When Men Murder Women: An Analysis of 1996 Homicide Data

Females Murdered by Males in Single Victim/Single Offender Incidents

Arizona

The homicide rate among females murdered by males in Arizona was 1.57 per 100,000 in 1996

Ranked 21st highest in the United States

Age

Five female homicide victims (14 percent) were less than 18 years old, and six victims (17 percent) were 65 years of age or older.

Race

Thirty-one female murder victims were white, two were black, and two were American Indian or Alaskan natives.

Most Common Weapons

Nearly seven out of 10 female homicide victims (24 victims or 69 percent) were shot and killed with guns. Nearly nine out of 10 of these gun victims (21 victims or 88 percent) were killed with handguns. There were seven females killed by bodily force and two females killed with knives or other cutting instruments. The remainder of cases involved other non-firearm weapons.

Victim/Offender Relationship

Nearly nine out of 10 female victims (30 victims or 86 percent) were murdered by someone they knew. Only five victims (14 percent) were killed by strangers. Of victims who knew their offenders, nearly half (14 victims or 47 percent) were wives, common law wives, ex-wives, or girlfriends of the offenders. Among the 14 female intimates murdered, 86 percent (12 victims) were killed with guns; 92 percent of these gun victims (11 victims) were shot and killed with handguns.

Circumstance

In cases in which the circumstance of the homicide could be identified (33 cases), 85 percent (28 cases) were not related to the commission of another felony. Of these cases, 39 percent (11 cases) involved arguments between the victim and offender.

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