Unraveling the lies of Jodi Arias | Full Episode | Forensic Files

I know that I won't be the first person to be wrongly convicted and possibly wrongly sentenced [music] for either
life in prison or the death penalty. Um, and personally, if I had my choice, I would take the death penalty because
[music] I don't want to spend the rest of my life in prison. We introduced you to Jodi Aras back in
2009 when she sat down to be interviewed by 48 Hours shortly after being arrested
and charged with the murder of her ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander. Since then, she's become a national
sensation, the focus of newspaper and magazine profiles, and the subject of 24-hour cable news coverage. I met Jodi
Aras at the Australia jail four and a half years ago when she agreed to tell CBS News her story of how Travis
Alexander had been murdered. An interview which for the first time in the history of 48 hours was used as
evidence in a death penalty trial. >> Just give me the gist of what you were doing here in [music] this place today.
>> Today um I am interviewing with you. Um, I've been charged with first-degree murder of my friend Travis [music]
Alexander and um, I'm just here to have a conversation with you about it. >> During this 3-hour interview, Jod told
us a tale of secret intimacy. >> There was an attraction and um, you know, it it found an outlet on occasion.
Um, >> that's a very creative way of saying it. It found an outlet. >> The drama of masked intruders. There
were two individuals walking toward us and I just heard a loud bang and Travis was screaming
>> and ultimately a desperate escape. >> He um was holding the gun at my forehead. He pulled the trigger
and nothing happened with the gun and so I just grabbed my purse and I ran down the stairs and out [music] of there and
I left him there. >> It was an incredible story. So, at that point, I remember pulling
over again at the Hoover Dam and I thought, I'm going to call Travis and I tried calling him and it just went
to voicemail and I called him again. It went to voicemail. >> As it turned out, that incredible story
was an incredible lie. >> Would you agree that you're the person who actually slit Mr. Alexander's throat
from ear to ear? >> Yes. Jodi Aras killed Travis Alexander. There is no question about it. The
million-dollar question is what would have forced her to do it. >> At her trial, Jodi Aras told the world a
new story. >> It was Travis's continual abuse. It had reached a point of no return.
>> I grabbed the gun. He was chasing me. I turned around and I didn't even know that I shot him.
weaving a tale of fear and abuse. He >> called me a [ __ ] and he kicked me in the ribs.
>> Why did you call the police? >> I would have never called the police on Travis. I was loyal to him.
>> We go back to the beginning. Returning to our first meetings with Jodie for insight into the mind of a killer.
>> Is it at all possible at all possible [music] that that day that you were together, you had a fight, you had an
argument, and you just had enough? No, we didn't argue at all that day. >> Something happened in her to trigger
this tremendous amount of rage. >> Was he ever abusive to you in any way? >> He lost his temper a few times. I never
felt my life was in danger. >> Jodie gave us [music] secrets in those interviews. She gave us an insight right
into what she is thinking. >> He had a girlfriend [music] who he was having a relationship with, but he was
still having you on the side. >> Yeah. Did you know that that relationship was >> I would have never allowed him and I to
continue to to behave the way we did had I known >> like Casey Anthony and OJ Simpson
[music] before her. Jodi Arias captured the attention of the country. >> Aras [music] pilted these lies
>> from the Jodi Arias trial. >> Jod Aras. >> Jod Aras. >> Looking back at these interviews, it
would appear that Jod thought she could fool everyone. >> I don't believe that I'm going to be
convicted. I don't think that I'm going to spend one day in prison. State of Arizona versus Jodianne Aras.
>> But in the end, Jod Aras could not have been more wrong. >> We, the jury, do find the defendant
guilty. >> I know that people will look at me and say, "Oh, yeah. He really meant a lot to
you, didn't he, by the way just left him there." Not only that, they think that this is a fabrication and that I was the
one that murdered him. I'm Moren Maher. Tonight on 48 Hours, unraveling the lies of Jodi Aras.
