Jodi Arias Sentenced to Life Without Parole, New Mugshot Released
Jodi Arias has been sentenced to a natural life sentence with no possibility of parole. Arias was found guilty of murdering her boyfriend, Travis Alexander, five years earlier.
Because two previous juries were unable to decide whether or not Arias should receive the death penalty, the final sentencing decision was up to Judge Sherry Stephens at the hearing which took place on Monday, April 13.
"The defendant did not render aid to the victim … destroyed evidence at the crime scene. The defendant went to great lengths to conceal involvement," said Stephens. "The court finds the mitigation presented is not sufficiently substantial for leniency and that a natural life sentence is appropriate."
Get Our Latest News for FREE
After hearing statements from Alexander's sisters, the court also heard Arias' mother asking for leniency.
Alexander's sister, Hillary Wilcox, was visibly emotional as she said, "It hurts too much to remember him alive because if I remember him, I remember too much about how he was brutally taken from us and I can't handle it."
Arias made a final plea to receive the possibility of parole in 25 years.
"It's my firm belief that death would bring me untold peace and freedom," said Arias. "If I die today, I would be free and I would be at peace. For years, that's exactly what I wanted. But I have to fight for my life just like I did on June 4, 2008 because I realize how selfish it would be for me to escape accountability for this mess I created."
Arias maintained that Alexander was trying to attack her when she stabbed him multiple times in the shower and shot him.
"To this day I cannot believe I was capable of doing something that terrible," she continued. "I'm truly disgusted and I'm repulsed with myself. I wish there was some way I could take it back."
As Arias was being led away, one of Alexander's sisters shouted for her to "burn in hell."
Meanwhile, Arias isn't smiling in her latest mugshot after being booked into Perryville Prison immediately after being handed her life sentence. Her mugshot is a sharp contrast to her original booking photo, which showed her smirking at the camera. She later said that she grinned because she figured that that's what Alexander would have done if he were in the same situation. She also knew that the mugshot would be all over the Internet, "so why not," she said.
