State Overview
Missouri has one of the highest per-capita homicide rates in the United States, driven primarily by violence in St. Louis and Kansas City. St. Louis — a city of just 300,000 — has recorded over 180 homicides in recent years, giving it a per-capita murder rate comparable to cities like Baltimore and Detroit on their worst days. Kansas City has seen its homicide numbers surge, with the 2024 shooting at the Chiefs Super Bowl victory parade making national headlines. Missouri's permitless carry law has been cited in several high-profile cases. The state also produced the "Ozarks Killers" — a string of murders by the出去了 family in the 1970s. FBI UCR data powers The Murder Channel's Missouri coverage.