Four-and-a-half years after Travis Alexander died, his ex-girlfriend, Jodi Arias, was found guilty of first-degree murder. Arias came up with different versions of what happened. At first, she told police she knew nothing of the killing, then blamed it on masked intruders. At trial, she admitted to killing Travis, but claimed it was self-defense. “48 Hours" Correspondent Maureen Maher reports. This classic "48 Hours" episode last aired on 5/17/2013. Watch all-new episodes of “48 Hours” on Saturdays, and stream on demand on Paramount+. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Chapter 1: What happened in the murder case of Travis Alexander?
In 2009, three days before Halloween, a grisly crime stunned the seaport town of Anacortes, Washington.
Mark was known as the dog whisperer of Anacortes.
They soon discovered a story tangled in obsession. Who was the hunter and who was the hunted? Follow and listen to Train to Kill, the dog trainer, the heiress, and the bodyguard on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts.
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. And personally, 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.
We introduced you to Jodi Arias 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 Arias at the Estrella 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 this place today.
Today, I am interviewing with you. I've been charged with first-degree murder of my friend, Travis Alexander, and I'm just here to have a conversation with you about it.
During this three-hour interview, Jodi told us a tale of secret intimacy.
There was an attraction, and, you know, it found an outlet on occasion.
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Chapter 2: Who is Jodi Arias and what were her initial statements?
There was a hallway leading off to the bathroom where the shower stall was. That was all covered in blood. 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. Latent print 169A was individualized as the left palm of Jodi Ann Arias.
Is that the bullet?
Yes, it is. This is consistent with the 25 auto 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.
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Chapter 3: How did Jodi Arias describe the events leading to Travis Alexander's death?
Neither of them. Well, it's all the same thing. It's just different versions.
Couldn't keep my life straight. But Bodden says that her experience with other defendants suggests that the story Jody told 48 hours may contain elements of the truth.
Jody 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 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.
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Chapter 8: What was the outcome of Jodi Arias’ trial and public reaction?
State of Arizona versus Jodi-Ann Arias verdict, count one. We, the jury, duly impaneled and sworn, and the above entitled action, upon our oaths, do find the defendant, as to count one, first degree murder, guilty.
Guilty of first degree murder, the highest charge the jury had. The death penalty was now on the table. Jodi Arias seemed shocked, holding back tears of sadness. while Travis's family could not hold back their tears of joy.
I'd rather have Travis Alexander back. I'd rather have my buddy back, but we can't have him back. So 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.
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? The jury heard from those who love Travis Alexander, his brother Stephen.
Why him? Unfortunately, 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 Arias would testify one more time.
And talk to you. about how she viewed her life.
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