Lori Vallow Daybell’s bid for new judge denied for upcoming trial

PHOENIX — Lori Vallow Daybell’s latest effort to get a new judge for her upcoming trial was denied Thursday.

The so-called “Doomsday Mom” is facing a murder conspiracy charge out of Gilbert for allegedly conspiring to kill her niece’s ex-husband, Brandon Boudreaux.  

Investigators believe Vallow’s brother shot at Boudreaux outside his home in Gilbert back in October 2019.  Boudreaux was not hit or injured, but a bullet shattered his car window while he was driving.

Testimony in that trial is scheduled to start next week and will be her third trial in recent years.

In 2023, Vallow Daybell was convicted in Idaho for killing her children, Tylee and JJ, who used to live in the Valley. She was also convicted for her role in the death of Tammy Daybell, her current husband Chad Daybell’s first wife.  

In a separate trial, Chad Daybell was also convicted of murder in that case and was sentenced to death in Idaho.

Last month, Vallow Daybell was convicted in Maricopa County for conspiring to kill her former husband, Charles Vallow, back in July 2019. She represented herself in this trial and plans to do so in her upcoming trial.

Investigators believe Vallow Daybell’s brother, Alex Cox, is the co-conspirator in these cases. He was never charged because he died before charges were filed in these cases.

In the weeks leading up to her next trial, Lori Vallow Daybell has filed a slew of motions to try and suppress or limit the state’s witnesses and evidence, to try and dismiss the case, and to try and get a new judge.

In a pre-trial hearing on May 14, Vallow Daybell asked Judge Justin Beresky, who presided over her previous Maricopa County Superior Court trial, to recuse himself.  He stated he would not.

Last week, Vallow Daybell filed a motion for a new judge, claiming Judge Beresky was biased against her because he regularly denies her motions, among other issues.

Vallow Daybell appeared before a different judge in a last-minute oral argument hearing Thursday morning to make her case on the motion.

The prosecutor argued that Judge Beresky’s rulings were appropriate and stemmed from a legal basis.

Ultimately, the judge denied Vallow Daybell’s motion for a new judge, saying that just because she didn’t agree with Judge Beresky’s rulings didn’t mean he had a bias against her.

In-court jury selection for the latest trial is scheduled to start Thursday afternoon, with each side going over juror questionnaires. Potential jurors are expected to come to court in person on Friday, when the jury is expected to be finalized.

Opening arguments are set to start Monday.

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