HOUSTON COUNTY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) - Local law enforcement leaders are raising concerns after reporting five homicide involving 10 victims in Houston County since the start of the year.

According to Sheriff Matt Moulton, the cases span the jurisdictions of the Warner Robins, Centerville and Perry police departments, along with the Houston County Sheriff's Office.

"The city of Warner Robins has worked three homicide cases this year," he said. "Two of those were domestic violence. Our homicides investigation from Sunday was family violence. and the one Perry Police Department worked back in the year; it was also a domestic violence incident."

Warner Robins Police Chief Wayne Fisher says it's heartbreaking to see the rise in violent crime, especially within families.

"It is disturbing," he said. "It is a concern, but it is also a very challenging issue in that regard. Very difficult to point to one viewpoint on how do you prevent that. When you're dealing with family dynamics, things are happening behind doors, which in many times family members, either from a cultural standpoint or emotional, don't feel comfortable reporting."

Fisher said the cases are complex.

"I don't think you can say it's one thing in particular that impacts it," he said. "When I look at the homicides, the domestic violence situations in our community, it's a multicultural aspect. You have different economic points and different educational points that come along, so you can't say it's one specific point or factor that coming into this matter."

To help curb the violence, Sheriff Moulton said community involvement is critical.

"If you have a family member that's attitude has changed or behavior has changed, or appearance has changed, or if they used to come around now and don't," he said. "If you see something like that, that leads you believe there is some type of violence, call law enforcement."