In-depth interviews were conducted with 74 female murderers serving life sentences in two State correctional institutions in one of the southern States of India. Interviews were conducted over a period of 2 months in the summer of 1997. Except for demographic questions, the interview instrument was "open-ended." The respondents were allowed to provide detailed, qualitative information about their personal/familial circumstances as well as their crimes. The analysis focused on the types of homicides, the victims, locations of the offenses, methods of commission, and reasons for committing the murders. Among the domestic murders (n=58), family-related conflicts (family conflicts, marital conflicts with or without abuse, extramarital affairs, sexual behavior of a relative, and dowry harassment) were stated to be primary causes for the murders (n=44). Property conflict between family members accounted for 14 (24.1 percent) murders. Among nondomestic murders (n=15), conflicts between neighbors and conflicts among community groups were cited as primary causes, followed by greed. The domestic murders reflected the subordinate social position of women in India. The patterns and causes of the homicides were similar to those in many cross-national studies on homicide by females. Study recommendations included changing the social and economic status of women, as well as the legal recognition of battered women syndrome as a defense. 6 tables and 57 references