A man discovered “lying in a pool of blood” at this year’s edition of the annual Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert is believed to be a victim of a homicide.
The discovery was made by a deputy on Saturday around 9:14 p.m. PT, the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office said in a Sunday press release.
“While the ‘Man’ was beginning to burn,” the release read, a participant flagged down the deputy, advising them of a “male subject lying in a pool of blood.”
The Sheriff’s Office and local Bureau of Land Management rangers proceeded to locate the body of a single white adult man. The two agencies then collaborated with the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, Forensic Science Division, and rangers from Black Rock City, which hosts the festival each year, to set up a perimeter, collect evidence, and interview other participants in what is now an ongoing investigation.
The identity of the victim has still not been released. The Sheriff’s Office release noted that his body was taken to the Washoe County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The incident “appears to be a singular crime,” the release added, but officers advised all participants to “always be vigilant of their surroundings and acquaintances.”
The Burning Man Journal, the Burning Man Project in its official media outlet, confirmed the discovery of the body and the resulting ongoing investigation in a Sunday post.
“The safety and well-being of our community are paramount,” the post read, noting that festival attendees still in Black Rock City can access 24/7 support from both Black Rock Rangers at their headquarters and the city’s Emergency Services Department’s Crisis Support team at various stations located throughout the sprawling grounds.
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The Burning Man Journal noted in a post published earlier this month that “102,000 people attended official Burning Man Regional Events held in 20 countries around the world in 2024.” The centerpiece event, held each summer in the desert of Nevada, has drawn scrutiny over the past few years due to attendee deaths, injuries, and chaos resulting from extreme weather.
Last year, 39-year-old Kendra Frazer was found dead just hours before the festival commenced. It was later revealed that Frazer died of an asthma attack in her sleep. Saturday’s death marks the third at the festival in three consecutive years.
