ABSTRACT There seem to be numerous factors that influence life trajectories, both positively and negatively. In the presence of risk factors such as adversity, victimization, and trauma, there is an increased risk of committing violent behavior/crime. Homicide is considered the most severe crime within the category of violent crimes. However, little is known about the impact of adverse and traumatic experiences on the trajectories of people who committed homicide, especially through a qualitative methodology. We aimed to explore and understand how people convicted of homicide integrate the impact of adversity and the perpetration of the crime they committed. Fifteen interviews were analyzed through inductive thematic analysis. Participants reported the adversities they experienced and the strategies they found to cope with them. The adversities reported were lack of family support, socio-economic difficulties, and observed and experienced intra-familiar abuse and neglect. Although participants did not directly link these experiences to their criminal behavior, addressing underlying mechanisms and providing support can be beneficial in promoting positive outcomes and reducing recidivism rates. Therefore, we propose a multifaceted approach to address criminality, including preventive interventions with children at risk and remedial interventions with inmates, aiming to mitigate risk factors and promote rehabilitation and reintegration into society.