I have nothing but time on my hands to think. And that's when I really began to try and remember and relive that day.
And then it just gets so horrible that I shut it out and I don't want to think about it.
911 emergency. >> This friend of ours is dead in his bedroom. His roommate just went in there
and said, "There's lots of blood." >> It all started in 2008. When Travis Alexander was found dead in his
bathroom, the first question homicide investigator Estban Flores had was who? When did you first hear the name Jodi
Aras? >> We heard that name from day one. There were certain individuals who who gave us
that name and said, "You need to look into Jodi Aras." He has an ex-girlfriend that's been bothering him. And
>> And do you know the ex-girlfriend's name? >> Her name is Jodie. >> In the state of Arizona versus Jod and
Aras. >> Now 4 and 1/2 years after Jodi Aras was arrested and charged with first-degree
murder. >> Are we ready for the jury? >> The question that needed to be answered
was why. >> Travis Victor Alexander, an individual that was one of the greatest blessings
in her life. Well, she knocked the blessings out of him by putting a bullet in his head.
>> Prosecutor Juan Martinez wasted no time exposing the jury to the brutal reality
of this homicide. >> There was a hallway leading off to the bathroom where the shower stall was.
That was all covered in blood. I I noticed large amounts of blood pooling and smears.
>> When I first walked through this crime scene in 2008, I was struck by the echoes of the extraordinary struggle
that had taken place here. And it was the evidence of that struggle collected at the scene that spoke volumes to the
jury. >> 107 is what? >> That's a photograph of the staining on the sink and some of the spatter inside
of the sink running down. >> That is red staining on the tile floor in the bathroom. Red staining that was
on the carpet in the master bedroom. Leon print 169A was individualized as the left palm of Jodie Anne Aras.
>> Is that the bullet? Yes, it is. This is consistent with the 25 bullet. >> Did you have occasion to conduct a
medical examination on the body of Travis Alexander? >> Yes. >> One by one, Mesa County Medical Examiner
Kevin Horn listed each of Travis Alexander's devastating wounds. >> The most significant wounds are going to
be the neck wound, the stab wound that penetrates the heart, and then also the gunshot wound.
>> She really slaughtered him. This was overkill. >> Criminal attorney Linda Kenny Bodton,
who worked on the defense teams of Casey Anthony and Phil Spectre, has seen more
than her share of murders, but few like this. >> This showed that she was an incredibly
angry young woman. >> What piece of evidence sticks out the most in your mind? >> Well, the piece of evidence that to me
is amazing is the slit neck wound. >> Why? because it was the cudigra in my opinion. It was the ultimate control
over him. He wasn't going to say anything bad to her ever again. To me, that was just vicious.
>> Since her arrest in Hirka, California in 2008, Jod has always insisted that she
did not viciously murder Travis Alexander, but her details of how he died have changed repeatedly. Ma'am,
there's a number of stories that you gave in this particular case um involving the killing. There was one
that you gave to Detective Flores, right? >> Yes. >> He was like on his knees like this doing
something like this or something like I don't know. And I was like I was like are are you okay? What's going on?
What's going on? He's like go get help. Go get help. And I said okay. And I turned around there
two people there. One was a guy and one was a girl. >> But then you still gave another view of
what happened to 48 hours, right? >> Um I think I was inconsistent in my lies. Yes.
>> So let's take a look at uh what you may have said 48 hours. >> In the 25 years that it's been on the
air, this is the first time a 48 hours interview has been used as evidence in a death penalty trial.
>> I was hit on the back of the head. Um, I don't think I was out very long, but
when I came to, uh, Travis was on all fours on the tile and he was, well, I say all fours, but one of his hands was
actually holding his head. >> And that's another version of the events that occurred on June 4th of 2008.
Correct. >> Yes. >> And they're not true. >> Neither of them. Well, it's all the same
thing. It's just different versions. Couldn't keep my life straight. But Bodton says that her experience with
other defendants suggests that the story Jod told 48 hours may contain elements of the truth.
