After deliberating for just over 15 hours, on Wednesday a jury found Jodie Arias guilty of premeditated murder in the shooting and stabbing death of her ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander.
The jury, composed of eight men and four women, heard testimony from 38 witnesses over 57 days. The verdict was unanimous.
31-year-0ld Alexander, a Mormon, was found in his suburban Phoenix home in 2008, with nearly 30 stab wounds and a gunshot wound to his face. He was almost decapitated.
The trial, which lasted just over four months became somewhat of a spectacle and tabloid sensation with sex, lies, betrayal, and a bloody killing.
Arias, 32, initially said she wasn’t at Alexander’s home when he was killed, then later changed her story saying she was there and the couple was attacked by intruders.
Arias, who converted to Mormonism, finally settled on self-defense, became known as ‘Mormon Casey Anthony’ on account of the numerous lies she told to investigators about Alexander’s killing. Taking the witness stand for 18 days, Arias described for jurors how Alexander attacked her because she dropped a camera while taking nude photos of him. She told of how the two struggled and that she feared for her life.
Prosecutors said, Alexander’s killing was a cold-blooded murder that was planned by Arias.
Obviously the jury didn’t buy Arias’ story of self-defense.
Although Arias was found guilty of first degree murder, it is unclear whether she would face the death penalty because she is a woman. Since 1976, only 12 women in the U.S. have been put to death compared to more than 1,300 men, according to businessinsider.com. Arias could be sentenced to life in prison, without the possibility of parole. Alternatively, Arias could be sentenced to life, with the possibility of parole after 25 years.
Arias is expected to be sentenced within the next two weeks.
