10 years ago, Jodi Arias' sensational trial ended in a murder conviction in Arizona. Where is she now?

Elena Santa Cruz, Arizona Republic
Updated ·3 min read
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Monday marks a decade since Jodi Arias was convicted for the grisly murder of her boyfriend. It was a gripping 21st century true crime drama that captured the imagination of followers and gawkers around the world.

Those who weren't already camped out in Phoenix for the sensational trial flew in from around the country to pack the public plaza outside the Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix to wait for the verdict. It came on May 8, 2013.

The murder and trial gained national attention because of its graphic descriptions of sex and violence, the behavior of the prosecutor in and outside of the courtroom, and the conduct of an intrigued public.

Mixed fates: Here's what happened to the key players in the Jodi Arias trial

What did Jodi Arias do?

In June 2008, Travis Alexander, Arias' on-again, off-again boyfriend, was found in the bathroom of his Mesa home.

Arias, then 28, shot Alexander, 30 in the head, stabbed him nearly 30 times and slit his throat.

Behind closed doors: Threats, hate mail led to secret Jodi Arias testimony

What happened during the Jodi Arias trial?

In 2013, Arias' trial began in Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sherry Stephens' courtroom.

Here are five key moments from her first trial:

  • Arias claimed Alexander abused her physically and emotionally. Just before his murder, she was taking pictures of him in the shower. However, Arias claimed that Alexander slammed her to the floor after she dropped his expensive new camera. So she shot him in the head when he charged at her a second time. Arias said she did not remember stabbing him or cutting his throat.

  • Arias testified on the witness stand for 19 days, detailing her sex life with Alexander in graphic detail. At one point, her defense counsel played an X-rated recorded phone call.

  • The trial became a circus, both online and in real time. Alexander's family acquired an entourage that packed the seats around them. Other trial junkies stood in line every morning to vie for the limited seats. Because the trial was streamed live online and broadcast over some TV networks, people from as far away as Europe began to weigh in on websites, Twitter, Facebook and other blog sites.

  • Prosecutor Juan Martinez became a cult figure. The defense alleged misconduct against him because, among other reasons, he was seen signing autographs outside the courthouse. He is now disbarred. Defense attorneys Jennifer Willmott and Laurence "Kirk" Nurmi were mostly villainized and even received death threats. Some witnesses refused to testify out of fear.

  • The trial was marked by frequent objections from both sides. Stephens had difficulty containing the scrappy attorneys, the media, the crowded courtroom and the outspoken witnesses, including Arias.

Timeline: A look back at the Jodi Arias murder case

Did Jodi Arias get the death penalty?

The jury in that trial found Arias guilty of first-degree murder. However, they could not agree on whether Arias should be sentenced to death or life in prison.

A second sentencing trial began on Oct. 21. Again, the jury could not reach a consensus. Stephens declared a mistrial and handed Arias natural life in prison without the possibility of release in 2015.

Arias is housed at the Perryville prison complex in Goodyear.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Who is Jodi Arias and where is she now? What to know