Homicides across Northwest Indiana fell again in 2025, continuing a multiyear decline in fatal violence that began after the region’s pandemic-era peak.
Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties recorded a combined 70 homicides last year, down from 75 in 2024, according to data from local coroner’s offices. While the overall numbers dropped, the decline was uneven, with sharp decreases in some counties and increases in others.
"While I'm encouraged by the decrease in homicide numbers for 2025, even one life lost is too many," said Lisette Guillen, executive producer for Case Files Chicago and local crisis responder. "We see things like drugs, domestic violence and an overall disregard for human life that are driving forces for violence."
Lake County had 55 homicides in 2025, based on data provided from the Lake County Coroner's Office and data from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office, compared to 64 in 2024. The office investigated 62 total homicides, but seven occurred in nearby Illinois jurisdictions.
Porter County recorded just two homicides in 2025, data provided by the Porter County Coroner's Office and Cook County Medical Examiner's Office shows, compared to 10 in 2024.
In LaPorte County, homicide numbers increased to nine in 2025, compared to five in 2024, according to numbers provided by the LaPorte County Coroner's Office and Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.
Guillen attributes the homicide reduction to proactive policing. She praised use of technology in solving crimes and strengthening community relationships to prioritize prevention over reaction.
"Northwest Indiana continues to face unique challenges," Guillen said, "including spillover crime from Chicago. Despite these adding pressures, our police departments are moving in the right direction."
Of all communities in Lake County, Gary recorded the highest number of homicides in 2025: 28 killings. However, for many in the city, this number is a win.
"These numbers reflect a focused, proactive approach," Gary police Chief Derrick Cannon said. "Our officers, detectives, support staff are working efficiently and focused as a team in the way we do things. It reflects our push accountability and follow through."
This is the lowest number of homicides in the city in more than six years and demonstrates a continuing trend in homicide reduction in the city since 2021. Many of the crimes are solved with use of technology, such as the city's Real Time Crime Center. The center, launched in November 2023, is a hub for various technologies used by the department, including body-worn cameras, license plate readers, shot detectors and security cameras.
With permission from local businesses and individual residents, technicians and officers working at the center can connect to security or doorbell cameras near a reported crime and see what is happening in real time.
"The citizens have been an intricate part of this," Cannon said. "I thank them for their trust in us as we work together to drive these numbers down."
Gary Violence Prevention Coordinator Aaliyah Stewart said she attributes the decrease to a focus on building the relationship between police and the community. She said officers are now participating in Champions for Children, a program where students in Gary schools are connected with adults in a particular profession.
"I wanted children to be able to see the officers in a positive light in a safe setting," Stewart said. "It helps facilitate that good relationship in the community."
Stewart started a gun violence prevention nonprofit group, I Am Them, when she was 14 years old in response to the loss of two of her brothers to gun violence. She celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the organization in December. One of Stewart's projects, the Gary Youth Center, opened in 2024 near 13th Avenue and Grant Street. The space facilitates homework health and youth trauma conversations to encourage kids to reach out when they are struggling emotionally and speak with mental health practitioners.
"A lot of kids have self-identity issues," Stewart said. "If they find more positive ways to funnel their emotions, I think the outcome can be different. We try to give kids the resources they need to go and do better, rather than continuing to repeat cycles."
She said she wants to expand her reach in the role with the City of Gary. She envisions taking on more within the schools, such as reaching out to families of at-risk kids who might be involved in violent incidents or working with families of young people who might be involved in criminal behavior and working out a plan to productively move forward.
With the selection of Gary as a site for the Lake County Convention Center, Stewart said she is optimistic about the direction of the city and the opportunity this will bring to drive tourism, support local business and create jobs.
"We're figuring out ways our kids can feel more enthusiastic when they think about Gary," Stewart said.
Michigan City recorded nine homicides in 2025. Hammond recorded eight homicides and East Chicago recorded seven, based on data from the coroner's offices.
Michigan City saw an increase in homicides in 2025 compared to 2024. Capt. Kevin Urbanczyk said the department attributes the rise to gang activity, mental health challenges, domestic violence, substance abuse and people resorting to violence to resolve conflict. He said the city has increased patrols in areas where violent crime has been known to occur and are focused on maintaining partnerships with other agencies, like the LaPorte County Drug Task Force and the LaPorte County Prosecutor's Office, to target violent crime. The city also created a secondary task force of officers and detectives targeting violent crimes.
Urbanczyk said the department's social worker, Jocelyn Colburn, has helped residents in crisis who feel like they have nowhere to turn. He said she's connected people with various social services and other resources, which might help certain populations avoid coming in contact with police because they have extra layers of support. He said the department encourages anyone residing in the city who is seeking assistance with mental health, substance use or domestic violence to contact Colburn.
Hammond police Capt. Steve Kellogg said one of the more effective tools the department uses to reduce homicides is their investment in technology. Real-time crime data, improved information sharing both within the department and with local agencies allow them to identify patterns more quickly, allocate resources where they're needed and intervene prior to violence escalating.
"As we move forward, our focus is on expanding those technologies and integrating them more closely with proactive policing and community partnerships to sustain and build on this progress," Kellogg said.
The youngest victims were babies, records show. Ava Stevens was 6 months old when died in October in Valparaiso from assault, based on records from the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office, and a baby died in utero after his mother was beaten so badly that she had a miscarriage. Cortez Morehead, 26, faces charges including murder and feticide.
The oldest victim was a 102-year-old woman who was killed in a murder-suicide in May in Center Township. Harriet Kowalski died from a gunshot wound, records show.
Data shows there were 74 homicides in Lake County in 2023. The Lake County coroner's office investigated 70 of these homicides in 2023, a sharp decrease from 100 homicides in 2022. The Cook County Medical Examiner's office investigated the remaining four homicides. Porter County's homicides decreased from four in 2022 to two in 2023, data from the Porter County coroner's office shows. Five homicides took place in LaPorte County in 2024, compared to six 2023, according to data from the LaPorte County Coroner's Office and previous reporting from The Times.