>> Jod gave us secrets in those interviews. She gave us an insight right into what
she is thinking. >> She was in the bathroom standing over Travis and I charged her. She talks
about having a fight with the woman and she describes the woman who attacked Travis as being, you know, about her
height and Caucasian. Well, that's her. >> I ran down that hall and I pushed her as
as hard as I could and she fell over him. >> She then talks about power later on in
that interview and she talks about having a gun. >> They just kept arguing back and forth
whether or not, you know, to kill me. >> And if somebody has a gun to your head,
you have the ultimate power. It's like everything just stops when you when someone else is sitting there with a gun
pointed to your head deciding your fate. >> So, I think that a lot of what she was
saying about what happened was what happened with her and Travis the day he died.
>> Jod's various stories aside, the prosecution says there are critical pieces of evidence that speak for
themselves. >> These are accidental photographs. These are photographs that the killer
did not want taken. >> Jodie, when she did the interview, she at one point said she likes to document
everything. >> I've always had my camera. Always. So, it goes everywhere I go. >> So, it's kind of amazing that she
actually documented herself committing this murder. >> This individual's here. You see her
foot, you see Mr. Alexander's head, you see his arm, you see him bleeding profusely. You do solemnly swear.
>> After nine days and 20 witnesses, Martinez believed his case against Jodi Aras was ironclad.
>> The state may call its next witness. >> The uh state rests. >> Now, despite all the lies and deceitful
behavior that the court has heard, >> I wouldn't hurt Travis. He's done so much for me.
>> The [music] defense will have to convince the jury that on the day Travis died, it was actually Jodi Aras who was
the victim. Travis flipped out and he stepped out of the shower and he picked me up and he bodys slammed me again on
the tile. >> Oh, holy night. [singing] >> [singing] >> Even in jail awaiting trial, Jod Aras
had little trouble keeping herself in the [music] spotlight and caught the attention of the media when she won a
Jailhouse Christmas singing competition. >> Well, I appreciate your vote. Thank you
very much. >> The defense calls Jodie Aras. >> Sirius, please stand to be sworn. And
when the defense finally presented its case, Jod took the spotlight again, taking the stand to tell her
unbelievable story of self-defense. Among those listening were Jod's mother. >> Thank you.
>> Her aunt, >> hi, Jody. >> And Travis's family. >> Did you kill Travis Alexander on June
4th, 2008? >> Yes, I did. >> Why? Um, the simple answer is that he attacked me and I defended myself.
>> The biggest hurdle is Jod herself. The fact that, >> according to trial lawyer Linda Kenny
Bodton, putting a defendant like Jodi Aras on the stand can be extremely problematic
>> because then the case only becomes about the client and what she said and that
jury is always going to go back to what Jod said. >> Miss Aras, you are still under oath. Do
you understand? >> Yes. And what Jodie had to say was shocking. >> I'm taking pictures of him. We were
trying out different poses. And when I went to delete the photos, as I moved the camera, it slipped out of my
hand. >> So, what happens after you dropped the camera? Travis flipped out and he stepped out of
the shower and he lifted me up and he bodys slammed me again on the tile and I remembered where he kept a gun. So
I grabbed it. He was chasing me. I turned around and we were in the middle of the bathroom. I pointed it at him
with both of my hands. I thought that would stop him, but he just kept running. I didn't even think I was
holding the trigger. I just was pointing it at him and I didn't even know that I
shot him. It just went off and after I broke away from him, he he said, "Fuck kill you, bitch."
Jod's memory of how Travis allegedly attacked her was striking, and yet she was at a loss for words when asked to
explain her actions. Once you broke away from him, what do you remember? >> Almost nothing.
>> Do you remember stabbing Travis Alexander? >> I have no memory of stabbing him.
>> Do you remember dragging him across the floor? >> No. And I just remember screaming.
>> I don't remember anything after that. But there are many people that never remember the actual events.
