Doomsday Mom demands new trial in Brandon Boudreaux attempted murder case
Seth Ratliff
PHOENIX, Arizona (KIFI) — Convicted killer Lori Vallow Daybell, often referred to as the “Doomsday Mom,” has filed a motion demanding a new trial in Arizona. She was recently found guilty of conspiring with her deceased brother, Alex Cox, to attempt the murder of her niece’s former husband, Brandon Boudreaux.
In a 13-page document, Vallow Daybell argues that the court violated her Fourth Amendment rights by compelling her to attend court while ill. She also alleges a “lack of impartiality/abuse of discretion” by Judge Justin Beresky.
Throughout the trial, Vallow Daybell was reprimanded multiple times. At one point, she was removed from the courtroom after starting a shouting match with Judge Beresky during her cross-examination of Brandon Boudreaux. The judge had attempted to warn her against introducing details about her “good and kind nature,” which could have opened the door to discussions about her previous murder convictions. Vallow Daybell accused the judge of yelling at her and confronted him, leading to her being removed from the courtroom by a deputy.
In her filing, Vallow Daybell alleged the court’s actions show a lack of impartiality, arguing that “any attempt to present the Defendant’s case was met with threats of informing the jury about Defendant’s prior convictions.”
On Monday, June 9, Judge Beresky authorized the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office to use “any means necessary, including force,” to ensure Vallow Daybell’s presence, as she appeared reluctant to attend the trial. Her new motion sheds light on this, as she claims in court documents to have been suffering from a viral “infection” since May 30th.
Vallow Daybell claims that a jail-ordered health evaluation was made “without her knowledge,” but the testing “came back with an infection in need of antibiotics for treatment.”
“Judge Beresky still ordered defendant to defend herself at trial, knowing she was too ill to proceed,” she argued in the documents.
This marks Vallow Daybell’s latest attempt to overturn a conviction. Her attorney in Idaho recently filed an appeal with the Idaho Supreme Court to overturn all charges, including three murder convictions. In May, Judge Beresky denied a motion for a new trial following her conviction for conspiring to kill her fourth husband, Charles Vallow, citing no evidence of misconduct or partiality.
Vallow Daybell’s second Arizona trial concluded on June 13, 2025, less than two weeks ago. Her motion for a new trial comes just a month before her scheduled sentencing, on July 25, 2025.