Seven years after a drive‑by shooting outside his home in Gilbert, Arizona, Brandon Boudreaux is sharing his reflections on the 2019 ambush tied to the Lori Vallow Daybell murder plot. Boudreaux, the only surviving target, says the experience still haunts him, but his faith, family and a desire to help others keep him moving forward.
What happened on Oct. 2, 2019
On the afternoon of Oct. 2, 2019, Boudreaux was pulling into his driveway when a vehicle parked on the street opened fire. A bullet shattered the driver’s‑side window and lodged in the frame, missing his head by only inches. He called 911, reporting, “Someone just shot my window.”
Gilbert police arrived, examined the damage and, on body‑camera video, an officer noted, “Well, I don’t think that’s a BB gun.” Officers asked Boudreaux who might be angry with him; he replied, “They think I’m involved in it. I have nothing to do with it. I don’t want anything to do with them.”
Connections to the Vallow‑Daybell case
The shooting is linked to the broader murder plot surrounding Lori Vallow Daybell, now serving multiple life sentences for the killings of four people, including two of her children. Boudreaux’s ex‑wife, Melani, is Vallow’s niece and was investigated during the larger probe, though she was never charged.
Prosecutors have identified Lori Vallow’s brother, Alex Cox, as the suspected shooter. Cox died in December 2019 before any charges could be filed.
Survivor’s perspective
In a sit‑down interview with investigative reporter Morgan Loew, Boudreaux described the immediate aftermath. “The first person the police need to eliminate is the person who got shot at, right? You don’t think about that when you’re a victim,” he said. He recalled sitting on the curb while detectives worked the scene, feeling “really vulnerable” and realizing how “lucky I am to be alive.”
Boudreaux also reflected on the earlier murder of his close friend and former uncle‑in‑law, Charles Vallow, who was shot by Alex Cox in July 2019. The Vallow‑Daybell saga also involved the tragic death of 16‑year‑old Tylee Ryan, whose interview Boudreaux has watched only once because it is “heartbreaking.”
Looking forward
While Boudreaux acknowledges that many aspects of the investigation could be examined, he does not dwell on assigning blame to officers. “There’s a lot of places I can go to blame, and sometimes maybe some people need to do that to heal,” he said. “But for me, I can’t change what was.”
He hopes lessons from his case can improve protections for future victims. “I’m a big supporter of anything we can do to save someone else from going through that,” Boudreaux said. He is open to helping develop a better system to prevent similar attacks.
Upcoming memoir
Boudreaux’s memoir, titled Unthinkable, is slated for release in February 2027. The book will detail his experience with the murder plot, survivor’s guilt and co‑parenting challenges.
His story underscores the lasting impact of violent crime on families and the importance of community support, faith and perseverance in the healing process.
Original reporting: azfamily KTVK/KPHO Phoenix (news) — read the source article.
