Jodi Arias killed her boyfriend, Travis Alexander, primarily due to jealousy and a volatile relationship. She brutally stabbed him nearly 30 times and shot him in his home in Mesa, Arizona, on June 4, 2008. The prosecution argued that Arias was jealous of Alexander dating other women and that she planned the killing in a jealous rage after Alexander had found someone he wanted to marry. Arias initially denied involvement, blaming masked intruders, but later changed her story to say she killed him in self-defense, claiming he was abusive. However, evidence, including photos from Alexander's camera and cell phone records, contradicted her accounts, showing a more complex and premeditated crime scene. Friends of Alexander had warned him that Arias was obsessed and potentially dangerous, and the relationship had become toxic and volatile before the murder. Arias was convicted of first-degree murder in 2013 and sentenced to life in prison. The crime was considered especially cruel with substantial planning and efforts by Arias to cover her tracks. Her defense tried to portray Alexander as an abusive boyfriend and Arias as acting in self-defense, but the jury did not accept this defense.
In summary, the killing was driven by jealousy, a troubled relationship, and a violent outburst rather than a straightforward act of self-defense.
