E.D. Va. · MurderFY2018–FY2025
Districts › Eastern District of Virginia
Murder in the Eastern District of Virginia
E.D. Va. · Fourth 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.
§ 1Length of prison terms
Interquartile range 300–life months; mean 389. 63 cases at the Commission's 470-month cap (life or longer).
§ 2Summary
94 murder offences were sentenced in the Eastern District of Virginia across 8 fiscal years (FY2018–FY2025), 10 of them in FY2025; that is 1% of the district's caseload.
The median prison term was life (recorded as 470 months), longer than the national median for murder offences (240 months) and longer than the Fourth Circuit median (300). Half of prison terms fell between 300 and life months; 100% of cases carried a prison term.
73% of these sentences were within the guideline range (nationally for this offence type: 38%); 13% were below the range on a government motion and 11% below it for other reasons.
FY2025 had fewer cases than FY2018 (10 against 15). The median prison term was about the same in FY2025 as in FY2018.
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 73%Above range <10Below range, government sponsored 13%Below range, other 11%Not determinable 0
§ 4Compared with the district, the circuit and the nation
| Measure | E.D. Va., murder | E.D. Va., all offences | 4th Cir., murder | US, murder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cases per fiscal year | 12 | 973 | 53 | 384 |
| Share of district caseload | 1.2% | 100% | — | — |
| Median prison months | life | 46 | 300 | 240 |
| Mean prison months | 389 | 75 | — | 271 |
| Cases with a prison term | 100% | 75% | 100% | — |
| Within guideline range | 73% | 57% | 42% | 38% |
| Above range | — | 3% | 3% | 5% |
| Below range, government sponsored | 13% | 11% | 46% | 42% |
| Below range, other | 11% | 29% | 10% | 15% |
| Median final offence level | 43 | 17 | — | 40 |
§ 5Trend by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Cases | Prison | Median months | Within range | Below, gov. | Below, other | Above |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 15 | 100% | life | 80% | — | — | 0% |
| FY2019 | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | |||||
| FY2020 | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | |||||
| FY2021 | 13 | 100% | 252 | — | — | — | 0% |
| FY2022 | 14 | 100% | life | — | — | — | 0% |
| FY2023 | 10 | 100% | life | — | 0% | 0% | — |
| FY2024 | 18 | 100% | life | 89% | — | 0% | 0% |
| FY2025 | 10 | 100% | 463 | — | — | 0% | — |
§ 6Criminal history
Share of cases at each final criminal history category; grey figure: murder offences nationally.
§ 7Guidelines applied
- §none · 2,358 cases in the district (all offence types)
- §2A1.1 First degree murder · 84 cases in the district (all offence types)
- §2X3.1 Accessory after the fact · 24 cases in the district (all offence types)
- §2A1.2 Second degree murder · <10 cases in the district (all offence types)
- §2A1.5 · <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 Eastern District of Virginia?
The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was life (recorded as 470 months), with the middle half of terms between 300 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?
13% of sentences were below the range on a government motion and 11% below it for other reasons; 73% 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 higher than the national within-range share.
Which guidelines are involved?
The most common primary guidelines for these cases are §none, §2A1.1 and §2X3.1.
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 Virginia
- Drug Trafficking 1,831
- Other 1,374
- Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement 1,146
- Immigration 904
- Firearms 861
- Child Pornography 329
- Sex Abuse 203
- Robbery 181
- Drug Possession 175
- Money Launder 129
- Assault 85
- Bribery/Corruption 72
§ 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 24. Counts below 10 are hidden or pooled. Errors in this site's processing are corrected at the next build; see corrections. Methodology.