Homicide in Estonia

In year 2008, there were 104 manslaughters and murders registered in Estonia, including attempts; this total number was less than the respective figure or year 2007 by 6 and less than the figure for year 2006 by 15.

Since year 1991 when Estonia became independent again, the number of manslaughters and murders has never been as low as in year 2008. While in year 1991 there were still 136 manslaughters and murders registered in Estonia, the following years saw a fast increase of the number of these crimes and in year 1994 it reached a record number of 365 registered crimes of this type. The number of homicide dropped below 300 in year 1996 and below 200 in year 2000.

During the first period of independence, the number of homicide in Estonia was relatively similar to the current numbers: the highest number of killings was registered in year 1920 (184), after that the number of these crimes dropped to the level of 110 in year 1927 and then increased again somewhat. The last data from this period originate from year 1934, and 104 such crimes were registered then, similar to year 2008.

There were 88 manslaughters registered in year 2008, including 16 attempted manslaughters; this amounts to a total of 72 finished manslaughters. There were 16 murders registered in that year, including 4 attempted murders.

86 people were killed as a result of manslaughters and murders (2007: 96); of these, 63 were men and 21 were women. There were 2 crimes with multiple victims.

Like with other violent crimes, so too a large part of killings was committed by acquaintances and close persons. Of cases where the relationship between the victim and the offender was known, 15 cases had the victim as a co-habitant of the attacker, 9 cases had the victim as a relative and 41 cases as an acquaintance of the attacker. Only 4 murders had the victim as a complete stranger to the attacker; this shows that such crimes are very rarely committed against random people or strangers. For the most cases, killings are committed in an apartment and often both the victim and the offender are intoxicated from alcohol: there are data about the level of intoxication of the offender for 62 crimes in year 2008; of these, 54 cases had the offender being intoxicated (incl. one case of intoxication from narcotic substances).

There were 3 cases of the killer committing a suicide after committing the crime (1 woman, 2 men).

More data can be found here: M. Lehti: Homicides in Estonia in the 1990s (English summary)