Who Are the Victims?
Behind every number in a crime report is a real person. FBI expanded homicide data reveals the demographics, relationships, and circumstances of murder victims in America.
15,795
Murder Victims (2024)
77%
Are Male
19%
Killed by Strangers
3,538
Female Victims
Victim Sex
| Sex | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Male | 12,144 | 76.9% |
| Female | 3,538 | 22.4% |
| Unknown | 113 | 0.7% |
Victim Race
| Race | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | — | NaN% |
| Black | — | NaN% |
| Other | — | NaN% |
| Unknown | — | NaN% |
Victim-Killer Relationship
| Relationship | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 7,301 | 46.2% |
| Acquaintance | 3,363 | 21.3% |
| Stranger | 1,575 | 10.0% |
| Girlfriend | 563 | 3.6% |
| Wife | 552 | 3.5% |
| Friend | 427 | 2.7% |
| Other family | 399 | 2.5% |
| Father | 249 | 1.6% |
| Son | 241 | 1.5% |
| Mother | 226 | 1.4% |
| Boyfriend | 202 | 1.3% |
| Daughter | 177 | 1.1% |
| Neighbor | 164 | 1.0% |
| Brother | 155 | 1.0% |
| Husband | 135 | 0.9% |
Circumstances of Murder
| Circumstance | Count |
|---|---|
| Other than felony type total: | 7,581 |
| Unknown | 7,011 |
| Other arguments | 4,658 |
| Other-not specified | 2,441 |
| Felony type total: | 1,184 |
| Narcotic drug laws | 416 |
| Robbery | 264 |
| Other-not specified | 259 |
| Gangland killings | 259 |
| Institutional killings | 103 |
| Burglary | 78 |
| Juvenile gang killings | 78 |
| Arson | 63 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 52 |
Key Insights
- Murder is overwhelmingly male. 77% of murder victims are men. This is the single most dramatic demographic skew in crime data.
- Most victims know their killer. Only 19% of murders (where relationship is known) are committed by strangers. The majority involve acquaintances, family, or romantic partners.
- Arguments are the top motive. "Other arguments" is the leading circumstance — not robbery, not drugs, not gang activity. Ordinary arguments that escalate.
- Black Americans are disproportionately victimized. While comprising ~13% of the population, Black individuals account for 0% of murder victims. This is the starkest racial disparity in American public safety.
- Women face a specific pattern. While women are fewer victims overall, they are far more likely to be killed by intimate partners (husbands, boyfriends, ex-partners).
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer, Expanded Homicide Data, 2024.