PHOENIX — Jury selection began Monday in the Arizona trial of Lori Daybell — the woman once dubbed the “Doomsday Mom.”
Daybell is charged with conspiracy to commit murder in the 2019 shooting death of her fourth husband, Charles Vallow.
She is already serving a life sentence in Idaho after being convicted of murdering her two youngest children, J.J. Vallow and Tylee Ryan, and conspiring to kill her fifth husband’s previous wife, Tammy Daybell.
Now, she’s back in court — this time in Maricopa County — facing new charges in connection with the death of her fourth husband, Charles Vallow.
Daybell’s brother, Alex Cox, killed Vallow after an argument in Chandler and claimed self-defense. However, a Maricopa County grand jury later indicted Lori Daybell, alleging she played a role in planning the killing.
Cox died after the shooting of apparent natural causes and was never charged.
Daybell is acting as her own attorney during this Arizona trial. She has court-appointed legal advisers who can take over her defense if needed.
In court, Daybell, prosecutors, and the judge went down a list of potential jurors who filled out a questionnaire electronically. Some cited personal or professional issues that would make serving difficult, but quite a few stated they had knowledge of Daybell or her case.
There were around 50 people who were brought back in person on Tuesday, and an additional group of potential jurors who did not fill out the questionnaire electronically.
While jury selection was expected to take at least a week, the jury for Daybell's trial was finalized on Tuesday.
In total, there will be 16 jurors which include three women and 13 men.
Opening statements will begin next Monday.
BREAKING: Jury is officially sat in just two days in the #LoriDaybell trial. 16 total, it appears to be 3 women and 13 men. I believe 12 will be jurors and 4 alternates. This is the first of her two trials. @abc15 https://t.co/HbfSpQQG3C pic.twitter.com/9MA0oLxTg8
— Ashley Holden (@ashleyvholden) April 1, 2025
On Monday afternoon, the judge also heard from prosecutors and Daybell on a number of motions filed with the court.
One involved a reporter, Nate Eaton, who had been named on Daybell's witness list. Eaton was struck from that list after the judge heard from his attorney and Daybell.
There were times Daybell asked the judge a question, and the judge responded, telling Daybell he couldn't provide legal advice.
Daybell, defending herself, said her team is trying their best to serve potential witnesses and read over documents. At times, the so-called "Doomsday Mom" cited the difficulties of preparing for trial while she is being held in Maricopa County custody.
"The Lori that I see in the courtroom is the Lori that I know; Fiery, insistent, sometimes belligerent," said Daybell's first cousin Megan Conner.
Conner traveled to the Valley to watch the case play out in person after watching Daybell's Idaho trial virtually.
"This is a game for her," said Conner. "She's taking advantage of her last opportunity to be in the spotlight."
The trial is expected to last up to six weeks.
In addition to this case, Daybell is also accused of conspiring to kill her niece’s ex-husband, Brandon Boudreaux. That case will be tried separately.