>> To help the jury understand why Jod had trouble remembering, the defense called
Dr. Richard Samuels, a clinical psychologist who tested Jod for PTSD. >> Her scores on the post-traumatic stress
disorder scale confirmed the presence of PTSD. Right. >> Yes. >> Samuels concluded that Jod suffered
amnesia from the trauma of the attack. And it's clear from the research that a large percentage of individuals who are
in such settings do not remember or have cloudy and foggy memories of what has transpired.
>> How many hours did you spend with her? >> Between 25 and 30 hours. >> But the prosecution insisted that
Samuel's diagnosis was flawed because when he examined Jod three years ago, she still maintained the intruder story.
You confirm the presence of PTSD even though you've just now told us that this is based on a lie.
>> Perhaps I should have readministered that test. Altered mental states which are of such magnitude that a person has
little or no awareness of their behavior are very very uncommon. >> Dr. Stuart Klyman is a forensic
psychiatrist and consultant for 48 hours. So, it's very reasonable to conclude this person acted out their
rage and told lies about it afterwards. >> Jodi Aras claims she not only has no memory of stabbing Travis more than two
dozen times and slitting his throat, but she also has no memory of altering the scene. It wasn't until after driving
hundreds of miles into the desert that her mental fog apparently lifted and she suddenly realized she had done something
horribly wrong. >> Did you believe he was alive? >> Um, I didn't know, but I didn't think he
was. I was scared and I couldn't imagine calling 911 and telling them what I had
just done. If someone after a crime engages in behavior which suggests an effort to cover it up, then that would
not be consistent with amnesia. If you didn't remember what had happened, what's the need to cover up something?
>> You did uh grant interviews to uh people from 48 hours, didn't you? >> Yes. >> There were two interviews, right?
>> Yes. Martinez hoped that by exposing Jod as a liar, he would discredit her with
the jury and once again presented clips from Jod's 48 hours interviews. >> Travis's family deserves to know what
happened. And because I may be the only person that will ever be able to say what happened that day, I wrote them a
letter. In that letter, you actually tell the family that the people that did it were this male and this female,
right? >> Yes. >> So, you lied to them, didn't you? >> Yes. >> When you asked me if I was angry or
outraged, I'm more angry and outraged that his life was taken and that he had so much potential.
>> I know that I'm innocent and even though this is a very serious thing to be charged with, um there's no reason for
me to be sad. Um because I know that that I'm not that I'd never hurt Travis. I did see Travis the day that he passed
away and um a lot of things happened that day um I almost lost my life as well. >> Nowhere in that recitation or in any of
the interviews that you gave with 48 hours did you ever indicate that you had memory loss. Correct.
>> That's correct. I have faith that in in the end everything will be made known,
everything will come out and uh in the meantime smile, say cheese. >> Takes a certain kind of person with
great hutbah to go on national television and tell a big lie to the entire world.
>> Am I allowed to tell you what I'm trying to say? >> And Jod displayed that same tenacity
during her 18 days on the witness stand. >> You say that you have memory problems,
but it depends on the circumstance, right? >> That's right. What factors influence
you're having a memory problem? >> Um, usually when men like you are screaming at me or grilling me or
someone like Travis doing the same. >> So that affects your >> Throughout the heated cross-examination,
Martinez vigorously attacked Jod's story. >> Ma'am, were you crying when you were
shooting him? >> I don't remember. >> Were you crying when you were stabbing him?
>> I don't remember. >> How about when you cut his throat? Were you crying then?
I don't know. >> But to save their client's life, the defense tried to destroy the only thing
left of Travis Alexander, his reputation. >> The instances of violence were becoming
more frequent and more severe. Fear, love, sex, lies, and dirty little secrets will help you understand, I
think, what happened in those three minutes. Jod's life was in danger. She would
either live or she would die. >> For the entire time that Jod Aras's fate hung in the balance in court, her
defense was on a mission to save her life. >> Jod had to make a choice >> by proving Travis left Jod no choice but
to defend herself. The milliondoll question is what would have forced her to do it?
