Offence typesFY2018–FY2025
Murder
Primary offence type · Commission code 22 · 0.6% of federal cases
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, all districts
Interquartile range 144–420 months; mean 271. 728 cases at the 470-month cap (life or longer).
§ 2Summary
Murder was the primary offence type in 3,069 federal cases sentenced across 8 fiscal years (FY2018–FY2025), 0.6% of all cases reported to the Commission, with 405 in FY2025.
The national median prison term for murder offences was 240 months (20 years), against 24 months for all cases; — of cases carried a prison term and the middle half of terms fell between 144 and 420 months.
38% of sentences were within the guideline range, 42% below it on a government motion, 15% below it for other reasons and 5% above it.
The districts with the most murder offences were the Southern District of New York (302), the District of Maryland (197) and the Eastern District of New York (167).
FY2025 had more cases than FY2018 (405 against 318). The median prison term was about the same in FY2025 as in FY2018.
§ 3Position relative to the guideline range
Within guideline range 38%Above range 5%Below range, government sponsored 42%Below range, other 15%Not determinable <10
| Measure | Murder | All offence types |
|---|---|---|
| Median prison months | 240 | 24 |
| Mean prison months | 271 | 51 |
| Cases with a prison term | — | 92% |
| Within guideline range | 38% | 47% |
| Above range | 5% | 3% |
| Below range, government sponsored | 42% | 29% |
| Below range, other | 15% | 21% |
| Median final offence level | 40 | 17 |
| Criminal history category I | 37% | 46% |
§ 4Districts compared
Every district with at least one case, most cases first. Districts with at least 30 cases in 2021–2025 link to a district × offence page; others link to the district's overview. Rows under 10 cases show the count only.
| District | Cases | Prison | Median months | Within range | Below, gov. | Below, other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern District of New York S.D.N.Y. | 302 | 100% | 200 | 29% | 38% | 33% |
| District of Maryland D. Md. | 197 | 100% | 300 | 29% | 62% | 7% |
| Eastern District of New York E.D.N.Y. | 167 | — | 267 | 32% | 46% | 20% |
| District of Puerto Rico D.P.R. | 133 | 100% | 240 | 27% | 58% | 13% |
| District of New Mexico D.N.M. | 112 | 100% | 180 | 27% | 57% | 12% |
| District of Arizona D. Ariz. | 109 | 100% | 228 | 52% | 24% | 9% |
| Eastern District of Oklahoma E.D. Okla. | 103 | 100% | 300 | 58% | 19% | — |
| Eastern District of Virginia E.D. Va. | 94 | 100% | life | 73% | 13% | 11% |
| Eastern District of Missouri E.D. Mo. | 86 | 100% | 240 | 22% | 67% | — |
| Northern District of California N.D. Cal. | 84 | 100% | 264 | 20% | 75% | — |
| Northern District of Oklahoma N.D. Okla. | 78 | — | 240 | 40% | 27% | — |
| Eastern District of Michigan E.D. Mich. | 74 | 100% | 218 | 35% | 41% | 23% |
| Western District of Texas W.D. Tex. | 64 | — | 276 | 36% | 50% | — |
| Northern District of Illinois N.D. Ill. | 61 | 100% | 230 | 26% | 33% | 38% |
| Northern District of Indiana N.D. Ind. | 60 | 100% | 238 | 18% | 60% | 20% |
| District of Connecticut D. Conn. | 59 | 100% | 240 | 29% | 51% | 20% |
| Central District of California C.D. Cal. | 55 | 100% | 240 | 40% | 33% | 24% |
| District of South Carolina D.S.C. | 49 | 100% | 120 | 31% | 47% | 22% |
| District of Massachusetts D. Mass. | 46 | 100% | 252 | 46% | 44% | — |
| Middle District of Tennessee M.D. Tenn. | 45 | — | 290 | — | 56% | 22% |
| Southern District of Ohio S.D. Ohio | 44 | 100% | 330 | 27% | 68% | — |
| District of South Dakota D.S.D. | 42 | 100% | 300 | 57% | — | — |
| Eastern District of Louisiana E.D. La. | 40 | 100% | 350 | 55% | 33% | — |
| Western District of Missouri W.D. Mo. | 40 | — | 300 | 43% | 43% | — |
| Western District of New York W.D.N.Y. | 38 | 100% | 240 | 37% | 50% | — |
| Southern District of Texas S.D. Tex. | 38 | 100% | 201 | 54% | 43% | — |
| District of New Jersey D.N.J. | 37 | 100% | 300 | 41% | 51% | — |
| Southern District of Florida S.D. Fla. | 37 | 100% | life | 73% | — | — |
