C.D. Cal. · MurderFY2018–FY2025

Districts › Central District of California

Murder in the Central District of California

Q: What is the typical sentence for murder offences in the Central District of California?

The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 240 months (20 years), with the middle half of terms between 126 and 420 months. 100% of cases carried a prison term. The national median for murder offences is 240 months.

Q: How often are murder offences sentenced below the guideline range here?

33% of sentences were below the range on a government motion and 24% below it for other reasons; 40% were within the range. The Commission's categories are explained in the guide to how the guidelines work.

Q: How does this compare with the rest of the country?

Nationally, murder offences had a median prison term of 240 months and a within-range share of 38% over the same period. The district's figures are close to on median term and close to the national within-range share.

Q: Which guidelines are involved?

The most common primary guidelines for these cases are §none, §2A1.1 and §2A1.5.

Q: Is this a prediction for a particular case?

No. The figures are aggregates of sentences already imposed, as recorded by the US Sentencing Commission. They are not legal advice and do not estimate the outcome of any case.

C.D. Cal. · Ninth Circuit · Murder nationally

The datafile contains cases reported to the Commission with sentencing documents. Sentence length statistics use the Commission's capped variable (sentences of 470 months or longer, including life, are recorded as 470 months) and exclude sentences of probation or a fine only. Figures are aggregates of past cases and are not a prediction for any case.

11cases, FY202555 over FY2018–FY2025

240median prison monthsnational, this offence: 240

40%within guideline rangenational 38%

100%cases with a prison termnational —

§ 1Length of prison terms

<10

22%

<10

22%

median 240 mo

under 6 mo6–11 mo1–2 yr2–3 yr3–5 yr5–10 yr10–15 yr15–20 yr20–30 yr30 yr+life

Share of cases with a prison term, by length of the term (55 cases with a prison term; life and terms of 470 months or more counted as life). Grey: murder offences nationally.

Interquartile range 126–420 months; mean 254. 12 cases at the Commission's 470-month cap (life or longer).

§ 2Summary

55 murder offences were sentenced in the Central District of California across 8 fiscal years (FY2018–FY2025), 11 of them in FY2025; that is 1% of the district's caseload.

The median prison term was 240 months (20 years), close to the national median for murder offences (240 months) and close to the Ninth Circuit median (240). Half of prison terms fell between 126 and 420 months; 100% of cases carried a prison term.

40% of these sentences were within the guideline range (nationally for this offence type: 38%); 33% were below the range on a government motion and 24% below it for other reasons.

These are aggregates of past cases. The guideline range for any case depends on its offence level, criminal history and statutory minimums, and the sentence on the court's findings; no figure here estimates an outcome.

§ 3Position relative to the guideline range

Within guideline range 40%Above range <10Below range, government sponsored 33%Below range, other 24%Not determinable 0

§ 4Compared with the district, the circuit and the nation

Measure	C.D. Cal., murder	C.D. Cal., all offences	9th Cir., murder	US, murder
Cases per fiscal year	<10	997	45	384
Share of district caseload	0.7%	100%	—	—
Median prison months	240	37	240	240
Mean prison months	254	57	—	271
Cases with a prison term	100%	86%	100%	—
Within guideline range	40%	29%	44%	38%
Above range	—	2%	8%	5%
Below range, government sponsored	33%	34%	37%	42%
Below range, other	24%	36%	10%	15%
Median final offence level	40	21	—	40

§ 5Trend by fiscal year

<10

’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25

Murder cases sentenced per fiscal year (fiscal years 2018–2025)

<10

240

300

’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25

Median prison months by fiscal year (fiscal years 2018–2025)

Fiscal year	Cases	Prison	Median months	Within range	Below, gov.	Below, other	Above
FY2018	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2019	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2020	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2021	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2022	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2023	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2024	16	100%	240	—	—	—	—
FY2025	11	100%	300	—	—	—	0%

§ 6Criminal history

Category I35% · 37%

Category II<10

Category III18% · 17%

Category IV<10

Category V<10

Category VI<10

Share of cases at each final criminal history category; grey figure: murder offences nationally.

§ 7Guidelines applied

§none · 460 cases in the district (all offence types)
§2A1.1 First degree murder · 28 cases in the district (all offence types)
§2A1.5 · 15 cases in the district (all offence types)
§2A1.2 Second degree murder · <10 cases in the district (all offence types)
§2X3.1 Accessory after the fact · <10 cases in the district (all offence types)
§2X1.1 Attempt, solicitation or conspiracy (not covered by a specific guideline) · <10 cases in the district (all offence types)

Primary guidelines the Commission associates with this offence type, with the district's caseload under each across all offence types.

§ 8Questions and answers

What is the typical sentence for murder offences in the Central District of California?

The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 240 months (20 years), with the middle half of terms between 126 and 420 months. 100% of cases carried a prison term. The national median for murder offences is 240 months.

How often are murder offences sentenced below the guideline range here?

33% of sentences were below the range on a government motion and 24% below it for other reasons; 40% were within the range. The Commission's categories are explained in the guide to how the guidelines work.

How does this compare with the rest of the country?

Nationally, murder offences had a median prison term of 240 months and a within-range share of 38% over the same period. The district's figures are close to on median term and close to the national within-range share.

Which guidelines are involved?

The most common primary guidelines for these cases are §none, §2A1.1 and §2A1.5.

Is this a prediction for a particular case?

No. The figures are aggregates of sentences already imposed, as recorded by the US Sentencing Commission. They are not legal advice and do not estimate the outcome of any case.

§ 9Other offence types in the Central District of California

§ 10Provenance

Source: United States Sentencing Commission, Individual Offender Datafiles, fiscal years 2018–2025 (US government works), aggregated by this site; the FY2025 file is dated 29 Apr 2026. Offence type is the Commission's OFFGUIDE code 22; district is CIRCDIST 65. Counts below 10 are hidden or pooled. Errors in this site's processing are corrected at the next build; see corrections. Methodology.