One Hundred Homicide Cases of Homeless Individuals

Homicides of persons experiencing homelessness (PEH) are tragic and understudied. PEH may disproportionately experience victimization and violent deaths compared to the general population, but there has been little in-depth examination about the nature and circumstances surrounding their deaths. This study examined 100 publicly reported cases of homicides of PEH that occurred in the United States between the years 2002–2025. Details about the victims, alleged/reported assailants, and the circumstances surrounding their homicides were analyzed with systematic case review and qualitative methodologies. Of the 100 homicide cases of PEH as victims, there were a total of 86 unique alleged/reported assailants involved and 30% of the alleged/reported assailants were also PEH. The most common causes of deaths reported were by shooting/gunshot (40.0%), beating/blunt force trauma (33%), and stabbing/knife wounds (16.0%). Qualitative analysis of these crimes identified six themes: Vulnerability While Sleeping in Public; Conflicts in Homeless Communities; Thrill-Seeking Killing; Police Shootings; Personal Betrayal Motives; and Unknown/Vague Circumstances. Together, these findings illustrate the brutal exposure to violence that some unsheltered PEH face, the realities of PEH-on-PEH homicides, and the high-risk physical and social environments that PEH inhabit.