In the latest developments of the so-called "Doomsday Mom" trial, Lori Vallow Daybell was removed from the courtroom due to a heated exchange that occurred last Friday. Representing herself against a murder conspiracy charge in Gilbert, Arizona, Daybell has pleaded not guilty. The charge is related to an alleged scheme to kill her niece's ex-husband, Brandon Boudreaux, in 2019, as reported by 12News. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, Daybell was questioned on Tuesday about evidence handling by Gilbert Police Officer Ryan Pillar, who testified about his decision not to retain Boudreaux's Tesla as evidence.
Daybell, in the courtroom, cross-examined Detective Ryan Pillar about the shooting at Boudreaux's home on October 2, 2019. With the Tesla no longer in evidence, she inquired, "without this evidence available, how would my experts be able to test for a trajectory?" to which Pillar responded, "We couldn't test for trajectory with what we had," as mentioned on FOX 10 Phoenix. The cross-examination also touched on the use of a Jeep allegedly driven by Alex Cox, Daybell's late brother, during the attempt on Boudreaux's life, which prosecutor Treena Kay linked to a clear shooting from the Jeep Wrangler.
Tensions reaching a high point last week resulted in Daybell's forced exit from the courtroom during the trial, after which the jury was given a recess. The prosecutor argued that Daybell's line of questioning could implicate her character, potentially opening the door for them to introduce her prior convictions into evidence. Daybell has already been found guilty on a number of serious charges in Idaho, including the murder of her children and the involvement in the death of her husband's previous wife, according to 12News.
Further investigating the shooting of Boudreaux, testimony from various witnesses, including forensic scientists and law enforcement officials, was provided over the course of the ongoing trial. Officer Ryan Pillar, who is now a school resource officer, and Detective Nathan Duncan from the Chandler Police Department, were among those who testified. Duncan served as the case agent in the Charles Vallow death investigation, and Pillar assisted in impounding the Jeep in question found in Idaho, according to the testimonies obtained by 12News and FOX 10 Phoenix.
The jury for this trial, composed of fifteen jurors including alternates, is expected to deliberate over a span of approximately two weeks once testimonies are complete. Daybell's history reveals multiple trials and convictions over the past years, contributing to the complexity of the case currently unfolding in the Arizona courtroom. Live coverage of the trial is available on FOX 10's YouTube channel, providing the public with direct access to the proceedings as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix.
