PHOENIX — A judge sentenced convicted murderer Jodi Arias to life in prison without the possibility of release on Monday, ending a nearly seven-year-old case that attracted worldwide attention.
Four family members of victim Travis Alexander spoke to Judge Sherry Stephens before she handed down the sentence, criticizing Arias as they broke down in tears.
Arias spoke as well, giving a rambling statement in which she stood by her testimony and accused police and prosecutors of changing their story during the investigation.
''The most important thing I want to say is that I'm very sorry for the enormous pain I caused to the people who loved Travis,'' she said. ''I'm truly disgusted and I'm repulsed with myself.''
Between tears, family members recalled the positive influence Alexander had on their lives and spoke angrily of Arias' efforts to portray him as a pervert over the past two years.
''Stop murdering my brother again and again by smearing his name,'' said sister Tanisha Sorenson. At one point, Sorenson described Arias as ''this evil that sits behind me.''
The sentencing was largely a formality after a jury deadlocked last month on whether to give Arias the death penalty or life in prison.
The only decision left was whether the judge would allow Arias, 34, to be eligible for release after 25 years. She declined to do that.
Arias killed her on-again-off-again boyfriend in 2008 in what prosecutors said was retaliation for his desire to break off the relationship. Arias shot Alexander and stabbed him nearly 30 times in his suburban Phoenix home. She was arrested weeks later and initially denied involvement.
Samantha Alexander on Monday recalled attending a memorial service for her brother and being stunned that Arias showed up to grieve his death. Friends and family immediately suspected Arias after Alexander's body was found, but she was not arrested for another month.
''One person at the memorial stood out like a sore thumb,'' she said. ''It was Jodi. She had that evil smirk on her face. I remember getting the chills.''
International attention quickly followed the case after Arias gave two TV interviews in which she told a bizarre story of masked intruders breaking into the home and killing Alexander while she cowered in fear. She subsequently changed her story and said it was self-defense after Alexander attacked her.