Hi All, I'm new here. I first saw the case on Dr. Drew and then found websleuths as I was looking for more information on the case. I've probably read 40% of the trial thread. Since we are in delay until the end of the month, I can catch up. Now that my account is set up I can add my two cents. Below I address the psychological motivations I see in the case (MOO).
My theory for MOTIVE lies in the rejection she experienced from Travis. Jodi did everything in her power to BECOME the woman of Travis' dreams, and when that was not successful in winning his love, she felt sufficiently destroyed to destroy him. Her personal devastation was illustrated by the bloody mess she made of Travis and his life.
When she joined his church AND became his sex partner--conflicting behaviors in Travis' mind. She pretty much guaranteed her own rejection. Travis could not reconcile both those urges in himself ("I want to experience my sex drive fulfilled/I want to exemplify the values of my church). Her ability to have unrepressed sex AND espouse Mormonism without experiencing the conflict Travis did points to her moral ambiguity, and the lack of serious commitment she had for his ("their") religion.
From her description of their break up (due to "BOTH" of their trust issues--her statement), her inability to observe appropriate boundaries was established quite early in their relationship BEFORE any break up. Their relationship in name was "over" in 5 months time. In those short five months they went from an "in love" or "in lust" state, developed a very involved sexual relationship, (she) developed (or already had) a chronic insecurity she could not ignore, that led to her trespassing all of the boundaries of healthy relationships. Hacking multiple accounts is never ok. There is no justification for it. An emotionally normal person breaks up with someone they are chronically suspicious of, it is a very different kind of person who makes it their life's work to infiltrate the most private areas of another persons psyche (stealing journals) and life. These disrespectful and boundary-trespassing behaviors led to arguments and bad feel ings and a "break up". For all of this to happen in five short months shows how intense the relationship was. Most couples are in the "in love" period for 9, 12, or 18 months before ugly or uncomfortable things start to happen. That's when the "work" of the relationship begins.
No matter what is reported by JA (unfortunately, we only get her take on their relationship), JA and TA continued their relationship until the day he was murdered. Although Travis wanted to "break up" with in June of 2007, he didn't do "breaking up" behavior. His intention was to break-up, but his behavior didn't match his intentions. He continued to talk to her, see her, have sex with her, and plan trips with her. All of these behaviors gave Jodi hope that she was still a candidate for Travis' life partner.
Clearly, Jodi was still doing the "stalking" behavior of hacking into Travis' accounts even after Travis' death. In the interview with Flores she talks with animation of their 1000 places to see project, and how he was planning to come to California at the end of 2008 to see the Oregon coast. When she became aware that Travis was planning ANOTHER trip with someone else (Cancun), and it was on the 1000 list. This was more behavior that really did support a "breaking up" intention. Also, Travis very likely canceled the trip to the Oregon coast (it isn't likely he would be off again as soon as he was back from Cancun). My guess is that Jodi's plan to destroy Travis began when she received the news that he was planning the trip to Cancun with another woman. I see it as confirmation that he was willing to have sex with her (as long as she was willing to provide it) but was not willing to share the most special moments of his life with her. She was not Cancun material---this knowledge was unbearable to Jodi.
In discussing the manner of Travis' murder, there are people who think the messy overkill was not planned. I disagree with this. I think everything Jodi did was purposeful. She stabbed him in the heart, slit his throat and shot him because she was enraged by his rejection. When she says "if I were going to kill him I would shoot him, t least it would be humane". But that is not what she did because she did not want it to be humane. She was not trying to do it quick and neat. She was fully prepared to literally slaughter, and that is exactly what she did.
Something more I've noticed is the total lack of anxiety, anguish, tension, or fear in any photo or video of her. Her face is extraordinarily youthful and unlined---as if the normal anxieties of humanness do not wash over her face. It is an utterly serene countenance. I do think she is without conscience or empathy. I do not know the differentiation of antisocial, psychopath, sociopath, etc., but she appears utterly, utterly without the normal twitchiness, fidgetiness and expression of most people.
I'm excited to talk more about evidence, etc. but I wanted to get on the board with my observations and thoughts thus far.
Oh, one more thing. I think the BRAIDED pigtails are not an accident but an attempt to keep her hair contained for what was coming.