>> Jod's answer, an accusation of her own. >> It was Travis's continual abuse. And on June 4th of 2008, it had reached
a point of no return. >> Jod now claimed there was a dark side to Travis and that she lied to cover up the
truth about domestic abuse in their relationship. Her fear and her panic about what had happened led her to tell
different stories. He threatened to kill her and given her experience with him, she had no reason to not believe him.
>> It was a challenging defense, one that in addition to her story of intruders,
Jod may have been considering when she spoke with 48 hours just after her arrest.
>> Was he ever abusive to you in any way? He lost his temper a few times and it wasn't um anything that really um
required me to that that I felt I never felt my life was in danger. I'll say that.
>> Did you show the physical signs of it? >> Yes. Um but I was able to hide it pretty
well, I think. >> Arms, >> arms, legs, torso. >> But Jod testified to several incidents
of alleged abuse. >> And he body slammed me on the floor at the foot of his bed. He called me a
[ __ ] and he kicked me in the ribs. He went to kick me again and I put my hand out and it clipped my hand and hit my
finger. >> Defense attorney Kirk Nurmy even had Jod display her injuries to the jury.
>> Could you hold up your hand for us so we could see? >> Why didn't you call the police?
>> I would have never called the police on Travis. There [music] is no record of Jod
reporting this abuse. And his friends Chris and Sky Hughes say that is not the Travis they knew.
>> We've never ever seen any evidence of abuse. They couldn't find one human other than Jodie, who we know is a liar.
They couldn't find one person that had a story of being uh abused by Travis. >> She's making it up as she's going along.
>> And they say Jod's most appalling lie came next. I walked in and Travis started grabbing at something on the
bed. It was a photograph. >> What was the photograph of? >> It was a picture of a little boy. He was
dressed in underwear. He He seemed very um ashamed with himself. >> She's saying this whole time she knew he
was a pedophile. They're just lies. >> You saw him do that. That's a lie, isn't it, ma'am?
>> I wish it was a lie. Prosecutor Martinez wasn't buying it either. >> It is a hateful allegation with nothing
to support it. It's so easy for her to make these allegations. It's so easy for her to get on the witness stand, as
you've seen, and lie. And this is really the pinnacle. Trial attorney Linda Kenny
Boden says if the defense could not prove Jod's allegations, they would come back to haunt her.
>> To say that she was physically abused and she was fighting for her life that day and that's why she had to kill him,
that's just going to get the jury angry. >> And do you believe in your expert opinion that Jod was a battered woman or
is a battered woman? >> Yes, I do. To convince jurors that Jodie was a battered woman, her attorney,
Jennifer Wilnot, called domestic violence expert Alice Laviolet, who testified for several days.
>> How would you characterize their relationship with their relationship at this point in time given your expertise
in the area? >> I would call it a domestically abusive relationship. >> Lovelet testified that Jod and Travis's
relationship was abusive both verbally. Does he call her names like [ __ ] >> Yes.
>> And calling her a [ __ ] >> Yes. >> And physically? >> He grabbed her by the shoulders, threw
her to the ground, and then told her she wasn't leaving. And when she's when she
hits the floor, she makes a sound. And he says, basically, don't act like that hurts, [ __ ]
>> As a defense attorney, how would you use this relationship between the two of
them? >> You can't go after a victim. going after a victim in a courtroom, you might as
well just turn in your license, really. So, you have to be able to be very soft with regard to Travis here.
>> You feel a need. >> The prosecutor was anything but soft during heated cross-examination.
>> You actually are uh biased in favor of the defendant, aren't you? >> I don't believe I'm biased. You're
you're mischaracterizing what I do, Mr. Martinez. One of the questions here is why is it that you felt the need to
cuddle her? >> Mr. Martinez, are you angry at me? >> Ma'am, is that relevant to you? Is that
important to you? Does that make any difference to your evaluation whether or not the prosecutor's angry? Yes or no?
