A Death at Burning Man 2025 Is Being Investigated as a Homicide

According to the Reno Gazette Journal, there have been numerous deaths at Burning Man since it moved to Black Rock Desert in Nevada back in 1990. The first occurred six years into the wild event's new location. Motorcyclist Michael Fury died after hitting a van driven by a friend as the men were playing a sort of cat-and-mouse game outside the festival. Burning Man co-founder John Law described the two as frenemies engaging in a chest-bumping ego battle.

Most of the deaths were accidental, two were ruled suicides, and one person died following a severe asthma attack. None of the deaths at Burning Man have been investigated as homicides until an incident that occurred at the 2025 festival. What happened? Here's what we know so far.

An unidentified man was found "lying in a pool of blood" on Saturday Aug. 30, two days before the last day of the music and arts festival, per The New York Times. Sheriff Jerry Allen of the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office in Nevada said in a statement that deputies responded to a call about an "obviously deceased" man at 9:14 p.m.

The body was taken to the Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office, where a cause of death will be determined. The Pershing County Sheriff's Office released a statement asking for any information from the public. They are specifically looking for any information that will help identify the man who is described as being between the ages of 35 and 40. He weighs around 200 pounds, is approximately 6-feet tall, and has short brown hair and facial hair. They are also searching for suspects.

In a statement released via the Burning Man website, organizers said, "If you are in Black Rock City, do not interfere with law enforcement activity." They were cooperating fully with law enforcement who said the act appeared to be a "singular crime." The homicide investigation is being conducted by the forensic science division of the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office as well as rangers from the federal Bureau of Land Management, which manages the public land where the festival takes place.

A self-described Burner described the news of the death in a TikTok post where they emphasized that during Burning Man, the area becomes a real city. TikTok user @urmagicalmama went on to say that despite its size, while the event is happening, the crime rate is "so low" compared to cities of a comparable size. At least one person in the comments pushed back on this, stating that crime is underreported at Burning Man.

While @urmagicalmama agreed with the assertion that every crime wasn't being reported, she doubled down on the idea that this is not like a regular festival. Burning Man is nothing like Coachella or similar, it's its own contained city for the week that it happens. "In this city, things happen," she said ominously.