Modesto saw zero homicides in 2025, except man’s death in police shootout
Editor’s note: The Modesto Bee uses the legal definition of homicide to mean the slaying or killing of one person by another. By that definition, it includes officer-involved deaths, of which there was one in 2025.
Aside from the death of a suspect during an exchange of gunfire in March, Modesto had zero homicides in 2025. It’s a milestone unlikely shared by any other city of its size in the United States, based on The Bee’s initial findings.
The news is a far cry from headlines of violence prominent in the city for over two decades. In 2015, the city was the fifth-most violent in California, with 25 homicides.
But 2024 marked a change. That year, the Modesto Police Department investigated seven homicides within its jurisdiction. It was the lowest number since 2002, when there were five. Homicides spiked between 2002 and 2015, but gradually declined thereafter.
“This is a new era for Modesto, this is not the same city it was 10 or 15 years ago,” said MPD Chief Brandon Gillespie in a video posted on social media. “And while zero homicides is absolutely worth celebrating, we’re committed to keeping this momentum going into 2026 and beyond. Together, this is our city and we are creating this future.”
Gillespie cited several things that contributed to a decline in violence. One of the most important, he said, was “accountability.” Gillespie added that clearance rates — the number of solved cases — remained high for homicide and attempted homicide.
“The message is clear: If you commit violent crime here, it is more likely than not that you will be caught and you will go to prison,” Gillespie said.
Community relationships were another factor in the decline, Gillespie said. He cited MPD’s school and neighborhood programs, along with resident engagement events such as National Night Out.
MPD also credited its technology investments, including cameras, license plate readers, air support and its real-time crime center.
Gillespie thanked voters for passing Measure H, which became a major source of funding for MPD. He also thanked Mayor Sue Zwahlen and City Manager Joe Lopez.
Along with homicides, the city has seen a 40% decrease in auto thefts combined with “double-digit decreases” in burglary and theft, the chief said. The declines are in step with a national trend of near across-the-board drops in crime.
The last time Modesto had zero homicides that were not officer-involved was “at least 40 years” ago, according to MPD.
