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Murder of Travis Alexander

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Murder of Travis Alexander
DateJune 4, 2008
LocationMesa, Arizona, U.S.
DeathsTravis Alexander
InquestMultiple stab wounds
Single gunshot to head
CoronerKevin Horn, M.D.
ConvictedJodi Arias
VerdictGuilty
ConvictionsFirst-degree murder

On June 4, 2008, Travis Alexander, a salesman, was killed at his home in Mesa, Arizona; his murder and the subsequent criminal trial have received widespread media attention,[1][2][3][4] with the attention the trial received being considered an example of a media circus. Alexander's injuries consisted of multiple stab wounds, a slit throat, and a shot to the head; the medical examiner ruled his death a homicide.

Jodi Arias, Alexander's ex-girlfriend, was charged with his murder, and her trial began on January 2, 2013. Arias testified that she killed Alexander in self-defense. She was found guilty of first-degree murder on May 8, 2013.[5]

Background

Travis Victor Alexander was born on July 28, 1977,[6] in Riverside, California. After his father's death, Alexander and his siblings were taken in by their paternal grandmother, Norma Jean Preston Alexander Sarvey (1932–2012), who eventually introduced them to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[7]

Alexander was a salesman for the multilevel marketing company Prepaid Legal Services; he also worked as a motivational speaker.

Jodi Ann Arias was born on July 9, 1980, in Salinas, California. She and Alexander met in September 2006 at a Prepaid Legal Services conference, located in Las Vegas, Nevada. On November 26, 2006, Arias was baptized into the Latter-day Saint faith by Alexander.[8] As of February 2, 2007, Alexander and Arias were a couple.[6][8] After the two broke up on June 29, 2007, Arias moved to Mesa, Arizona,[9] until April 2008, at which time she moved to her grandparents' house in Yreka, California.[10]

Death

Alexander's body was discovered in a shower at his home. His throat had been cut, and he had been shot in the head and stabbed multiple times.[11][12] There have been conflicting reports over the number of stab wounds, with some reports stating 29[13] and others stating 27.[14][15][12][11] Maricopa County Medical Examiner, Kevin Horn, testified that Alexander's jugular vein, common carotid artery, and windpipe had been slashed. Alexander's hands also had defensive wounds. Horn further testified that Alexander "may have" been dead at the time the gunshot was inflicted.[16][17] Alexander's death was ruled a homicide.

Discovery and investigation

Alexander was scheduled to take a work-related trip to Cancun, Mexico[18][19] leaving on June 10, 2008. There are reports that early in 2008, Alexander had told his company that Arias would be joining him. Reportedly, in April he asked if he could change his companion to Marie (Mimi) Hall.[20]

Suspicions began to be raised when Alexander missed an important conference call on the night of June 4, 2008, at 7 pm. On June 9, having been unable to reach Alexander, people from Prepaid Legal Services went to his home to check on him. His roommates said he was out of town. After some searching, they found a key to Alexander's master bedroom. When they entered it, they noticed large pools of blood in the hallway leading to the master bathroom, where his body was discovered in the shower.[21] The 9-1-1 call they made notifying authorities of the discovery mentioned an ex-girlfriend, Arias, who Alexander said was stalking him, accessing his Facebook account, and slashing tires.[22][23]

On May 28, 2008, a burglary occurred at the residence of Arias' grandparents, with whom she was living in Yreka, California. A .25-caliber gun and other objects were taken.[24] The grandparents' gun was never recovered. The prosecutor argued that the burglary was staged by Arias and the stolen gun was used to shoot Alexander.[25]

