[Lancey Howard]

In 1624 was a fatality from a duel legally considered a murder?

Of course not, but this is NPR and the narrative is "unsolved murder". Dramatic license, I guess.

[JackOfVA]

Under English law at the time, death during a duel was murder. However, it was rarely prosecuted.

In 1624, I believe the colonies followed English common law and hence a murder was committed. That the murder was not prosecuted does not reclassify it; rather it represents an acknowledgement that a jury conviction was almost impossible to obtain under those circumstances.

[Bigg Red]

Of course not, but this is NPR and the narrative is “unsolved murder”. Dramatic license, I guess.

***
Good point. Any death due to a firearm must be labeled a murder, no matter what the circumstances.