| Eastern District of Pennsylvania E.D. Pa. | 36 | 100% | 279 | 36% | 58% | — |
| Northern District of Georgia N.D. Ga. | 35 | 100% | 180 | — | 74% | — |
| Middle District of Florida M.D. Fla. | 34 | 100% | life | 62% | — | — |
| District of Columbia D.D.C. | 32 | 100% | 414 | 50% | 34% | — |
| Western District of North Carolina W.D.N.C. | 31 | 100% | 420 | 48% | — | — |
| Western District of Tennessee W.D. Tenn. | 30 | 100% | 327 | 43% | 47% | — |
| Northern District of Texas N.D. Tex. | 28 | — | 264 | 54% | — | — |
| Western District of Virginia W.D. Va. | 26 | 100% | 192 | — | 85% | — |
| Southern District of Mississippi S.D. Miss. | 21 | 100% | 120 | 52% | — | — |
| Central District of Illinois C.D. Ill. | 20 | 100% | 240 | — | — | 50% |
| Eastern District of California E.D. Cal. | 20 | 100% | 121 | 60% | — | — |
| District of Minnesota D. Minn. | 19 | 100% | 240 | — | — | — |
| District of North Dakota D.N.D. | 19 | 100% | 240 | — | — | — |
| District of Oregon D. Or. | 18 | 100% | 189 | — | 56% | 0% |
| District of Vermont D. Vt. | 17 | 100% | 140 | — | 65% | — |
| Middle District of Pennsylvania M.D. Pa. | 17 | 100% | 300 | — | — | — |
| Western District of Kentucky W.D. Ky. | 17 | — | 360 | — | — | — |
| Eastern District of Texas E.D. Tex. | 15 | 100% | 360 | — | — | — |
| Southern District of Indiana S.D. Ind. | 15 | 100% | life | — | — | — |
| Eastern District of Washington E.D. Wash. | 15 | 100% | 360 | 80% | — | 0% |
| Eastern District of Kentucky E.D. Ky. | 14 | 100% | 390 | — | — | — |
| Northern District of Ohio N.D. Ohio | 14 | 100% | 150 | — | — | — |
| District of Montana D. Mont. | 14 | 100% | 218 | — | — | — |
| District of Wyoming D. Wyo. | 14 | 100% | 271 | — | — | 0% |
| Eastern District of North Carolina E.D.N.C. | 13 | 100% | 209 | — | — | — |
| Western District of Oklahoma W.D. Okla. | 13 | 100% | 300 | — | 0% | 0% |
| Northern District of Mississippi N.D. Miss. | 12 | 100% | 200 | — | — | — |
| District of Alaska D. Alaska | 12 | 100% | life | — | — | — |
| Southern District of Alabama S.D. Ala. | 12 | 100% | 120 | — | — | — |
| Southern District of Illinois S.D. Ill. | 11 | 100% | 453 | — | — | 0% |
| District of Nebraska D. Neb. | 11 | 100% | 360 | — | — | 0% |
| Middle District of North Carolina M.D.N.C. | 10 | 100% | 329 | — | — | — |
| Southern District of Georgia S.D. Ga. | 10 | 100% | 445 | — | — | — |
| Western District of Louisiana W.D. La. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Hawaii D. Haw. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Colorado D. Colo. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Kansas D. Kan. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Utah D. Utah | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eastern District of Arkansas E.D. Ark. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Delaware D. Del. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of the Virgin Islands D.V.I. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Southern District of California S.D. Cal. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Middle District of Georgia M.D. Ga. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Northern District of New York N.D.N.Y. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Northern District of Iowa N.D. Iowa | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Idaho D. Idaho | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Northern District of Alabama N.D. Ala. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Western District of Michigan W.D. Mich. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Nevada D. Nev. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Western District of Pennsylvania W.D. Pa. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Southern District of West Virginia S.D.W. Va. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eastern District of Tennessee E.D. Tenn. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Western District of Washington W.D. Wash. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Middle District of Alabama M.D. Ala. