The jury in the Jodi Arias death penalty sentencing retrial may be having trouble in reaching a decision on whether to sentence the convicted killer to life in prison or execution for the murder of her lover, Travis Alexander.

The jury returned to the Maricopa County Superior Court to continue deliberating a verdict in the high profile murder case on Tuesday. However, deliberations were put on hold on Tuesday morning after the jury of eight women and four men presented two questions to the judge.

Judge Sherry Stephens met with both prosecutors and defense attorneys and called for an one-hour recess break until 1 p.m.

Around 1:45 p.m., Stephens then suggested jurors review areas of agreement or disagreement and discuss both the law and the testimony they heard during the re-trial period. Judge Stephens also instructed the jurors to continue deliberating.

According to ABC 15's Elizabeth Erwin, a modified impasse instruction was delivered, "which could indicate the jury is having trouble making a decision."

Although the questions from the jury have not been released, Fox 10 Phoenix reports that it may take some time before they are resolved.

Prosecutors in the high profile case claim Arias brutally killed her on- and off-again boyfriend during a jealous rage after he planned to leave her and go on a vacation with another woman. However, Arias argues she killed him in self-defense after he attacked her.

Although she was found guilty of first-degree murder in May 2013, jurors in her first trial failed to reach a unanimous decision on her sentencing. As a result, a Maricopa County Superior Court jury will deliberate whether or not to spare her life. If all 12 jurors do not agree on the death sentence, then Arias will automatically be given life in prison. Or, if this second jury reaches deadlock, under state law Arias would be sentenced to life, reports AZ Central.

If Arias is given life behind bars, Judge Stephens will decide whether Arias should be eligible for release after 25 years.

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