When Men Murder Women: An Analysis of 1996 Homicide Data

Females Murdered by Males in Single Victim/Single Offender Incidents

West Virginia

The homicide rate among females murdered by males in West Virginia was 1.16 per 100,000 in 1996

Ranked 35th highest in the United States

Age

One female homicide victim was less than 18 years old, and one victim was 65 years of age or older.

Race

Ten female murder victims were white and one was black.

Most Common Weapons

Nearly two thirds of female homicide victims (seven victims or 64 percent) were shot and killed with guns. Nearly six out of 10 of these gun victims (four victims or 57 percent) were killed with handguns. There were three females killed by bodily force and one killed with a knife or other cutting instrument.

Victim/Offender Relationship

All 11 victims were murdered by someone they knew. Six victims (55 percent) were wives, common law wives, ex-wives, or girlfriends of the offenders. Among the six female intimates murdered, 83 percent (five victims) were killed with guns; 60 percent of these gun victims (three victims) were shot and killed with handguns.

Circumstance

In cases in which the circumstance of the homicide could be identified (nine cases), none of the murders were related to the commission of another felony. Eight cases (89 percent) involved arguments between the victim and offender.

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