Lancaster homicides fell 35% from 2024 to 2025, city data shows
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the discovery of two bodies in a shallow grave in a remote area of Lancaster, California, about 70 miles north of Los Angeles, as a homicide. The Los Angeles Times first reported the discovery. KTLA reported that authorities recovered the remains on Tuesday while investigating a missing persons case.
On Wednesday, KTLA’s helicopter captured footage of authorities and medical examiner’s staff digging in new areas near the site where the bodies were found. The Guardian reported that the sheriff’s department is searching the area for additional victims.
Little is publicly known about the two people whose remains were recovered, and no suspects have been identified in initial reporting on the case.
Lancaster is a city of just over 170,000 people, according to the most recent census data. Located north of Los Angeles, the city is unincorporated and falls under the jurisdiction of the county sheriff rather than a municipal police force.
According to figures from the city, Lancaster’s homicides fell 35% between 2024 and 2025. The decline mirrors trends seen across much of the country, the Guardian reported.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department did not immediately respond to the Guardian’s request for comment on the case.