E.D. Pa. · MurderFY2018–FY2025

Districts › Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Murder in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Q: What is the typical sentence for murder offences in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania?

The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 279 months (23 yr 3 mo), with the middle half of terms between 150 and life 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?

58% of sentences were below the range on a government motion and — below it for other reasons; 36% 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 above 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 §2A1.1, §none and §2X1.1.

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.

E.D. Pa. · Third 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.

<10cases, FY202536 over FY2018–FY2025

279median prison monthsnational, this offence: 240

36%within guideline rangenational 38%

100%cases with a prison termnational —

§ 1Length of prison terms

<10

28%

<10

33%

median 279 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 (36 cases with a prison term; life and terms of 470 months or more counted as life). Grey: murder offences nationally.

Interquartile range 150–life months; mean 294. 12 cases at the Commission's 470-month cap (life or longer).

§ 2Summary

Murder was the primary offence type in 36 cases sentenced in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania between FY2018 and FY2025 (1% of the district's cases), with <10 in FY2025.

The median prison term was 279 months (23 yr 3 mo), longer than the national median for murder offences (240 months) and close to the Third Circuit median (300). Half of prison terms fell between 150 and life months; 100% of cases carried a prison term.

36% of these sentences were within the guideline range (nationally for this offence type: 38%); 58% were below the range on a government motion and — 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 36%Above range 0%Below range, government sponsored 58%Below range, other <10Not determinable 0

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

Measure	E.D. Pa., murder	E.D. Pa., all offences	3d Cir., murder	US, murder
Cases per fiscal year	<10	525	14	384
Share of district caseload	0.9%	100%	—	—
Median prison months	279	46	300	240
Mean prison months	294	74	—	271
Cases with a prison term	100%	89%	100%	—
Within guideline range	36%	34%	38%	38%
Above range	0%	2%	—	5%
Below range, government sponsored	58%	40%	51%	42%
Below range, other	—	24%	—	15%
Median final offence level	43	22	—	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

171

<10

’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	0	fewer than 10 cases
FY2020	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2021	0	fewer than 10 cases
FY2022	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2023	18	100%	171	—	72%	—	0%
FY2024	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2025	<10	fewer than 10 cases

§ 6Criminal history

Category I36% · 37%

Category II<10

Category III<10

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

§2A1.1 First degree murder · 33 cases in the district (all offence types)
§none · 13 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)
§2A1.5 · <10 cases in the district (all offence types)
§2X3.1 Accessory after the fact · <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 Eastern District of Pennsylvania?

The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 279 months (23 yr 3 mo), with the middle half of terms between 150 and life 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?

58% of sentences were below the range on a government motion and — below it for other reasons; 36% 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 above on median term and close to the national within-range share.

Which guidelines are involved?

The most common primary guidelines for these cases are §2A1.1, §none and §2X1.1.

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 Eastern District of Pennsylvania

§ 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 15. Counts below 10 are hidden or pooled. Errors in this site's processing are corrected at the next build; see corrections. Methodology.