One year after Vadim Kruglov, a 37-year-old man born in Russia who lived in Washington state, was found dead from stabbing inside a tent at Burning Man, the crime remains unsolved and no arrests have been made. The annual counterculture festival, which brings together up to 80,000 participants in the Nevada desert in the United States, is holding this year's edition between August 30 and September 7, without investigators having been able to clarify the circumstances of the homicide.
Vadim Kruglov was discovered in a pool of blood in Black Rock Desert around 9:15 PM on August 30, 2025, while the festival's iconic "Man" statue was burning in flames. The murder shook the libertarian spirit of the event, which is known for the freedom and tolerance practiced by participants.
New details about the case are emerging through an investigation conducted by the SFGATE website over the past year, which interviewed more than 80 people connected to the victim or the festival, and also through reports by KTLA broadcaster. The investigations are attempting to reconstruct the last hours of Vadim Kruglov's life before the crime.