Homicide in Alachua County, Florida
36 cases (2025) · Alachua County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
Alachua County's homicide prosecution is nearly categorical—conviction is effectively certain. In 2025, 97.2% of the 36 defendants were convicted. No dismissals, acquittals, or withheld adjudications occurred, compared to a statewide dismissal rate of 2.0%. This reflects both the severity of homicide charges and likely strong evidence in prosecuted cases.
Punishment reflected the charge's gravity: 94.4% received prison sentences with an average of 6,273 days (17.2 years) and median of 5,479 days (15 years). Probation averaged 2,215 days for released defendants. Only 16.7% retained private attorneys; 41.7% were represented by public defenders, indicating the defendant pool's limited resources. The modal outcome is lengthy prison incarceration with limited legal resources for defense.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Homicide charge in Alachua County makes it in front of a judge. Of 63 prosecutor decisions on Homicide charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 19.0% — below the 27.9% statewide rate. These decisions happen early in a case, before trial.
Source: Florida Department of Law Enforcement, State Attorney case data (2023-2025). Rates are per charge, not per defendant — a dropped charge often reflects a plea agreement on another charge in the same case, not the case going away. Percentages are of charges receiving a prosecution decision; transfers between courts are excluded. Court outcome data on this page is a separate dataset covering cases that reached disposition. Statewide charging patterns: The Florida Prosecution Report.
Outcome Breakdown (2025)
Exhibit · Case outcomes (2025)
Largest outcomeGuilty — 97.2% of 36 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 36 cases · 2025 — FloridaCourtFile.com
Sentencing Breakdown (2025)
Exhibit · Sentencing when convicted (2025)
Confinement-type detail below is computed across all available years (2023-2025).
| Confinement Type | Count | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| State Prison Facility | 75 | 16.1 years |
| County Jail | 1 | 10.2 months |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Homicide sentencing in Alachua County.
Counsel Analysis (2023-2025)
Demographics (2025)
Demographic data reflects systemic patterns in the criminal justice system and should not be used to draw conclusions about any racial or ethnic group. Disparities may reflect differences in policing, prosecution, and socioeconomic factors rather than actual crime rates.
| Race | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 25 | 96.0% | 0.0% |
| White | 11 | 100.0% | 0.0% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 18 | 77.8% | 0.0% | 19.7 years |
| 2024 | 34 | 79.4% | 0.0% | 23.6 years |
| 2025 | 36 | 97.2% | 0.0% | 17.2 years |
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Felony | First Degree | 26 |
| Felony | Second Degree | 26 |
| Felony | Life | 16 |
| Felony | Capital | 10 |
| Felony | First Degree punishable by life | 8 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 2 |
Related Charges in Alachua County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 863 | 68.7% | 0.0% |
| Drug Possession | 863 | 81.3% | 0.0% |
| Larceny / Theft | 736 | 81.7% | 0.0% |
| Battery | 620 | 63.7% | 0.8% |
| Other | 434 | 71.4% | 1.2% |
| Resisting Officer | 422 | 75.6% | 0.2% |
| Trespassing | 325 | 88.6% | 0.6% |
| Probation Violation | 289 | 94.8% | 3.8% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Homicide in Alachua County?
The guilty rate is 97.2% based on 36 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Homicide in Alachua County?
Adjudication is withheld in 0.0% of cases (2025). This is a Florida-specific outcome where the court finds guilt but does not formally convict, allowing the defendant to avoid a conviction record under FL Statute 948.01.
What is the average sentence for Homicide in Alachua County?
The average sentence is 17.2 years, with an average fine of $183 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
41.7% of defendants use a public defender, while 16.7% retain private counsel (2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Homicide in Alachua County, Florida (2025). Based on 36 public court records; last updated July 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/homicide/alachua
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Alachua County. "Guilty" includes all cases where the defendant was found guilty. "Adjudication withheld" is a Florida-specific disposition where guilt is found but the court withholds formal adjudication under FL Statute 948.01. "Dismissed" includes all cases dismissed by the court or prosecution.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 36 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com