The Pershing County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a man who was found dead Saturday night at Burning Man. The sheriff’s office released the following information Sunday:
On August 30, 2025, at approximately 9:14 p.m., while the “Man” was beginning to burn, a Pershing County Sheriff’s Office Deputy was flagged down by an event participant who advised of a male subject lying in a pool of blood.
Pershing County Sheriff’s Office (PCS) Deputies and Bureau Land Management (BLM) Rangers immediately responded to the campsite and found a single white adult male lying on the ground, obviously deceased.
PCSO Deputies, BLM Rangers and Burning Man Project Black Rock Rangers created a perimeter around the area, and PCSO and BLM began investigating the scene.
The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, Forensic Science Division, was called in to assist in processing the scene and collection of evidence.
On site law enforcement interviewed several participants in the immediate area. This process is still ongoing and the portion of the ‘City’ where this occurred will have heavy law enforcement presence until the scene can be released.
The identity of the decedent is unknown at this time and he has been transported to the Washoe County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Although this act appears to be a singular crime, all participants should always be vigilant of their surroundings and acquaintances.
There is no further information available at this time but it will be released as appropriate to provide for communication, while still preserving the integrity of the complicated investigation of a crime in a city which will be gone by the middle of the week.
If you have any information regarding this homicide, the PCSO is requesting any and all information to be relayed to Investigator Josh Nicholson through our Dispatch at 775-273-2641, reference case #25-318.
