BAKERSFIELD, Calif.(KBAK/KBFX) — The Kern County District Attorney’s Office has released its 2025 homicide report, revealing a notable decrease in homicides compared to previous years.
The report indicates there were 76 identified homicides in 2025, marking the lowest number recorded in Kern County in nearly a decade. This represents a 7.32% decrease from 2024, which saw 82 homicides, and a 41.54% decline from the record highs of 2020 and 2021, when the county recorded 130 homicides each year.
Dr. Tommy Tunson, a former Arvin police chief and now a college professor at Bakersfield College, commented on the findings, stating, “It shows that our community…our transformational policing strategies are working.”
Breaking down the numbers by city, Arvin, Lamont, Lost Hills, Shafter, and Woody each reported one homicide in 2025. Taft reported two, Wasco and Tehachapi reported four, and Delano six. Bakersfield recorded the highest number with 52 homicides.
Ward 2 Councilmember Andrae Gonzales emphasized the importance of community investment in sustaining the progress. “In order to fully address a crime and safety of our neighborhoods, it takes far more than law enforcement. It takes intervention work, but it also takes investment,” Gonzales said. He highlighted the need for youth development and investing in community resources like libraries to provide safe spaces for families.
While overall homicides declined, the report noted an increase in fatal domestic violence cases, with six reported in 2025. One such case involved a November 26 incident where a husband allegedly shot and killed his wife in their home. Dr. Tunson stressed the importance of partnerships beyond policing, stating, “Domestic violence is one of those things that we in law enforcement are very sensitive about and we make sure that our officers are trying to handle it cause handling domestic violence is one of the most challenging calls that a police officer will ever receive.”
The year concluded with a homicide solve rate of 58%, which the DA’s office views as progress in identifying suspects and resolving cases. Dr. Tunson remarked, “I think the partnerships with the community is how the future is gonna really avail and keep these statistical data reduced.”