Intimate partner vs. non-intimate murder: Differences in legal, situational, clinical and personal characteristics

Life, liberty, and security of person are basic human rights. Homicide, taking another's life, is a violation of such rights and may be particularly unjust when committed by an intimate partner. Previous research has identified risk factors for intimate homicide, but we know little about the extent to which those who kill an intimate partner differ from those who kill a non-intimate. Uncovering differences between these two groups may inform targeted violence prevention efforts. Using an integrated database of personal, situational, legal, and clinical characteristics derived from correctional, health, and court system documents for all persons convicted of murder (knowingly or intentionally killing another human being) in Indiana between 1990-2002, we compared men convicted of murdering an intimate partner (n=71) to men convicted of murdering a non-intimate (n=291). The two groups were similar in histories of childhood abuse, substance abuse, and prior arrests. Men who murdered an intimate were significantly more likely than their counterparts to have: been employed at the time of the offense (73% vs. 45%), graduated high school (49% vs. 30%), a history of suicide attempts (27% vs. 16%) or severe mental illness (26% vs. 12%). Intimate murders were more often committed: without an accomplice (96% vs. 56%), via methods of strangulation or suffocation (21% vs. 7%), and with a motivation of “rage” (87% vs. 31%). Findings suggest that the context of intimate partner murder is largely different from non-intimate partner murder, and, therefore, prevention efforts should be appropriately tailored to unique risk factors.