, who says his network in africa is expanding. prigozhin challenged putin and embarrassed him, but it seems as long as wagner is still in business and still making money in africa an accommodation is being worked out lester >> all right, richard, thank you. and a senior state department official tells us the u.s. does not believe prigozhin is behind the coup in niger, where today the president was seen publicly for the first time since being ousted our courtney kube is the only u.s.-based journalist inside niger. >> reporter: tonight the first glimpse of niger's democratically elected president mohamed bazoum, not seen since last week after a coup bazoum smiling, meeting with the leader of chad, who's now trying to mediate in niger after several west african countries called on the coup leaders to give up power, warning them to release president bazoum in the next week or face possible military action. >> such measures may include the use of force. >> reporter: over the weekend thousands took to the streets of the capital here, mostly peaceful, supporting the coup some waving russian flags chanting "long live russia. though violence erupted outside the french embassy, crowds burning a door and throwing rocks at windows, chased off by tear gas before they could breach the outer walls. tonight the coup leaders have not responded to the ultimatum, vowing to defend n niger from aggression, accusing france of planning a military intervention. both france and the u.s. have military bases here in niger. adding to the tensions, should the u.s. designate this as a coup, more than $400 million in u.s. aid and military training would immediately be at risk >> any questions >> reporter: eroding years of u.s.-nigerian partnership training to combat terror groups here. late monday bazoum's party saying 130 of its members were arrested by the junta including four members of bazoum's ousted cabinet. lester >> courtney, thank you. let's turn to the collapse of yellow, one of the country's biggest trucking companies, affecting 30,000 workers and leaving taxpayers in the hole for hundreds of millions of dollars it received during covid. here's tom costello. >> reporter: those yellow trucks are iconic on america's highways now it's the biggest collapse ever in the u.s. trucking industry with the company telling employees and customers that it's shutting down. affecting 30,000 employees including 22,000 teamsters a mechanic for 20 years, shannon abbott is tonight worried about his family >> i'm worried about my insurance for me and my family. you never know something -- something could happen >> reporter: last month yellow's ceo blamed the union >> the leadership at the international brotherhood of teamsters refuses to come to the table to discuss the future of our employees. >> reporter: when managers in omaha urged drivers to pressure the union -- >> the company is running out of cash and is at risk of closure and liquidation. >> reporter: -- the anger and pushback were immediate >> but we're the ones that do the work for you! >> you guys can't run this company that's the problem >> reporter: yellow has been around for 99 years, offering lower rates to truck freight for retailers big and small including home depot and walmart. but for years it's struggled to turn a profit last month congressional investigators found yellow should have never received $700 million in emergency funding during the pandemic the trump administration approved the loan in 2020, claiming the company was critical to maintaining national security. even though the justice department had sued yellow for overcharging the military taxpayers still own 30% of the company its stock down 89% in less than two years. tonight industry experts believe other trucking companies can pick up yellow's business with minimal impact on the supply chain. >> are there jobs for every worker at yellow that remains to be seen but certainly there is a steady demand for drivers. >> reporter: the question is whether the national demand for truck drivers will create enough openings for yellow's drivers now looking for jobs lester >> all right tom costello, thank you. in 60 seconds the wife of the gilgo beach murder suspect speaks out ahead of his court appearance tomorrow we're tracking details in the investigation next the man charged with killing three women in the so-called gilgo beach murders is set to appear in court tomorrow as his wife speaks out about the case for the first time here's stephanie gosk. >> reporter: when police arrested rex heuermann on a manhattan street corner just over two weeks ago, the wife of the alleged serial killer was at the couple's home, where she lives with her two adult children according to asa ellerup's attorney, who says the family is enduring a profound and indescribable catastrophe. >> it's been a very tumultuous time for them life has been thrown upside down in the past few weeks this was all brought on them all of a sudden out of nowhere. >> reporter: ellerup filed for divorce and is now asking for privacy for her children and her neighbors. "they deserve to live peacefully," she writes "i am pleading with you all to give us space so that we may regain some normalcy in our neighborhood. in the days following the arrest investigators pored through the family's long island home, removing truckloads of possible evidence including, the d.a. says, nearly 300 guns. the small single-story house is just miles from where the bodies were discovered on gilgo beach over a decade ago heuermann is charged with killing three young women and is the main suspect in the disappearance of a fourth the 59-year-old pleaded not guilty and has been held without bail his attorney not responding to nbc news's request for comment. the prosecutor says it will take time to sift through new evidence, including what was found in two storage units nearby >> we have obtained a massive amount of material >> reporter: rex heuermann will be back in court tomorrow on long island. it will be brief the prosecutor says among the topics being discussed is whether there should be a formal bail hearing. lester >> stephanie gosk in new york