Homicide in Escambia County, Florida
48 cases (2025) · Escambia County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Escambia County processed 48 homicide cases. Guilty verdicts were rendered in 62.5% of cases, while acquittals occurred in 12.5%—the highest acquittal rate among Florida's homicide prosecutions. No cases resulted in withheld adjudication, reflecting the severity of homicide charges. Dismissals were rare at 2.1%, nearly equal to the statewide average, but the meaningful acquittal rate shows that juries sometimes reject the state's case.
Defendants convicted and incarcerated faced severe sentences. Median imprisonment was nearly 30 years; those confined averaged 426 years total, reflecting the presence of life sentences and mandatory minimums. Probation averaged 9.3 years. Public defenders represented 10.4% of defendants, while most retained private counsel, typical of homicide cases given their complexity and stakes.
Citing these figures? Attribution line and monthly data pack.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Homicide charge in Escambia County makes it in front of a judge. Of 119 prosecutor decisions on Homicide charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 30.3% — in line with the 27.7% 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 — 62.5% of 48 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 48 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 (confined) |
|---|---|---|
| State Prison Facility | 48 | 480.1 years |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Homicide sentencing in Escambia County.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Homicide in Escambia County?
The guilty rate is 62.5% based on 48 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Homicide in Escambia 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 Escambia County?
Among convictions that included confinement, the average sentence is 426.4 years, with an average fine of $608 (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
10.4% of defendants use a public defender, while 0.0% retain private counsel (2025).
Counsel Analysis (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 | 29 | 65.5% | 3.4% |
| White | 18 | 55.6% | 0.0% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 41 | 82.9% | 0.0% | 810.7 years |
| 2024 | 45 | 82.2% | 2.2% | 329.1 years |
| 2025 | 48 | 62.5% | 2.1% | 426.4 years |
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| NULL | NULL | 66 |
| Felony | Capital | 21 |
| Felony | First Degree | 15 |
| Felony | Life | 14 |
| Felony | NULL | 9 |
| Felony | Second Degree | 8 |
| Felony | Third Degree | 1 |
Related Charges in Escambia County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 3,108 | 59.3% | 14.1% |
| Drug Possession | 2,249 | 75.7% | 6.8% |
| Larceny / Theft | 1,730 | 69.2% | 10.4% |
| Other | 1,544 | 39.2% | 4.9% |
| Battery | 847 | 61.4% | 14.6% |
| Trespassing | 676 | 83.7% | 7.2% |
| Resisting Officer | 610 | 77.2% | 8.4% |
| Fraud | 335 | 72.2% | 9.6% |
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Homicide in Escambia County, Florida (2025). Based on 48 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/homicide/escambia
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Escambia 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 · 48 cases (2025) · Data last updated September 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com