Several days before the trip, Arias repeatedly contacted her ex-boyfriend, Darryl Brewer, asking to borrow two 5-gallon gas cans for a trip to Arizona. The cans were not returned to Brewer. Receipts presented at trial also showed that Arias had purchased a third 5-gallon gas can, sunblock, and facial cleanser from Walmart in Salinas, California, on June 3, 2008.[26] That evening, at an ARCO gas station in Pasadena, California, she purchased 8.301 gallons of gasoline with her debit MasterCard, and four minutes later purchased 9.59 gallons of gas with cash.[27] The MasterCard was used again on June 6, 2008, three times at a Tesoro gas station in Salt Lake City,[26] at a Pilot Flying J travel center in Winnemucca, Nevada[28] and a 7-Eleven in Sparks, Nevada.[28]

After Alexander's death but before his body was discovered, Arias had continued to call him and had left him several voicemail messages. It was later alleged that she had accessed Alexander's voicemail messages after his death.[29] She said that Alexander had originally planned to visit her in May 2008 but that his plans had changed. On June 2, 2008, Arias rented a white Ford Focus in Redding, California,[30] about 100 miles south of her residence. She told the Budget Rent a Car staff that she would only be driving the car locally, but when the car was returned on June 7, it had been driven about 2,800 miles.[30] It was also missing all of its floor mats, and there were what looked like Kool-Aid stains on the front and rear seats.[30] The car was cleaned before police were able to examine it.[31]

A spent .25 caliber round was located near one of the sinks in the master bath. Alexander's damaged digital camera was located in the downstairs washing machine. The camera was new. Detective Flores, via phone interview with Arias, asked her if she knew a possible motive for why someone would want to damage Alexander's camera. Although images had been deleted, Mesa Police were able to recover the images. The recovered images included Arias and Alexander, both in sexually suggestive poses, at approximately 1:40 pm on June 4, 2008. The last photo of Alexander alive, and in the shower, was taken at 5:29:20 pm on June 4. Moments later, images appear of an individual, believed to be Alexander, "profusely bleeding" on the floor.[32][33]

A bloody palm print was located in the bathroom hallway, which DNA revealed to be a mixture of Arias' and Alexander's DNA. Arias continued to insist that she had last seen Alexander in April 2008 despite being presented with DNA and photographic evidence by Detective Esteban Flores.[32][34]

Ryan Burns and others who met Arias in Utah after the killing indicated she had bandages on her hands and she wore long sleeves on days when it was very hot. She told different stories about how she received the cuts to her hands. Burns was told they were from an injury while working at "Margaritaville" restaurant. At the trial, it was revealed by Siskiyou County, California, authorities that no such restaurant exists, nor ever existed in the area. At the time of the killing, she worked at Casa Ramos in Yreka.[35]

On June 5, 2008, West Jordan, Utah, police officer Michael Galieti pulled Arias over while she was in the rented vehicle driving to a meeting with Burns. The front license plate of the car was missing and the rear plate was upside down. Arias attributed this to some kids at a Starbucks playing a trick on her. Burns helped Arias fix the license plate, and Galieti did not cite her for the infraction.[36]

Arias was indicted by a grand jury on a first-degree murder charge on July 9, 2008,[37] and arrested at her grandparents' home on July 15, 2008.[38] She was extradited to Arizona on September 5, 2008, where she pled not guilty on September 11, 2008.[39]

Arias gave three different accounts of her whereabouts.[40] She originally told police that she had not been in the home at the time of Alexander's death. She later told police that two intruders had broken into Alexander's home and that they murdered him and attacked her. Finally, she stated that she killed Alexander in self-defense and she was a victim of domestic violence.[41][42][12][11]

Trial

The trial of Arias began on January 2, 2013, in Maricopa County Superior Court before Judge Sherry K. Stephens.[42][12] Prosecutor Juan Martinez sought the death penalty.[43]

Arias was represented by appointed counsel L. Kirk Nurmi and Jennifer Willmott. Her counsel argued that Alexander's death was a justifiable homicide committed in self-defense.[44]