thank you. up next, for decades he entertained fans as pee-wee herman remembering paul reubens, next. can the u.s. women find the same world cup magic that drove them to win the last two tournaments? with their next crucial match just hours away, molly hunter spoke with megan rapinoe in new zealand. >> she's going for gold and scores! >> reporter: megan rapinoe will never be happy sitting on the bench. >> you cry in your shower and then you come out to training and you bust ass and you have fun and you make the best of it. >> reporter: now 38, no longer a starter, but that competitive fire still burning >> every single game from here on out is that pressure moment, and like that's the best part of being at the world cup. >> reporter: i caught up with rapinoe as she and her teammates prepared for their high-stakes match against portugal >> what is 2023 rapinoe? what is this right here what are we getting? >> i don't know, much of the same. you know, anytime i get on the field i feel like i still am always just a threat to create something. so -- >> the other teams clearly feel that. >> yeah, they don't like it when i'm lining up to sub >> reporter: rapinoe has said this world cup, her fourth, will also be her last >> thrashes it into the back of the net! >> reporter: but she certainly left her mark on this game, especially when it comes to fighting for equal pay. >> players are making more money we know that now you're seeing more sponsorship, more ticket sales, more investment into tournaments like this. >> the veteran stars shone brightly for the u.s. >> reporter: of course she'd like her legacy to include one more championship >> the thing that i'm most proud of is that i'm a winner and it takes a lot to win. it takes a lot of different people in different roles to be able to do that and then ultimately going out there and finishing the job. >> reporter: spoken like a true leader molly hunter, nbc news, auckland, new zealand. when we return, remembering paul reubens, the funny man behind pee-wee herman. just in tonight, tragic news about one of the stars of hbo's hit "euphoria. angus cloud has died at 25. no cause has been revealed himily said in statement, "angus was en abois battle with mental health, and we hope that his passing can be a ndo others at tare not alond ld not t t n in sce." and finally tonight, we'reo reering the comic ermind behin wee herman paul reubens, the actor who created and portrayed the iconic character, has died after a private battle with cancer. he was 70. erin mclaughlin on his legacy of laughter >> reporter: he was the star whose quirky one-liners were used on playgrounds across america. >> i know you are but what am i? >> reporter: known as pee-wee herman, a character he created, few recognized him by his real name, paul reubens. and he wanted it that way. >> i thought that pee-wee herman worked better if one didn't know that was an actor. >> reporter: today reubens' team announced his death on facebook after a six-year battle with cancer reubens' own final message apologizing to fans for not disclosing his illness sooner writing "i have loved you all so much and enjoyed making art for you. ♪ >> i've been in so many clubs where that music comes on and everybody in the club turns and goes like -- >> ah! >> reporter: he soared to superstardom in the 1980s with a character brought to life through wildly popular films -- >> i meant to do that. >> reporter: -- and a saturday morning children's show called "pee-wee's playhouse." >> today's secret word is more. >> reporter: but it all came crashing down in 1991. reubens at the height of his popularity pleaded no contest following his arrest for indecent exposure at an adult movie theater, becoming a subject of tabloid fodder that same year he addressed the scandal head on, appearing as pee-wee at the mtv movie awards >> heard any good jokes lately >> reporter: a decade later he faced a child pornography charge that was later dismissed, in 2004 explaining the material as vintage erotica to nbc's "dateline. >> you would immediately look at that collection and be able to tell very, very, very quickly this is not a collection of child pornography. >> reporter: he would go on to appear in both film and television, even bringing pee-wee back from time to time. tonight paul reubens is remembered for that signature laugh and those zany antics that helped to define a generation erin mclaughlin, nbc news >> that's "nightly news" for this monday. thank you for watching i'm lester holt. please take care of yourself and each other. goodht ♪♪ thousands of w women with metetastatic brbreast ca, arare living i in the momemt anand taking i ibrance. arare living i in the momemt ibibrance withth an aromatate inhibitotor isis for adultlts with hr+r+/- metastaticic breast cacancer as t the first h hormonl based ththerapy. isis for adultlts with hr+r+/- metastaticic breast cacancer ibrarance plus l letrozole signgnificantly y delayed didisease progogression versrsus letrozozole. ibrarance may cacause low white blblood cell c counts that may l lead to serioious infectitions. ibrance e may cause e severe inflamammation of f the lung. both of ththese can leadad to death.h. tellll your doctctor if you ue new or w worsening c chest , cough, o or trouble e breat. bebefore takining ibrance,, tetell your dodoctor if you h have fever,r, ch, bebefore takining ibrance,, or othther signs o of infecti, liver or k kidney probobl, bebefore takining ibrance,, are e or plan to b become pregegnant, bebefore takining ibrance,, or arere breastfeeeeding. bebefore takining ibrance,, fofor more infnformation abouout side effffects talk to yoyour doctor.r. bebe in your m moment. ask k your doctotor about ibib. right now on "nbc bay area news tonight," new details emerge in the murder of tech executive and cash app founder bob lee. sfpd cops who first found lee detailing what they saw. >> what we're doing right now is setting the scene for what kind of police work was done. >> what else that we learned in court today. also, how bad is the violent crime in the east bay? we're talking to a longtime crime reporter. why she says this latest