Murder in Washington state law constitutes the intentional killing, under circumstances defined by law, of people within or under the jurisdiction of the U.S. state of Washington.
In the state of Washington, a person may be convicted of first-degree murder when there is a premeditated intent to cause the death of another person. Murder in the first-degree is a class A felony in the state of Washington.[1] If a person is convicted of first-degree murder, they will not receive anything lower than life imprisonment with the possibility of parole.[2]
The offender can be charged with aggravated first-degree murder if he commits first-degree murder and have an aggravating circumstance, such as if the individual murders a public safety official, such as a police officer, firefighter, or paramedic.[3]
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that in the year 2020, the state had a murder rate well below the median for the entire country.[4]