by NC WANTED Staff

Posted: Oct 16, 2008
Updated: Oct 16, 2008

ALL COUNTIES — The FBI has released national murder statistics that could effect how you view people in your immediate circle of relationships.

According to the FBI’s Supplementary Homicide Report for 2007, “The incidents of murder, in which the relationship of the victim to the offender was known, showed that 22.2 percent of victims were killed by family members and 53.7 percent were slain by acquaintances (neighbors, friends, boyfriends, etc.).”

The report categorized the remaining 24.1 percent as stranger killings.

In a chilling statistic for women, the report noted, “Among female victims, [in cases when] their relationships with their offenders were known, 32.9 percent were murdered by their husbands or boyfriends.”

The report also described the types of activities that most often lead to murder.

“Of the known circumstances surrounding homicides in 2007, 42.1 percent of the victims were murdered during arguments (including romantic triangles), and 23.3 percent were killed in conjunction with a felony (the victim was slain while being raped, robbed, etc.)."

Circumstances in 36.9 percent of homicides were classified as unknown.

Although far from comforting, these statistics further explain why murder investigations often focus on people closest to the victim.  The percentages are too great to ignore.

To view the FBI’s Supplementary Homicide Report for 2007, click on document link in the gray sidebar.

If you have any information on a crime, call NC WANTED toll free at 1.866.43.WANTED (1.866.439.2683) or click on "Report a Tip" Your identity can be kept confidential.