>> If you were in my group, I would ask you to take a time out, Mr. Martinez. >> More layers of Aras's complicated psyche
were peeled away when the state called its expert witness, Dr. Janine Dearte. this um reporting of domestic violence
has changed over time frequently. My opinion is is that there did not appear to be significant abuse.
>> Demarte also dismissed defense claims that Jod suffered memory loss from post-traumatic stress.
>> She indicated to me that she had a very large gap in her memory. That's not how
it typically presents with traumatic memories. Instead, De Marte testified that tests she administered suggest
Jodie may have a borderline personality disorder. >> You could see it in her journal entries
that went from happy to sad very quickly. There is some indication that she has some anger problems that she had
some strong feelings of anger internally. >> She couldn't let him go. Even from Wica,
she couldn't let him go. The prosecutor said Jod's desire to be with Travis had no bounds and she would stop at nothing
to get what she wanted. >> Her motivation for this was that she just wanted him.
>> You don't think she could have just snapped? >> No. This was a buildup that led to her
ultimately making a decision in a in a passionate way. By continuing to have sex with Jod on
and off for at least nine months after they broke up, Bodton says Travis may have unknowingly sent Jod mixed signals.
>> He really didn't know and probably didn't care because when you're you're young and you're having sex the way Jod
made it very easy for him and he didn't realize that he had this rattlesnake by the neck. Whatever he did fed into her
craziness, fed into her insanity, fed in her to her desire that she wanted him and she wanted to control him and she
wanted to have a life with him. It was the perfect storm that something had to happen.
>> She had a vision that they were going to get married. And from that point, she
would not let that go and she would not let Travis go. Jod could not deal with the rejection. Lots of people told Jod
to move on and she said, "I can't. He'd be the most amazing husband. I can't picture anyone else being the father of
my children." She was obsessed. >> Dr. Steuart Kleinman says obsession can have dangerous consequences.
>> If a person has an intense need for something and a clear consistent boundary is put up by another individual
that will probably help both of those individuals. And ultimately, if that need is never going to really be
satisfied, create an intense level of rage. >> Was sex a tool for Jod? Of course it
was. But was Travis playing with fire? Absolutely. For the families of Jodi Arias and
Travis Alexander. Enduring the trial was a trial in itself. >> What are we looking at here? [snorts]
>> That's the shower stall with the body crammed down in the bottom of it. >> Oh, it's very very hard. I mean, they're
they're never going to get over this. >> Trial attorney Linda Kenny Boden knows the price both families paid.
>> Just as much as Travis lost his life, there's going to be parts of that family
that are have died in the process. is just horrible, horrible thing happened to the best person.
>> It was an unthinkable crime as Travis's siblings, Samantha and Steven, told us
in 2008. >> And you would never in a million years think that that would happen to Travis
because things like this don't happen to people like Travis. >> And you're the one that did this, right?
>> Yes. >> The family of Jodi Aras has had to endure their own torment. first watching
as she was cast as a coldblooded killer. >> And you would acknowledge that a lot of
the stab wounds were to the back of the head and to the back of the torso. Correct.
>> Okay. Count them. I don't know. Just take your word for it. >> And then hearing Jod tell the world that
she has been abused her entire life. >> You told us that your dad hit you with the bell.
>> Yes. >> After age seven. Yes. >> Did he leave welts? >> Um, he didn't leave welts as often as my
mom. She also used to belt. Um, he My dad was very intimidating, so I don't think he needed to hit us quite as hard
to get the point across. My mom didn't carry that fear factor with her. So, I think she used more force.
>> She's lying. She's making it all up. And she staged her defense by lies. Do you think jurors are impacted
by family who are in the courtroom, their reaction to say crime scene photos or even testimony by the defendant?
