Pershing County detectives continued an active homicide investigation after the body of a Burning Man attendee, identified by friends as 37-year-old Vadim Kruglov, was found in a tent during the festival's closing weekend.
Authorities say Kruglov was discovered in a pool of blood at about 9:15 p.m. on Aug. 30, during the event that culminates with the burning of the festival's central effigy. Law enforcement sources told TMZ that Kruglov had been stabbed multiple times and his throat was slashed; police reportedly found a knife and a cellphone near his body. Medical examiners have not released the official manner or cause of death because the investigation remains ongoing.
A witness who spoke to The Hollywood Reporter described a separate encounter that she said helped alert authorities. The witness, whose name was withheld, said she and her partner were driving out of Black Rock City when they were stopped by an unidentified woman in a red dress, described as being in her 50s or 60s. "She was very calm and said to us that someone in her tent was bleeding out and might be dead," the witness said.
The couple told the woman to check Kruglov's pulse, the witness said, but the woman responded that she "didn't want to touch him." The couple then contacted a Black Rock Ranger they knew, who relayed the information to the Pershing County sheriff's office, according to the account.
Festival-goers reported additional unsettling encounters the same night. Some self-identified veterans of Burning Man told news outlets they had run-ins with an individual they described as "unhinged," who claimed to possess a knife and to have to clean blood out of an RV. Authorities did not comment on those specific claims and declined to provide descriptions of any suspect or suspects, saying only that investigators are following "several leads" provided by the public.
Friends who have spoken to the press described Kruglov as a Russian-born artist who lived in Tacoma, Washington, and maintained ties to family in Omsk, Siberia. They said he was not known to use drugs, and they have launched a GoFundMe to help cover costs to transport his body home and funeral expenses.
Organizers of Burning Man said the festival was cooperating with law enforcement. In a statement, Burning Man Project extended condolences to Kruglov's family and friends and said it was assisting the sheriff's office so the "perpetrator can be caught and brought to justice." CEO Marian Goodell expressed sympathy for the broader community of participants, volunteers and staff.
Burning Man draws tens of thousands of participants to a temporary city in northwestern Nevada each year and is known for its countercultural ethos. Pershing County authorities have said the body was found in the outer area of a festival campsite, in a section described by some attendees as a "free camp" where reservations are not required for vehicles or RVs.
Investigators have not released a timeline for releasing more details and did not respond to requests for additional comment. No arrests were announced as of the latest reports. The case remains under investigation by Pershing County detectives, who have indicated they are reviewing tips and leads from attendees and the public.