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Jodi Arias Found Guilty Of First-Degree Murder

Agnus Dei Farrant |
May 8, 2013 | 2:28 p.m. PDT

Executive Producer

Jodi Arias (Associated Press).
Jodi Arias (Associated Press).
Jodi Arias was found guilty of first-degree murder Wednesday afternoon in the June 2008 death of her ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander, 30. A jury in Phoenix took three days to deliberate, USA Today reported.

The 32-year-old California woman could face the death penalty, Reuters reported. Alexander’s body was found in the shower of his Phoenix home with his throat slashed, multiple stab wounds and a gunshot wound to the face.

From USA Today:

Alexander was shot in the head and stabbed and slashed more than two dozen times. Arias' palm print was found in blood at the gruesome scene, along with nude photos of her and the victim from the day of the killing.

The California woman could face the death penalty if convicted of first-degree murder. Jurors also could convict Arias of second-degree murder or manslaughter.

According to Reuters, Arias admitted to killing Alexander but said it was in self-defense after he attacked her because she dropped his camera while taking pictures of him in the shower. 

From Reuters

[Prosecutor Juan] Martinez said that Arias lied after the killing to deflect any suspicion that she had been involved in his death, leaving a voicemail on Alexander's cellphone, sending irises to his grandmother and telling detectives she was not at the crime scene before changing her story.

The jury had more than 100 questions for Arias. They grilled her on her claims that her mind went blank after she shot Alexander, and wanted to know why she had not called emergency responders - questions she struggled to answer.

Arias’ defense team argued during the five-month trial that she was emotionally, physically and sexually abused by Alexander.


Reach Executive Producer Agnus Dei Farrant here.



 

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