Justice for Murder Victims Act

The Justice for Murder Victims Act would modify federal law to remove time restrictions on prosecuting homicide cases. Currently, federal law may limit prosecution based on how long passes between an act that causes death and when the victim actually dies. This bill would eliminate that restriction, allowing prosecutors to pursue murder charges regardless of the time elapsed between the harmful act and the victim's death.

The bill includes two important limitations. First, it does not override existing statute of limitations rules that apply to other aspects of federal criminal law. Second, for cases where prosecutors seek the death penalty, they would need to prove that no more than one year and one day passed between the act causing death and the victim's actual death. If more time elapsed, the maximum penalty would be imprisonment for a term of years or life without parole, rather than capital punishment.

The bill passed the Senate without amendment by unanimous consent on March 11, 2025, and is now pending review in the House of Representatives. If enacted, it would primarily affect federal murder prosecutions, potentially allowing cases to be brought many years after the initial harmful act occurred, provided other legal requirements for prosecution are met.