IT's not the semantics that I am hung up on. It's the fact that people who kill other people are killers - particularly when they made the decision that resulted in the death.
If a family member is shot to death in a robbery attempt, are they any more dead than the family member killed by a repeat offender drunk driver? No. And both hypothetical dead people were killed by someone's DECISION. And in my opinion (not worth much, apparently) both are murderers who deserve the maximum.
Well, I guess you're titled to your opinion. I can't say that it makes a great deal of sense, but it's yours to keep.