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Northern District of West Virginia N.D.W. Va. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Southern District of Iowa S.D. Iowa | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Maine D. Me. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eastern District of Wisconsin E.D. Wis. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Northern District of Florida N.D. Fla. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Rhode Island D.R.I. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Western District of Wisconsin W.D. Wis. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Western District of Arkansas W.D. Ark. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
§ 5Circuits compared
| Circuit | Cases | Prison | Median months | Within range | Below, gov. | Below, other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia Circuit | 32 | 100% | 414 | 50% | 34% | — |
| First Circuit | 182 | 100% | 240 | 32% | 53% | 13% |
| Second Circuit | 589 | — | 220 | 30% | 43% | 26% |
| Third Circuit | 108 | 100% | 300 | 38% | 51% | — |
| Fourth Circuit | 427 | 100% | 300 | 42% | 46% | 10% |
| Fifth Circuit | 227 | — | 262 | 47% | 40% | 8% |
| Sixth Circuit | 247 | — | 262 | 34% | 47% | 17% |
| Seventh Circuit | 170 | 100% | 252 | 28% | 39% | 28% |
| Eighth Circuit | 235 | — | 263 | 41% | 40% | 9% |
| Ninth Circuit | 358 | 100% | 240 | 44% | 37% | 10% |
| Tenth Circuit | 347 | — | 240 | 42% | 35% | 8% |
| Eleventh Circuit | 147 | 100% | 420 | 52% | 32% | 14% |
§ 6Trend by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Cases | Prison | Median months | Within range | Below, gov. | Below, other | Above |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 318 | 100% | 292 | 41% | 43% | 13% | 4% |
| FY2019 | 373 | — | 240 | 38% | 41% | 17% | 4% |
| FY2020 | 294 | — | 228 | 37% | 42% | 19% | — |
| FY2021 | 257 | — | 233 | 32% | 44% | 18% | 6% |
| FY2022 | 410 | — | 240 | 32% | 45% | 17% | 5% |
| FY2023 | 489 | 100% | 276 | 40% | 42% | 13% | 6% |
| FY2024 | 523 | — | 246 | 44% | 40% | 11% | 5% |
| FY2025 | 405 | — | 293 | 39% | 40% | 14% | 7% |
§ 7Criminal history
Share of cases at each final criminal history category; grey figure: all federal cases.
§ 8Guideline sections involved
| Primary guideline | Subject | Cases | Share of this offence type |
|---|---|---|---|
| §2A1.1 | First degree murder | 2,123 | 69.2% |
| §2A1.2 | Second degree murder | 553 | 18.0% |
| §2A1.5 | 252 | 8.2% | |
| §2X3.1 | Accessory after the fact | 131 | 4.3% |
| §2X1.1 | Attempt, solicitation or conspiracy (not covered by a specific guideline) | <10 | — |
§ 9Questions and answers
What is the average federal sentence for murder offences?
The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 240 months (20 years) and the mean was 271 months (life sentences counted as 470 months, the Commission's convention). Medians are used on this site because a few very long terms pull the mean upward.
How much does the sentence for murder offences vary by district?
Among districts with at least 10 cases, medians ranged from 120 months (D.S.C.) to life months (E.D. Va.). The mix of guidelines, statutory minimums and criminal history within the offence type explains much of the spread.
How often are murder offences sentenced outside the guideline range?
62% of sentences were outside the range: 42% below it on a government motion, 15% below it for other reasons and 5% above it.
Which guidelines apply to murder offences?
The most common primary guidelines are §2A1.1, §2A1.2, §2A1.5 and §2X3.1. The Commission assigns the offence type mainly from the primary guideline the court applied.
Where do these figures come from?
The US Sentencing Commission's individual offender datafiles, FY2018–FY2025, using the Commission's OFFGUIDE offence type, SENTRNGE range status and SENTTCAP capped prison months. Counts under 10 are hidden.
§ 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. Counts below 10 are hidden or pooled. Errors in this site's processing are corrected at the next build; see corrections. Methodology.