On April 8, Marissa DeVault was found guilty of using a hammer to viciously attack and kill her husband while he was sleeping in 2009. Now, it is up to jurors to decide whether the Arizona woman deserves life in prison or the death penalty.

DeVault was convicted of the first-degree murder of her husband, Dale Harrell, 34, at Arizona's Maricopa County Superior Court, reports the Associated Press. The 36-year-old mother of three used a claw hammer to bash Harrell's head while he was sleeping in their home on Jan. 14, 2009. He suffered multiple skull fractures and died almost a month later in a hospice.

The penalty phase in the notorious hammer slaying trial began on Tuesday. However, defense lawyer Alan Tavassoli pleaded with jurors to spare her life, telling jurors that DeVault was sexually abused as a child and had no adults who protected her, reports KPHO.com.

Contrariwise, prosecutor Eric Basta told jurors that the case boils down to making choices.

Throughout the trial, prosecutors argued that the former stripper killed her husband in order to collect his almost $300,000 life insurance policy and use it to pay off a $360,000 loan to her secret boyfriend. However, defense attorneys maintained that she was a battered wife who killed her spouse in self-defense. Prosecutor Michelle Arino also pointed out that Devault carried out the attack on her husband in an especially cruel manner.

The jury found one aggravating factor that would make her eligible for execution on Monday, however, it was unable to reach a verdict on a second aggravating factor. If no aggravating factors are found, the judge will have to sentence DeVault to life in prison either with or without parole.