Arias took the stand on February 4, 2013.[45] When asked about her quote given to Inside Edition that she would not be convicted, she testified, "At the time, I had plans to commit suicide. So I was extremely confident that no jury would convict me because I didn't expect any of you to be here, I planned to be dead."[45] On February 6, Arias testified that she killed Alexander in self-defense and recounted an intimate encounter with Alexander that started with kissing and ended in anal sex, describing the anal sex as painful and adding, "It was not something I expected to happen, and I can't say I wanted it to, but I didn't stop him."[46] Arias testified for a total of 18 days, which criminal defense attorney Mark Geragos described as "unprecedented".[47]

As of March 29, 2013, 1.4 million dollars had been spent on providing public defenders for Arias.[48]

On April 3, a member of the jury was dismissed for "misconduct".[4] The defense team asked for a mistrial, which the judge denied.[4] On April 12, "Juror 11" was excused for health reasons, leaving the jury with eleven men and six women.[49] A third juror was subsequently dismissed after he was arrested on a DUI offense during the course of the trial.[50]

A defense expert diagnosed Arias with post-traumatic stress disorder, while a prosecution expert diagnosed Arias with borderline personality disorder.[51]

On May 3, 2013, closing arguments concluded and the jury began deliberations.[52] On May 8, 2013, after 15 hours of deliberation, Arias was found guilty of first-degree murder. Out of twelve jurors, five jurors found her guilty of first-degree premeditated murder, and seven jurors found her guilty of both first-degree premeditated murder and felony murder.[53]

With this conviction, she is eligible for the death penalty.[54] The aggravation phase of the trial started on May 15, 2013.[55][56] In the aggravation phase, the jury determined in less than three hours that Arias is eligible for the death penalty.[57] The penalty phase began on May 16, 2013, where prosecutors called Alexander's family members to offer victim impact statements, in an effort to convince the jury that Arias's crime merits a death sentence.[58]

Media

The Huffington Post reported that the Arias case "instantly commanded headlines around the world".[1] The Associated Press said the case "grew into a worldwide sensation as thousands followed the trial via a live, unedited Web feed".[59] They added that the trial garnered "daily coverage from cable news networks and spawned a virtual cottage industry for talk shows" and, at the courthouse, "the entire case devolved into a circus-like spectacle attracting dozens of enthusiasts each day to the courthouse as they lined up for a chance to score just a few open public seats in the gallery"; "For its fans, the Arias trial became a live daytime soap opera."[59] The Toronto Star stated, "With its mix of jealousy, religion, murder, and sex, the Jodi Arias case shows what happens when the justice system becomes entertainment."[60]

The case has been compared by the HLN staff and their commentators to the Casey Anthony case for the perceived similarities between Anthony and Arias and for the emotions that the cases have incited in the general public.[2][3] Additionallly, HLN aired a daily show covering the trial called HLN After Dark: The Jodi Arias Trial.[61]

The case featured on an episode of 48 Hours Mystery: Picture Perfect in 2008.[6] Inside Edition interviewed Arias at the Maricopa County Jail where she stated, "No jury is going to convict me ... because I am innocent and you can mark my words on that. No jury is going to convict me."[62]

