- Video shows the homicide cases reported in 2023 compared to past years.
- UPDATE - The Delano Police Department investigated five homicide cases with six victims while the Kern County Sheriff's Office investigated two homicides outside Delano proper. There were 14 total homicides in the Delano area in 2023.
According to the Homicide End of Year Review, the District Attorney’s office says the number of homicides in Kern County dropped in 2023.
In Delano, the number has increased in the last few years.
“Every year is different and homicides are unpredictable. I’m happy to report that county-wide, we are down but Delano remains about pretty constant as to what they were before,” said District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer. “They had a dip one year but they’re back up now.”
District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer says Delano has always been a victim of violence - especially when it comes to gangs.
The 2023 Homicide End of Year review shows statistics from the past six years compiled by the DA’s office. 14 homicide cases were reported for 2023. The highest record was in 2020 with 15 and the lowest recorded for Delano was in 2021 with a total of 5.
Here at 23ABC, we’ve been tracking the homicides in Delano. Out of the 14 cases recorded, three were caused by stabbing, eight were caused by shooting, and three by assault, but it's not known how many are linked to gang violence.
Regardless, Zimmer says although the number is fairly high for Delano, to her, this means that 14 homicides were solved in the city.
“Law enforcement solves about 50% of the homicides each year. High 40’s low 50’s, this year it was over 60% percent were solved in 2023,” said District Attorney Zimmer. “So, at least more than half, 63% of killers have been identified and will be brought to justice.”
Zimmer says she contributes the increase in solved cases to the ability to evaluate DNA, conduct firearm examinations, and pull cellphone footage for evidence.
According to our records, out of the 14 homicides reported, 6 homicides took place in the California Prison System, three at the Kern Valley State Prison, and three at the North Kern State Prison.
She says those incidents happen after those inmates were incarcerated."
“When they come to our Kern County Prisons, they commit murder in the prison we’re often tasked with prosecuting that and we also get charged with that statistic of homicide,” said District Attorney Zimmer.
Zimmer adds that while she is pleased to see the number of homicides decrease in the county overall, she says other crimes significantly affect residents.
“While violent crime at least in the area of homicide has gone down a significant amount I think primarily due to the end of the pandemic, the quality of life crimes have gone way up and homelessness is a reflection of that and that is something we have to work on,” said District Attorney Zimmer.
District attorney Zimmer says overall, the pandemic did play a big part in the fluctuation of these numbers — especially for younger people who were not in school but believes 2023 and the coming years will depict more accurate numbers of what the homicide rate typically looks like in Kern County and will continue to work on these cases to bring families justice.
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