If you spent any time on the internet in 2013, you remember the trial. It was everywhere. The grainy courtroom footage, the salacious testimony, and that blank stare from the woman at the center of it all. Years have passed since the verdict echoed through the Maricopa County Superior Court, but the question keeps popping up in true crime circles: is Jodi Arias still alive?
Yes. She is.
Honestly, it’s not surprising that people still check in on her. The case was so visceral—a cocktail of obsession, religion, and a level of violence that left even seasoned investigators shaken. But while the world moved on to new viral headlines, Arias settled into a reality that is far less theatrical than her trial. She isn't just "away"; she’s living out a very specific, very quiet existence behind the walls of a desert prison.
Where is Jodi Arias now?
As of January 2026, Jodi Arias is very much alive and remains incarcerated at the Arizona State Prison Complex – Perryville. This facility is located in Goodyear, Arizona, just a short drive from where the murder of Travis Alexander took place in Mesa. There is a certain grim irony in that proximity.
She’s 45 years old now. It’s a far cry from the 32-year-old woman who spent eighteen days on the witness stand trying to convince a jury that she acted in self-defense. Today, she isn't fighting for her life in front of cameras; she’s fighting for "Post-Conviction Relief" (PCR) from a small cell.
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Life behind the wire at Perryville
Prison life isn't a monolith. It changes based on your "custody class." When Arias first arrived, things were rough. She was in maximum custody, which basically means you’re locked in a 7x12 foot box for 23 hours a day. You don't get a roommate. You don't get much sunlight.
But things shifted. Over the years, she moved down to "close custody" and eventually into a medium-low security unit. This gave her more freedom. She can actually talk to people now. She can have a cellmate.
The Daily Grind: Jobs and Hobbies
Believe it or not, she has a resume in there. According to prison records and reports from people like investigative journalist Tammy Rose, Arias has stayed busy.
- Library Aide: For a long time, this was her main gig. She reportedly earned about 40 cents an hour helping other inmates find books.
- Music Program: More recently, she’s been involved in the prison’s music scene. We’re talking choir and the prison band.
- Art Sales: This is where the controversy usually flares up. Arias has continued to produce art—mostly colored pencil drawings and portraits. Her family manages a website where these pieces are sold for hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars. The money reportedly goes toward her "legal defense fund."
She even started a Substack recently. Yeah, a blog from prison. In a post titled "Hello, 2026," she dropped some pretty heavy allegations about missing evidence and "lost" files from her original trial. It’s clear she hasn't given up on the idea of a retrial, even if the legal mountains she’d have to climb are practically vertical.
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Is there any chance she gets out?
In a word: No.
When Judge Sherry Stephens handed down the sentence on April 13, 2015, she was very specific. She sentenced Arias to natural life in prison without the possibility of parole.
There’s a distinction there. Some "life" sentences in Arizona allow for a chance at release after 25 years. Arias didn't get that. The judge pointed to the "extraordinary cruelty" of the crime—Travis Alexander was stabbed nearly 30 times, his throat was slit ear-to-ear, and he was shot in the head.
The only way out for her is if a court vacates her conviction. She’s tried. In 2020, the Arizona Court of Appeals upheld the conviction despite acknowledging "prosecutorial misconduct" by the lead prosecutor, Juan Martinez. The court basically said, "Yeah, the prosecutor behaved badly, but the evidence against her was so overwhelming it wouldn't have changed the outcome."
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The 2026 "New Evidence" claims
Right now, the buzz in the true crime community is about her latest legal push. Arias is alleging that exculpatory evidence—specifically data from computers—was destroyed or withheld by the prosecution.
She’s specifically naming names now: former detective Steve Flores and the now-disbarred Juan Martinez. It’s worth noting that both of her original lead attorneys were also eventually disbarred or faced heavy sanctions. Kirk Nurmi, her lead defense, was disbarred after writing a "tell-all" book about how much he hated representing her. It’s a mess.
Does this mean she’s getting a new trial? Probably not. The bar for "newly discovered evidence" is incredibly high, especially when the defendant already admitted to the killing on the stand.
Why we can't look away
The fascination with whether Jodi Arias is still alive stems from how "normal" she seemed on the surface. She wasn't a career criminal. she was an aspiring photographer. But the trial revealed a level of obsession that felt like a cautionary tale for the digital age.
She’s still communicating with the outside world through her "Just Jodi" social media accounts (run by her "team" of supporters). She still has fans. She still has people who believe she was a victim. But for the family of Travis Alexander, her being alive and in prison is simply the price of justice.
Next Steps for True Crime Followers:
If you want to track the actual legal filings for her Post-Conviction Relief, you can monitor the Maricopa County Superior Court docket. Most of the "news" you see on TikTok or YouTube is speculative; the actual court transcripts and rulings on her PCR status are the only definitive sources of truth regarding her legal future.