Jodi Arias / Travis Alexander
Travis Victor Alexander was an American salesman who was murdered by his ex-girlfriend, Jodi Ann Arias, in his house in Mesa, Arizona while in the shower. Arias was convicted of first-degree murder on May 8, 2013, and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on April 13, 2015.
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Case overview
Travis Alexander, 30, a motivational speaker and sales trainer in Mesa, Arizona, was found dead in his home on June 9, 2008, by friends who had been unable to reach him for days. He had been shot in the face, stabbed 27 times, and had his throat slashed nearly to decapitation. His body was found in the shower. His ex-girlfriend, Jodi Arias, 27, became the immediate suspect.
Arias and Alexander had met through their involvement in a legal services company and developed an intense, volatile relationship, continuing to have contact after their breakup. A digital camera found in Alexander's washing machine — containing photographs that documented the killing — placed Arias at the scene on the day of the murder. Rental car records, cell phone records, and a gas can Arias had purchased were used to reconstruct her movements leading to Mesa.
Arias initially denied being present when Alexander was killed, then claimed masked intruders had committed the murder. At trial she admitted killing him, claiming self-defense — that Alexander had attacked her after she accidentally dropped his camera. The prosecution argued the crime was premeditated, driven by jealousy over Alexander's plans to take another woman to Cancún. The explicit nature of the relationship evidence, the graphic crime scene, and Arias's demeanor on the stand made the trial a nationally televised media event.
[The trial ran from January to May 2013 and attracted a mass viewing audience, becoming one of the most-watched trials of its era. On May 8, 2013, the jury convicted Arias of first-degree murder.](https://apnews.com/article/jodi-arias-verdict-guilty-murder-travis-alexander-arizona) She was ultimately sentenced to life in prison without parole in April 2015.
Arrest & Charges
[Jodi Arias was arrested July 15, 2008, and charged with premeditated first-degree murder in Maricopa County.](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jodi-arias-sentenced-life-in-prison/) She pleaded not guilty.
Trial & Conviction
Trial began January 2, 2013, in Maricopa County Superior Court. [On May 8, 2013, the jury found Arias guilty of first-degree murder and determined the crime was "especially cruel," qualifying it for the death penalty.](https://apnews.com/article/jodi-arias-verdict-guilty-murder-travis-alexander-arizona) The first penalty phase jury deadlocked; a mistrial was declared on that issue.
Penalty Retrial & Sentencing
A second penalty phase jury was convened but also deadlocked in March 2015. Pursuant to Arizona law, Judge Sherry Stephens then imposed the mandatory sentence: natural life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Current Status
[Arias is incarcerated at Arizona State Prison Complex – Perryville.](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jodi-arias-sentenced-life-in-prison/) Post-conviction appeals challenging the natural-life sentence have been denied by Arizona courts. As of March 2026, no pending proceedings appear likely to alter her sentence.
April 13, 2015
Sentenced to Natural Life Without Parole
Following two hung juries on the death penalty, Judge Sherry Stephens sentenced Arias to natural life in prison without the possibility of parole — the harsher option available under Arizona law. Arias remains incarcerated at Arizona's Perryville prison complex as of 2025.
Source →March 5, 2015
Second Penalty Jury Also Deadlocks on Sentencing
The second penalty phase jury reported it too was unable to reach a unanimous verdict. With two juries deadlocked on the death penalty, Arizona law required the judge to impose a sentence of either natural life or life with the possibility of parole after 25 years.
Source →October 1, 2014
Penalty Retrial Begins with Second Jury
A second jury was empaneled to conduct a new penalty phase retrial, giving prosecutors another opportunity to seek the death penalty. The retrial attracted renewed media attention and extensive legal proceedings.
Source →May 23, 2013
Mistrial Declared in First Penalty Phase
Judge Sherry Stephens declared a mistrial in the penalty phase after the jury reported it was hopelessly deadlocked and could not reach a unanimous verdict on whether to impose death or life imprisonment. A new penalty jury would need to be empaneled.
Source →May 15, 2013
Penalty Phase Jury Finds Arias Death-Penalty Eligible
After finding Arias guilty of first-degree murder, the jury determined during the penalty phase that she was eligible for the death penalty, finding that the killing was especially cruel. The death eligibility phase preceded deliberations on the actual sentence.