In late January 2013, artwork drawn by Arias began selling on eBay. The seller was Arias' brother, and the items were ostensibly being sold to cover the family's "travel expenses to Arizona" and to purchase "better quality food" for Arias while she was in jail.[63]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Lohr, David (December 29, 2011). "Jodi Arias Case: Twists And Delays In Alleged Femme Fatale's Murder Trial". The Huffington Post. Retrieved January 3, 2013. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  2. ^ a b HLNtv.com Staff (October 15, 2012). "Jodi Arias next Casey Anthony?". HLN. Retrieved January 2, 2013.
  3. ^ a b Dr. Drew staff (January 3, 2013). "Anthony and Arias: Common characteristics?". HLN. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
  4. ^ a b c Associated Press. "Jodi Arias Juror Dismissed for Talking About Trial". ABC News. Retrieved April 4, 2013.
  5. ^ Skoloff, Brian (May 8, 2013). "Jodi Arias Convicted of First-Degree Murder". ABC News. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  6. ^ a b c 48 Hours: Picture Perfect
  7. ^ "Norma Jean Sarvey Obituary". Legacy.com. December 18, 2012.
  8. ^ a b David Lohr (December 31, 2012). "Jodi Arias Timeline: Key Dates In Case Of California Woman Accused Of Stabbing Ex-Boyfriend 27 Times (UPDATED)". Huffington Post.
  9. ^ Winch, Graham (January 2, 2013). "Jodi Arias & Travis Alexander: Killer romance?". HLNtv.com. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  10. ^ Lohr, David, Jodi Arias Case: Twists And Delays In Alleged Femme Fatale's Murder Trial, December 29, 2011, Huffington Post, accessed April 8, 2013
  11. ^ a b c Owens, Ryan (January 3, 2013). "Jodi Arias Trial: Jurors Shown Photos of Victim's Dead Body in Shower". ABC News. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
  12. ^ a b c d Glynn, Casey (January 2, 2013). "Jodi Arias trial begins in macabre '08 murder of boyfriend Travis Alexander". CBS News. Retrieved January 2, 2013.
  13. ^ Roman, Anita (January 8, 2013). "Arias trial: Investigators describe bloody crime scene". Fox News.
  14. ^ Steve Stout (April 24, 2013). "Prosecution continues rebuttal in Arias murder trial". CBS 5 - KPHO. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  15. ^ YAN OWENS (April 23, 2013). "Jodi Arias Defense Team Files Motion for More Expert Witness Testimony". ABC News. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  16. ^ Cindy Adams (January 8, 2013). "Jodi Arias murder trial reveals Travis Alexander fought off brutal attacker". Examiner.
  17. ^ Lydia Warren & Louise Boyle (January 14, 2013). "Jodi Arias sobs as court sees sexually explicit photos of her with ex-boyfriend hours before he was stabbed and shot to death". UK Mail.
  18. ^ "Recap: Week 1 of Jodi Arias trial". HLNtv.com. Retrieved April 27, 2013.
  19. ^ "Friend recalls last meeting of Alexander, Arias in public". CBS5AZ. March 8, 2013. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
  20. ^ "Was Jodi booked on Cancun trip with Travis?". HLN. March 23, 2013. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
  21. ^ "Recap: Week 1 of Jodi Arias trial". Hlntv4u.com. January 17, 2013. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  22. ^ 911 call about Travis Alexander Retrieved March 14, 2013.
  23. ^ "Jodi Arias Mistrial Motion Highlighted Stalker Claims". Abcnews.go.com. January 18, 2013. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  24. ^ Winch, Graham (January 17, 2013). "Jodi Arias on tape: I have never owned a gun". Hlntv.com. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  25. ^ "Jodi Arias Trial: Prosecution Rests as Evidence Mounts". People Magazine. January 18, 2013. Retrieved April 8, 2013.
  26. ^ a b Prosecutor Juan Martinez's "Perry Mason" Moment - Busts Jodi Arias For Lying About Gas Cans Retrieved March 14, 2013
  27. ^ "Jodi Arias Trial — Day 24 - Part 3". Youtube. February 27, 2013. 23:48 to 27:20. Retrieved March 14, 2013.
  28. ^ a b Jodi Arias Trial Day 5 (Full) at 45:45
  29. ^ "Call Me? Jodi Arias Bombarded Travis Alexander's Cell Phone After She Allegedly Butchered Him". Radar Online. January 15, 2013. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  30. ^ a b c Jodi Arias Trial - Day 8 - Part 1
