Madeline Daly
Silver City, NM –District Attorney Norman R. Wheeler announced that on August 24, 2026, 36-year-old Madeline Veronique Daly pled guilty to First-Degree Murder. The charges stem from the shooting death of her 11-month-old son.
Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Vega represented the State during the hearing.
Presiding Judge Tom F. Stewart reviewed and accepted the terms of the plea agreement. Judge Stewart granted a separate sentencing hearing, stating he wanted additional time to review the case. As a result of the plea agreement, Daly is facing a life sentence to be served in the New Mexico Department of Corrections, the maximum penalty for First Degree Murder in the State of New Mexico.
Grant County Sheriff's officials reported that Daly brought her 11-month-old son into New Mexico from Wyoming, violating a court order that had granted emergency custody to the child's father. On December 23, 2025, deputies responded to a rural property along Highway 15 following a tip that Daly had been located and had an outstanding warrant from Wyoming for kidnapping charges.
Sheriff's Deputies located Daly and her child in a motorized RV located on the property.
Deputies surrounded the RV, while working to obtain a search warrant, a gunshot was heard. Deputies rushed into the RV and discovered Daly had fatally shot her son with a 9mm handgun. After a brief struggle, Daly was taken into custody, and deputies attempted to save the child by rushing him to an awaiting ambulance.
New Mexico State Police crime scene investigators and Grant County Sheriff's officers secured the area. The entire incident was assisted by the Hurley Police Department, Forest Service law enforcement officers, Native Air, Emergency Medical Services, FBI and Investigators from the 6th Judicial District Attorney's office.
