Jodi Arias and Travis Alexander met at a work conference in Las Vegas in September 2006 and formed an instant connection upon meeting. In addition to being attracted to Alexander’s strong work ethic and adventurous nature, Arias was also inspired by Alexander’s devout Mormonism and was baptized by him into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in November 2006. After some months of getting to know one another, the couple began dating in February 2007, and the relationship seemed positive at first.
By June 2007, the couple split, but they continued to meet up on a regular basis, which ultimately fostered a toxic relationship between the two. When Alexander began showing interest in other women, Arias grew increasingly jealous and acted out by harassing his love interest, slashing his tires, and showing up at his home unannounced. These actions led many of Alexander’s friends to label Arias as obsessive and voice concerns about her turning violent towards him.
On June 4, 2008, days before Alexander was set to leave for a work trip to Cancun with his new girlfriend, Arias showed up at his home. The two took suggestive photos, had sex, and afterward, Alexander began showering. As he showered, Arias took more pictures of him, then violently stabbed him 27 times and shot him in the head. Friends tragically discovered Alexander’s body five days later. Though she later tried to testify that she was acting in self-defense, Arias’s ultimate guilty verdict changed her life forever, landing her in prison indefinitely.
