The AM/DM podcast: All about the sharp decline in Memphis’ murder rate
Homicide detectives walk away from a crime scene where three people where shot on Prescott Street in Memphis Nov. 12, 2020. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian file)
In May, during a Fox News interview, Kash Patel, the director of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, said Memphis was “the homicide capital of America per capita.” He also mentioned that he didn’t know that until he was confirmed in his position.
But that news may have been less surprising to Memphians, where the murder rate has long been cause for concern.
In 2025, however, the number of murders declined more than 25% since 2024.
Today, reporter Sam Hardiman joins us to talk about the city’s murder rate, when it started falling, potentially why and if the Memphis Safe Task Force has played a demonstrable role.
Listen in now.
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AM/DMMary Cashiola
Mary Cashiola has been a Memphis journalist for nearly two decades, beginning her career covering city government and local neighborhoods at the Memphis Flyer before being hired by Memphis Mayor A C Wharton’s administration.
Before joining The Daily Memphian, she was the managing editor of the Memphis Business Journal, which was named one of the top 10 Best Designed Newspapers in the world by the Society of News Design while she was there.
She also has a background in advertising, with a focus on higher education and the hospitality industry.
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