  31. ^ "Jodi Arias' Rental Car Had Red Stains on Seats — Yahoo! News". News.yahoo.com. January 16, 2013. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  32. ^ a b "Police recover nude photos of murdered man, suspectl". Azcentral.com. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  33. ^ Winch, Graham (January 17, 2013). "Photos: Travis Alexander's last moments alive". Hlntv.com. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  34. ^ "Jodi Arias Trial Update: Prosecution shows Arias, woman accused of killing her ex-boyfriend, made up stories to cover her tracksl". Cbsnews.com. January 16, 2013. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  35. ^ "Jodi Arias Trial Update: Prosecution presents testimony to prove Arias, who killed ex-boyfriend, is a pathological liar". Cbsnews.com. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  36. ^ "Jodi Arias Trial: Who's Who In The Case Of Travis Alexander's Murder (PHOTOS)". Huffingtonpost.com. January 3, 2013. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  37. ^ "Calif. woman extradited in killing of ex-boyfriend in Mesa". Associated Press. August 15, 2009.
  38. ^ Graham Winch & Katherine Brennecke (January 2, 2013). "Jodi Arias: Cold-blooded killer or innocent victim?". HLNTV.
  39. ^ "Jodi Arias Timeline: Key Dates In Case Of California Woman Accused Of Stabbing Ex-Boyfriend 27 Times (UPDATED)". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  40. ^ COLLEEN CURRY (January 16, 2013). "Jodi Arias' Rental Car Had Red Stains on Seats". Yahoo!. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
  41. ^ Lohr, David (December 31, 2012). "Jodi Arias Timeline: Key Dates In Case Of California Woman Accused Of Stabbing Ex-Boyfriend 27 Times". The Huffington Post. Retrieved January 2, 2013. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  42. ^ a b Lohr, David (January 2, 2013). "Travis Alexander Murder: Trial Of Jodi Arias Opens". The Huffington Post. Retrieved January 3, 2013. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  43. ^ "Jodi Arias Murder Trial: Woman Facing Death Penalty Over Boyfriend's Murder". Abcnews.go.com. January 2, 2013. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  44. ^ "Jodi Arias Testimony: Murder Suspect Says She Lied, Had Plans To Commit Suicide Before Trial". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  45. ^ a b Associated Press. "A soft-spoken Jodi Arias, who is charged with her Arizona boyfriend's murder, testifies in her own defense, admitting she lied to investigators". NY Daily News. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  46. ^ Curry, Colleen (February 6, 2013). "Jodi Arias Said Travis Alexander Had 'Bill Clinton' View of Sex". ABC News. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  47. ^ Just how crucial were experts for Arias defense?
  48. ^ Associated Press. "Jodi Arias Defense in Murder Trial Has Cost Taxpayers $1.4 Million". ABC News. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  49. ^ "Another juror released from Jodi Arias murder trial".
  50. ^ Dismissed Arias trial juror says he had DUI arrest
  51. ^ "Jodi Arias Cries Over Picture of Travis Alexander Kissing Her - ABC News". Abcnews.go.com. April 24, 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  52. ^ "Jury begins deliberating in Jodi Arias murder trial". Fox News. AP. May 3, 2013. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  53. ^ Jodi Arias Guilty Of First-Degree Murder In Killing Of Travis Alexander
  54. ^ "Jodi Arias Found Guilty of First Degree Murder, Will Face Death Penalty". Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  55. ^ Arias hearing postponed until next week
  56. ^ Arias Trial Now Turns to Whether She Lives or Dies
  57. ^ "Jodi Arias' Lawyers Wanted To Withdraw From Case But Judge Denied Them". Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  58. ^ "Jodi Arias' Lawyers Wanted To Withdraw From Case But Judge Denied Them". Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  59. ^ a b Brian Skoloff (May 8, 2013). "Jodi Arias says she prefers death penalty". Associated Press. Retrieved May 9, 2013.
  60. ^ "Jodi Arias: How sex and murder created a tabloid trial and killer ratings".
  61. ^ "Get caught up: Week 13 of Jodi Arias trial". HLNtv.com. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  62. ^ Winch, Graham (January 2, 2013). "Jodi Arias: Cold-blooded killer or innocent victim?". HLNtv.com. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  63. ^ "Arias has side job in jail: making and selling art". Myfoxphoenix.com. January 18, 2013. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
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