SASKATCHEWAN -Saskatchewan RCMP investigated 38 homicide files in 2024 (Jan. 1 to Dec. 31) with 40 victims, making it the highest year on record for homicide files in RCMP jurisdiction in the province in 2024. There were 27 per cent more homicide files and 33 per cent more homicide victims in 2024 than 2023. 2024 also marked the second-highest year on record for number of homicide victims in the Saskatchewan RCMP jurisdiction. 22 of the 2024 homicide files and victims were reported in Saskatchewan RCMP’s North District.
Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes investigated*:
- 2020: 30 homicide files with 31 victims
- 2021: 31 homicide files with 35 victims
- 2022: 33 homicide files with 43 victims (including all victims of the mass casualty)
- 2023: 30 homicide files with 30 victims
- 2024: 38 homicide files with 40 victims
- 2025 to Jan. 27: two homicide files with two victims
*Note: Saskatchewan RCMP provides response and investigative support to other Saskatchewan police services; these investigations are not included in the above totals.
Last year there were also four instances where RCMP Major Crimes investigators were called to three or more homicide investigations within a seven-day period. These homicide “clusters” involved multiple, unrelated investigations in different locations in the province and occurred in February, August, September and December. For example, between February 1 to 5, 2024 five separate homicides occurred.
“These clusters especially put significant pressures on frontline RCMP detachments and investigative resources as multiple, specially-trained teams are required to deploy immediately to these calls for service,” said Superintendent Josh Graham, Officer in Charge of Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes, in the news release. “Concern for the wellness of our investigators and having the capacity to continue investigating unsolved files – including both recent and historical ones – is significant when our deployment numbers are high.”
For reference, according to the most recently available 2023 Statistics Canada data, police services in Canada reported 778 homicide victims overall, resulting in a national homicide rate of 1.94 homicides per 100,000 people. In 2024, Saskatchewan RCMP jurisdiction experienced a rate of 7.2 homicide victims per 100,000 people. In 2024, Saskatchewan RCMP’s North District experienced a rate of 14.8 homicide victims per 100,000 people.
36 charged in relation to last year’s homicide investigations
Through intensive investigations, Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes teams laid charges against 36 individuals in relation to 2024’s homicide investigations. Of those charged, 25 were male and 11 were female. Major Crimes also investigated two homicide files that occurred in File Hills Police Service jurisdiction in 2024 and continued investigations into at least 28 unsolved homicide or suspicious death files from previous years.
“We want to provide answers to victim’s families and the reality is, we only have so many specially-trained investigators. We can’t dedicate the time we need to complex, unsolved investigations when faced with deployments to so many new ones,” said Supt. Graham.
"When you consider just 10 years ago, in 2014, we investigated homicides where there were eight victims in total, and in 2024 there were 40 victims in total. There is a marked increase in violence, and, sadly, more families losing their loved ones."
Nearly half charged in 2024 homicide files on court-ordered conditions at time of offence
Analysis to date shows that of those individuals charged with homicide by Saskatchewan RCMP last year, 45 per cent were subject to court-ordered conditions or supervision at the time of the offence and two were wanted on outstanding warrants. This does not include six accused who were already in custody at the time of one homicide, which occurred in the Saskatchewan Penitentiary. This is similar to RCMP data released last year: from 2019 to 2023, 44 per cent of people charged with homicide were on conditions, bail, parole, or probation at the time the homicide was committed.
Increases in violent crime and crime complexity have led to homicide rates in Saskatchewan RCMP jurisdiction that exceed national rates.
"Policing is only one part of the solution. As the provincial police service, community safety remains a top priority for the Saskatchewan RCMP and we will continue to work with our partners and help advocate for further resources to combat the root causes of crime," the release said.