>> I think they are, but then they do a very good job of compartmentalizing it. >> Jury expert Richard Gabriel, who has
worked with the defense teams for Casey Anthony and OJ Simpson, says jurors are able to separate themselves from
courtroom drama. Does it impact them when they hear sobs in the galley? Yes, they absolutely hear that. But they
do a pretty good job of trying to divorce themselves from them. >> The juryy's not going to feel sorry for
Jodie. >> They can only feel sorry for her family and hope that the sorrow they feel for
her family is more merciful than what she felt for Travis. And during her 18 days on the stand,
Bodton says Jod thought she could win the mercy of the jury. >> Some defendants are manipulative and
they think they think they can manipulate the police and they also then think they can
manipulate the courtroom and that's the problem. You can't manipulate everybody.
>> Her being on the stand for so long was just disgusting. Travis's friends Chris
and Sky Hughes believe Jod relished her months in the spotlight. >> She enjoyed it, you know. She enjoyed
every moment of it. She enjoyed the attention. She enjoyed toying with people. She enjoyed, you know,
looking over and making up these just disgusting stories for the jury. Jody may have felt there was no question
she would be found innocent, but the jurors had some questions of their own. Over 200 questions read by the judge.
>> How could you kiss another man when you knew what you just did to Travis? >> Arizona is only one of three states that
allows jurors to ask questions. Why were you afraid of the consequences if you killed Travis in self-defense? You said
that one of your worst fears was for everyone to find out what was going on in your relationship. So why did you
talk to 48 hours and other TV stations? >> I thought that the jurors in this case
asked better questions than the prosecutor defense many times. >> Bodton says those jury questions were
telling. >> They really got to the heart of the matter. >> After all the lies you have told, why
should we believe you now? The lies that I've told in this case are can be tied directly back to either protecting
Travis's reputation or my involvement in his death. >> In the end, both sides agreed. It came
down to one question. Do you believe Jod Aras? >> She premeditated it. You now have a
duty. You are to reach a decision as to whether or not the defendant committed first-degree murder. So what I'm saying
to you ladies and gentlemen is ultimately if Miss Aras is guilty of any crime at
all, it is the crime of manslaughter and nothing more. >> But for the family and friends of Travis
Alexander, there was no debate and [music] there never had been. There was only one verdict, one punishment
appropriate for Jodi Aras. I want the maximum that the law will allow. >> Ultimately, I I really hope that she
gets the death penalty. Justice and what it would finally look like would depend on just which Jodi Aras the
jury in this tense Phoenix courtroom ultimately bought into. She does seem to adapt, which is why I think she's like a
praying mantis here, is that she is a chameleon. >> Jod's a manipulator, and that's what she
does. >> Through 18 days of her testimony, the world had witnessed the many faces of
Jodi Aras. [music] >> She's always reading the environment, right? Trying to determine how she's
supposed to act. She's always trying to be something that she's not, right? >> When I see Jodi Arias, I just feel utter
disgust like she's not human. You know, she doesn't feel like normal people feel.
>> She's over here. So, >> for Travis Alexander's loved ones, Jodi Arias is nothing but a fake.
>> Don't be fooled by Jod's sweet demeanor. [music] She's a liar and she's evil.
>> [music] >> and she deserves to be judged and convicted. >> Who do you think killed him?
>> I have no idea. >> The stories told by the 32-year-old California waitress were consistent with
just one thing. A defendant who lied from the start. >> Nothing but the truth. >> My mom began to carry a wooden spoon in
her purse. >> To family. >> Were you at Travis's house? >> To the police? >> Absolutely not.
>> And to 48 hours. How do you feel about being accused of this crime? >> I know that I won't be held accountable
for killing him because I had nothing to do with that. I had everything to lose and nothing to gain if I were to kill
Travis. >> Okay, let me get those off you. >> It seems like a lifetime ago. >> I didn't kill Travis,
>> but it was only four years. If a conviction happens, I know that I won't be the first person to be wrongly
convicted and possibly wrongly sentenced for either life in prison or the death penalty.
>> Then that story evaporated in the Arizona desert. What was left was an admission.
