Where is Jodi Arias now?

Murderer Jodi Arias has been behind bars for well over a decade now, but her story continues to inspire column inches.

Her victim was her ex-partner Travis Alexander, and the killing was noted for its brutality. Alexander was found with multiple stab wounds and gunshots. The ensuing trial became one of the most infamous in all of America, drawing public crowds, throngs of reporters, and plenty of internet speculation.

But, beyond the circus around the trial in Maricopa County, Arizona, there was a lot to unpack. Arias claimed she was innocent for a number of reasons, eventually settling on self-defence. However, the evidence wasn’t on her side, and she was sentenced to life without parole. Since then, the crime and trial have been examined by podcasts, documentaries, books, and films, usually with plenty of detailed evidence and firsthand accounts from people who knew Alexander and Arias, who after being convicted said:

“To this day, I can’t believe that I was capable of doing something that terrible. I’m truly disgusted and repulsed with myself. I’m horrified because of what I did, and I wish there was some way I could take it back.”

But what has she been doing for the past fifteen years? Read on to find out where Jodi Arias is now.

What happened between Jodi Arias and Travis Alexander?

Alexander was a devout Mormon who had a fairly transient life, living in multiple parts of the country before settling in Mesa, Arizona. Arias was a wannabe photographer, and the pair met in September 2006 at a convention in Vegas and immediately hit it off. Alexander invited Arias to join him at an executive dinner, and the pair allegedly stayed up until the early hours of the morning talking. Alexander texted various friends that he had found someone who was “wife material.”

While at first, it was all loving and doting, friends eventually voiced their concerns about Jodi’s stability. Arias became increasingly possessive, leading friends to joke about Alexander being found “chopped up in her freezer.” Alexander’s faith was also a barrier to their relationship, as the pair were having premarital sex, which was loading Alexander with guilt (Arias didn’t share his faith). The pair’s relationship became more volatile, falling into a pattern of being on and off again. Arias would also turn up at Alexander’s house unexpectedly when they were on an “off” period, adding to the sense of unease his friends felt towards her.

However, the aggression wasn’t all one way. There are written records that indicate Alexander had a violent streak, even referring to himself as “a bit of a psychopath.” However, there’s no doubt that Arias’s behavior was more outlandish. She engaged in stalking, and even slashed the tyres of a woman Alexander was seeing while the pair were broken up.

In April 2008 Arias moved to California, and a month later the pair had another huge fight. In June, Alexander was reported dead by Arias herself, who called the police a few hours after his body had been discovered. She claimed that on the day of his death, she was on the way to Utah to meet up with a new partner. However, Alexander’s friends were sure she had something to do with the death, and suggested to the officers to fingerprint her, which led to her being linked to the murder.

More evidence then appeared that linked Arias to the death. A bloody handprint, long brown hairs, and a missing gun that had been taken from Arias’ parents’ home were all indicators of her involvement. There was also a camera found in Alexander’s washing machine, which contained pictures of the pair together that were timestamped to show she’d been in his home on the day of his death.

What happened during and after the trial?

Arias was arrested, and after spending a night in jail admitted she’d been at Alexander’s home on the day of the death, but continued to proclaim her innocence. She changed her story to say that the pair had been attacked by masked intruders. The police didn’t believe her.

Because of the brutality of the crime (Alexander was stabbed over 30 times, his throat was slit, and he was shot in the head, most likely after the knife injuries were inflicted), Arias was denied parole. It took over four years for the trial to begin, but it finally did so on 2 Jan. 2013.

In the criminal trial, Arias claimed self-defence, implying Alexander was abusive and was threatening to kill her for dropping his camera. She claimed she didn’t remember the murder, and her story continued to change throughout her testimony.

More than two years after the trial began, Arias was found guilty of first-degree murder, and a judge sentenced her to life in prison with no parole. She did escape the death penalty as the jury was split. A second jury that was gathered in 2014 was also split, and so her life was spared.

Arias tried to get a retrial on the grounds that the initial court hearings had been turned into a media circus, leading to an unfair outcome. She also claimed the prosecutor had acted improperly in their role, denying her an impartial jury. These claims were denied.

Arias was sent to Perryville State Women’s Prison in Goodyear, Arizona, where she has been ever since. She was also ordered by the judge to pay Alexander’s family $32,000 in damages, to help them offset the costs of attending the trial.

Where is Jodi Arias now?

Arias remains in Perryville State Women’s Prison, as she is not eligible for release. Public records indicate that she’s being held in a medium-low security wing of the prison, also known as the “custody class” wing. The records also state she’s assigned to work in the library, as an aide. It seems she has been in this role for over half a decade, having started in July 2018. Prior to that, she was in the store warehouse of the prison, and also worked as a porter throughout all of 2016.

She’s only been involved in one disciplinary action since being behind bars, which took place in Feb. 2016. According to public records, this was because of “disrespect to staff.”