Murder
![Murder in the House, Jakub Schikaneder.](/Images/godic/202501/12/Jakub_Schikaneder_-_Murder_in_the_House0833.JPG")
![Aaron Alexis holding shotgun during his rampage.](/Images/godic/202501/12/CCTV_1_of_Aaron_Alexis_in_building_1970833.jpg")
![A group of Thugs strangling a traveller on a highway in India in the early 19th century.](/Images/godic/202501/12/Thugs_Strangling_Traveller0833.jpg")
![International murder rate per 100,000 inhabitants, 2011 0–1 1–2 2–5 5–10 10–20 >20](/Images/godic/202501/12/Map_of_world_by_intentional_homicide_rate.svg0833.png")
Murder is the killing of another human being without justification or valid excuse, and it is especially the unlawful killing of another human being with malice aforethought. This state of mind may, depending upon the jurisdiction, distinguish murder from other forms of unlawful homicide, such as manslaughter.