( CNN ) -- Jodi Arias could face the death penalty , nearly five years after she stabbed , shot and almost decapitated her ex-boyfriend . An Arizona jury Wednesday found that Arias was `` exceptionally cruel '' when she murdered Travis Alexander in 2008 . That verdict makes Arias , 32 , eligible for the death penalty in the next phase of her trial . Arias sobbed as a prosecutor presented evidence Wednesday . Around her , the courtroom was silent for two minutes . That 's how long Travis Alexander suffered in pain as Arias attacked him , Prosecutor Juan Martinez said . `` Does that seem like a short period of time ? '' Martinez said . `` It was an incredibly long period of time to be continually stabbed , to be continually followed . '' And Arias , he argued , was well-aware of how much Alexander was suffering . `` He was stabbed in the heart , chased down and then he had his throat slit , '' Martinez said . `` Those approximately two minutes that we talked about must have seemed like two lifetimes . '' Arias stabbed Alexander 29 times , slit his neck from ear to ear and shot him in the face . During the trial , she claimed she killed him in self-defense after he attacked her . Jurors found her guilty of first-degree murder a week ago . But that was just the first of a series of decisions they must make in the case , which has been marked by drama so intense that spectators have lined up to get seats in the Phoenix courtroom . Under Arizona law , before they could consider imposing the death penalty , jurors had to answer a key question : Was Arias exceptionally cruel when she killed Alexander ? They answered the question on Wednesday . Defense attorney Kirk Nurmi had urged them not to be swayed by passion or emotion . He said that adrenaline surging through Alexander 's body at the time of the attack could have prevented him from feeling pain . Have n't been following the trial ? Read this . He also argued that psychological problems prevented Arias from knowing the pain Alexander was going through or understanding what was going on . In a rebuttal , Martinez countered that actions Arias took after the killing , such as cleaning up the scene , made it clear that she understood what was going on . As Martinez showed images of Alexander 's wounds to the jury Wednesday , members of Alexander 's family wept . Arias cried and looked away . After hearing testimony from medical examiner Dr. Kevin Horn and arguments from both sides , the jury deliberated for about an hour and a half before reaching a verdict . But the case is n't over . Arias , who testified for 18 days during the trial , could speak to jurors again in court . The jury 's verdict Wednesday means the case moves to the sentencing phase . `` Now is a more complicated and a more difficult challenge for the prosecution , and a chance for the defense to really put on a case , '' CNN senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin said . The defense will have an opportunity to ask the jury for mercy and present evidence to support why Arias should not be executed . Witnesses may include Arias ' friends and family , and Arias could make a statement to the jury pleading for her life to be spared . Members of Alexander 's family may also testify . The jury then will deliberate for a third time to determine whether Arias should be sentenced to life or death . Its decision must be unanimous . In the case of a deadlock , a new jury would be chosen for this phase only . The trial 's final phase starts at 10:30 a.m. ( 1:30 p.m . ET ) Thursday . It 's unclear how long it will take . One thing is clear , Toobin said . `` This is the last decision the jury has to make , '' he said , `` and things have not been going well for ( Arias ) so far . '' There are 127 people on death row in Arizona . If Arias is given a sentence of death , she would be the fourth woman on death row in the state . Minutes after the first-degree murder guilty verdict was announced last week , Arias said receiving a sentence of life in prison without parole would be the worst possible outcome . `` I said years ago that I 'd rather get death than life , and that still is true today , '' she told Phoenix television station KSAZ . `` I believe death is the ultimate freedom , so I 'd rather just have my freedom as soon as I can get it . '' HLNTV.com : Friend of Arias tweeting on her behalf . HLN 's Graham Winch contributed to this report .
NEW : Prosecution faces `` a more complicated '' challenge , CNN 's Jeffery Toobin says . Jurors say Jodi Arias was `` especially cruel '' when she killed Travis Alexander . That means she faces the possibility of the death penalty . A prosecutor argues that Travis Alexander suffered and felt physical pain .