>> And that's when you shot him in the face, right? Um, yeah, that's when the gun went off
>> and an excuse. >> And he's just screaming angry. He had already almost killed me.
>> We are so very thankful for the opportunity to gather here as friends. Travis
>> for those who loved him. >> Travis for Travis. The thought that Travis Alexander somehow had it coming to him
was the final crime against a murdered man. >> She slaughtered him on June 4th and then
she has slaughtered him every day for the last 5 years with the lies that she's told.
[music] >> After 3 days of deliberations, there was a verdict. >> The state of Arizona versus Jodianne
Aras. Verdict count one. We the jury duly impanled and sworn and the above entitled action upon our oaths do find
the defendant as to count one first-degree murder guilty guilty of firstdegree murder. The
highest charge the jury had. The death penalty was now on the [music] table. Jodi Aria seemed shocked, holding back
tears [music] of sadness, while Travis's family could not hold back their tears of joy.
>> I'd rather have Travis Alexander back. You know, I'd rather have my buddy back,
but we can't have him back. >> So, I'm uh I'm as happy as I can be given the circumstances.
A week after the verdict, the sentencing phase begins with the prosecutor trying to convince the jury
Jodi Arias deserves death. >> And the last thing that Mr. Alexander felt was this knife coming towards him.
>> The first decision comes quickly. The jury rules the murder was especially cruel, clearing the way for the penalty
phase. >> Is this your true verdict? So say you want it all. >> Yes. >> The jury heard from those who love
Travis Alexander, his brother Steven. >> Why him? >> Unfortunately, I will I won't ever get
the answers to most of my questions. Questions like how much did he suffer? >> His sister Samantha.
>> Travis was not shy. He was full of life. And the jury heard from the defense that
Aras would testify one more time >> and talk to you about how she viewed her life.
>> That should be next week when we may also find out whether Jodi Aras lives in
this Arizona prison for a minimum of 25 years or dies here. Four years ago, she seemed to sense her
fate. If I had my choice, I would take the death penalty because I don't want to spend the rest of my life in prison.
>> And after her guilty verdict, Aria seemed almost wistful in talking to a local reporter.
>> I believe death is the ultimate freedom. So, I'd rather just have my freedom soon
as soon as I can get it. Freedom wasn't an option for Travis Alexander. He was home in Riverside, California.
His image, [music] silent and cold, carved in stone. And soon we'll see if Jodi Arias gets
her wish, joining three other women on Arizona's death row and perhaps making one final headline,
becoming the first woman executed in that state since 1930. [music] >> [music] [music]
[music] [music]

Convicted of murder, "48 Hours" interviews were evidence in her trial. Will she be put to death? "48 Hours" correspondent Maureen Maher reports in this episode that aired on May 17, 2013. Watch more full episodes of "48 Hours" on Pluto TV.

True crime. Real justice. "48 Hours" investigates the most intriguing crime and justice cases that touch on all areas of the human experience including greed and passion. "48 Hours," which premiered in 1988, has developed a rich history of original reporting and impact journalism that has helped exonerate wrongly convicted people, caused cold cases to be reopened and solved, and along the way changed lives.

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Brief Summary

Jodi Arias's murder trial reveals her conflicting stories and psychological struggles after killing ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander.

Key points

The Murder of Travis Alexander. Jodi Arias becomes a national sensation after being charged with the murder of her ex-boyfriend.
The Incredible Lie. Jodi Arias's story of self-defense unravels as evidence mounts against her.
The Trial of Jodi Arias. Jodi's defense hinges on claims of abuse and self-defense during her trial.
The Verdict. Jodi Arias is found guilty of first-degree murder, leading to a potential death penalty.
The Sentencing Phase Begins. The jury hears emotional testimonies from Travis Alexander's family during sentencing.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

That incredible story was an incredible lie.

2:16WatchNov 18, 2025

Tension

85/ 100High tension

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