Source →May 8, 2013
Convicted of First-Degree Premeditated Murder
After approximately 15 hours of deliberation, the jury found Jodi Arias guilty of first-degree premeditated murder. The first penalty phase resulted in a hung jury; a second penalty phase in 2015 also deadlocked.
Source →December 10, 2012
Jury Selection Begins for Arias Murder Trial
Jury selection officially commenced for the Jodi Arias murder trial in Maricopa County Superior Court. The process involved extensive questioning of potential jurors given the intense media coverage surrounding the case.
Source →August 1, 2010
Defense Strategy Shifts to Self-Defense Claim
After years of denying any involvement, Jodi Arias changed her legal defense to a self-defense claim, alleging that Travis Alexander had physically abused her and that she killed him to save her own life. This became the central theory at trial.
Source →October 31, 2008
Prosecution Announces Intent to Seek Death Penalty
Maricopa County prosecutors formally announced they would seek the death penalty against Jodi Arias, citing the especially cruel nature of the killing. This designation escalated the proceedings and made the trial a capital case.
Source →September 24, 2008
Arias Claims Two Masked Intruders Killed Alexander
In a jailhouse television interview, Jodi Arias told reporter Chrissy Dishcoon that two masked intruders — a man and a woman — had attacked and killed Travis Alexander while she was present. This was her second false alibi; she had initially claimed not to have been at his home.
Source →September 11, 2008
Arias Pleads Not Guilty at Arraignment
At her formal arraignment in Maricopa County Superior Court, Jodi Arias entered a plea of not guilty to the first-degree murder charge. Her defense team initially indicated they would pursue a strategy based on claiming innocence.
Source →June 29, 2007
Arias and Alexander End Romantic Relationship
After approximately five months of dating, Jodi Arias and Travis Alexander officially ended their romantic relationship. Despite the breakup, they continued an intermittent sexual relationship over the following year.
Source →November 1, 2006
Arias Baptized into the LDS Church
Jodi Arias was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the same faith as Travis Alexander. The conversion occurred early in their relationship and was a significant element in the defense's later characterization of Alexander's influence over her.
Source →September 1, 2006
Jodi Arias and Travis Alexander Meet at Conference
Jodi Arias and Travis Alexander met at a Las Vegas work conference for Pre-Paid Legal Services. The meeting initiated a relationship that would last nearly two years and ultimately lead to Alexander's death.
Source →
Travis Alexander
Victim; motivational speaker; stabbed, throat cut, shot by Arias
Travis Alexander was a 30-year-old motivational speaker and salesman for Pre-Paid Legal Services (now LegalShield) who was found stabbed 27 times, shot, and nearly decapitated in his Mesa, Arizona home on June 4, 2008. Born in Riverside, California and raised in difficult circumstances, he converted to Mormonism in his twenties and became an active member of his congregation.
Jodi Arias
Convicted 1st-degree murder (2015); serving life without parole
Ex-girlfriend of Travis Alexander who murdered him in his Mesa, Arizona home on June 4, 2008. She was convicted of first-degree murder in 2013 after a sensational trial and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 2015.
Murder Weapon (Knife)
The knife used to stab Travis Alexander was found at the crime scene. Its presence is crucial as it directly links Jodi Arias to the murder.
crimemuseum.orgDigital Photos
Images from Travis Alexander's camera show him alive shortly before his death, and some depict Jodi Arias at the scene. These photos are vital for establishing a timeline.
crimemuseum.org911 Call
A call made by a friend of Travis Alexander, expressing concern for his well-being, provides context to the events leading up to the murder. It highlights the relationship dynamics.
crimemuseum.orgBlood Evidence
Forensic analysis revealed blood stains throughout the crime scene, including on the walls and floor, indicating a violent struggle. This evidence supports the prosecution's case.
crimemuseum.orgJodi's Testimony
Jodi Arias's account of the events, claiming self-defense, is a critical piece of evidence. However, her credibility was heavily scrutinized during the trial.
crimemuseum.org
Appeal
1AZ Court of Appeals Opinion — State v. Jodi Arias
Arizona Court of Appeals decision affirming Jodi Arias's first-degree murder conviction for the killing of Travis Alexander.