Lori Daybell: Judge orders ‘Doomsday Mom’ to be in court for jury selection

PHOENIX – Jury selection is set to resume on Wednesday in Lori Daybell’s second Arizona trial.

FOX 10 Investigative Reporter Justin Lum confirmed on Wednesday that Judge Justin Beresky ordered the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office to bring the so-called “Doomsday Mom” from jail to the courtroom after she left proceedings early two days ago because she was sick.

Ultimately, a jury with eight men and eight women was assembled. Opening statements are now set for 10 a.m. on June 5.

What they’re saying:

Daybell was wheeled into court on Monday in a wheelchair, telling the judge she had headaches, nausea and chills.

With a trash can next to her, Daybell said she could not get out of the wheelchair.

“I’m sick, your honor. I’ve been sick all weekend. I let my team know yesterday I was sick,” Daybell said.

Judge Beresky ended court proceedings early on Monday and announced jury selection would resume on June 4.

The backstory:

For her second and final trial in Arizona, Vallow Daybell is accused of conspiring with her late brother, Alex Cox, in the attempted murder of her ex-nephew-in-law, Brandon Boudreaux.

Boudreaux was shot at outside his Gilbert home in October 2019. While Boudreaux was not hit, the incident is linked to a series of deadly events in Idaho, including the murders of Vallow Daybell’s two children, Joshua “JJ” Vallow and Chad Daybell’s first wife, Tammy.

In April 2025, Vallow Daybell was also found guilty of plotting the fatal shooting of her fourth husband, Charles Vallow, in Chandler.

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