Murder in Indiana law constitutes the intentional killing, under circumstances defined by law, of people within or under the jurisdiction of the U.S. state of Indiana. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that in the year 2021, the state had a murder rate somewhat above the median for the entire country.

Definition

Indiana has four homicide statutes in total, with murder being the most serious offense. Murder is defined in Indiana as either the intentional killing of another person without justification, or causing the death of someone while committing or attempting to commit a violent felony, regardless of intent to kill (the felony murder rule). Murder is punished by either 45 to 60 years in prison,

life imprisonment Life imprisonment is any sentence of imprisonment for a crime under which convicted people are to remain in prison for the rest of their natural lives or indefinitely until pardoned, paroled, or otherwise commuted to a fixed term. Crimes for ...

without the possibility of parole, or the

death penalty Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is the state-sanctioned practice of deliberately killing a person as a punishment for an actual or supposed crime, usually following an authorized, rule-governed process to conclude that t ...

if at least one aggravating circumstance is proven, and that aggravating circumstance outweighs any mitigating circumstances potentially present. The aggravating circumstances that can warrant a possible death sentence in Indiana are: * The murder was intentional and committed in the course of committing

arson Arson is the crime of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, wat ...

burglary Burglary, also called breaking and entering and sometimes housebreaking, is the act of entering a building or other areas without permission, with the intention of committing a criminal offence. Usually that offence is theft, robbery or murder ...

child molestation Child sexual abuse (CSA), also called child molestation, is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include engaging in sexual activities with a child (wheth ...

sexual assault Sexual assault is an act in which one intentionally sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will. It is a form of sexual violence, which ...

kidnapping In criminal law, kidnapping is the unlawful confinement of a person against their will, often including transportation/asportation. The asportation and abduction element is typically but not necessarily conducted by means of force or fear: the p ...

, rape,

robbery Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take anything of value by force, threat of force, or by use of fear. According to common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the perso ...

, carjacking, organized crime, dealing cocaine or other narcotics, or in criminal confinement * Detonation of an explosive with the intent to cause injury or damages and resulting in death *

Lying in wait In criminal law, lying in wait refers to the act of hiding and waiting for an individual with the intent to kill or inflict serious bodily harm to that person. Because lying in wait involves premeditation, some jurisdictions have established that ...

to commit murder * Hiring or being hired to kill another person * Murder of an officer or others working in an official capacity while the individual is on duty or in retribution for an action performed in the course of duty * A previous conviction for murder * Commission of a previous murder, even if not convicted * Murder committed while in custody, on probation, or on parole * Murder with dismemberment of the victim * Mutilation, torture,

decapitation Decapitation or beheading is the total separation of the head from the body. Such an injury is invariably fatal to humans and most other animals, since it deprives the brain of oxygenated blood, while all other organs are deprived of the i ...

, or burning of the victim while still alive * Murder of a victim under the age of 12 * Murder involving felony battery, kidnapping, criminal confinement, or sexual abuse of the victim * Murder of a witness against the defendant to prevent testimony * Murder that results from intentionally firing a weapon into a dwelling or from a vehicle * Murder of a pregnant victim with intention to kill a viable fetus * Murder committed on the grounds of an educational institution * Murder committed in a place of worship

Penalties

The sentences for homicide offenses in Indiana are listed below.

References

{{Murder in the United States by jurisdiction U.S. state criminal law Indiana law Murder in Indiana