Madeline Veronique Daly, 36, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder on August 24, 2026, in connection with the shooting death of her 11-month-old son in New Mexico.
Authorities said Daly had brought the child from Wyoming to New Mexico despite an emergency custody order and was later found with him inside a motorised RV while wanted on a Wyoming kidnapping warrant.
A judge accepted the plea agreement but ordered a separate sentencing hearing; Daly faces a life sentence, the maximum penalty for first-degree murder in New Mexico.
Wyoming Woman Madeline Daly Pleads Guilty To Murdering 11-Month-Old Son
Wyoming woman Madeline Veronique Daly has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the shooting death of her 11-month-old son in New Mexico and faces a possible life sentence
Summary
Madeline Veronique Daly, a 36-year-old woman from Wyoming, has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the shooting death of her 11-month-old son in New Mexico, according to the 6th Judicial District Attorney's Office. Daly entered the guilty plea on August 24 and faces a life sentence under a plea agreement in the case, a Facebook post by 6th Judicial District Attorney said.
What Happened To Madeline Daly's Son?
Grant County Sheriff's officials said Daly had brought her 11-month-old son from Wyoming to New Mexico, despite a court order granting emergency custody of the child to his father. On December 23, 2025, deputies responded to a rural property along Highway 15 after receiving a tip that Daly had been located there. She also had an outstanding warrant from Wyoming on kidnapping charges.
Deputies found Daly and her son inside a motorised RV on the property and surrounded the vehicle while obtaining a search warrant. A gunshot was then heard from inside the RV. Deputies rushed in and found that Daly had fatally shot her son with a 9mm handgun.
After a brief struggle, deputies took Daly into custody and attempted to save the child, rushing him to an awaiting ambulance.
New Mexico State Police crime scene investigators and Grant County Sheriff's officers secured the area. The response also involved the Hurley Police Department, Forest Service law enforcement officers, Native Air, Emergency Medical Services, the FBI and investigators from the 6th Judicial District Attorney's Office.
The case unfolded after deputies received a tip that Daly had been located at the rural property. At the time, she was wanted in Wyoming on kidnapping charges. Deputies surrounded the RV while they worked to obtain a search warrant, but the situation escalated when a gunshot was heard from inside the vehicle.
What Did Madeline Daly Plead Guilty To?
Grant County District Attorney Norman R. Wheeler announced that 36-year-old Madeline Veronique Daly pleaded guilty to first-degree murder on August 24, 2026. The charge stems from the shooting death of her 11-month-old son.
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Chief Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Vega represented the state during the hearing, while Presiding Judge Tom F. Stewart reviewed and accepted the terms of the plea agreement. Stewart ordered a separate sentencing hearing, saying he wanted additional time to review the case.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Daly faces a life sentence to be served in the New Mexico Department of Corrections. Life imprisonment is the maximum penalty for first-degree murder in New Mexico.
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