Murder of Russian IT Specialist Vadim Kruglov Shocks Burning Man Community

Russian IT specialist and artist Vadim Kruglov, a 37-year-old native of Omsk, was found dead at the Burning Man festival in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert. The discovery of his body in a pool of blood on August 30, the day of the symbolic burning ritual, has shocked the community and raised questions about safety at the iconic event.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org by Andrew Fresh, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Exsuscitare Traiectus at Burning Man 2011

Mystery Surrounds Kruglov’s Disappearance

This year marked the 40th anniversary of Burning Man, drawing over 80,000 participants to Black Rock City. Kruglov, who moved to the United States in 2016 and worked in Washington state’s IT sector, attended the festival for the first time. He set up his camp, Luminary Love, and installed an art piece titled Mirror Heart. Friends described him as a “bright and kind person” who was deeply involved in the artistic spirit of the festival.

Kruglov mysteriously disappeared several days before the closing ceremony. On August 30, at around 8:00 a.m., his body was discovered between the festival’s designated “clock streets.” Authorities quickly launched an investigation and transported his remains to Washoe County’s medical examiner.

Witness Accounts of a Possible Killing

According to witnesses, Kruglov was last seen dancing with an unidentified man wearing dark glasses around 6:00 a.m. on the morning of his death. Later that day, he vanished without a trace. Police suspect he was killed during an altercation, possibly with a Bowie knife.

Chris Ragle, a nearby camper, reported that neighbors heard screams coming from a nearby pavilion, which may have escalated into violence. He claimed police asked festival-goers if they had seen anyone carrying a Bowie knife in the area. Another Burning Man attendee on Reddit described meeting a disturbed man who admitted to cleaning blood from his vehicle after a violent fight with someone who allegedly called himself a killer.

“He should not have left this world in such a way. I pray that we find whoever did this and bring justice,” — Liza, friend of Vadim Kruglov.

Community Shock and Online Pleas for Help

Kruglov’s friend Sofia Shcherbakova raised the alarm about his disappearance days earlier on social media, later assisting investigators in piecing together his final movements. She emphasized the need for participants to share photos or videos from the festival to aid the investigation, since Black Rock City is temporary and lacks surveillance cameras.

“He poured his soul into our community: building a camp, creating art, always ready to help others. His energy will remain part of Burning Man’s history forever,” she posted.

First-Ever Murder at Burning Man

While Burning Man has seen numerous incidents of drug-related arrests and violent behavior, Kruglov’s death is the first confirmed murder in the festival’s 40-year history. Police are interviewing participants, while friends and relatives are raising funds to return his body to Omsk for burial.

His sister, Olga Lier, described him as a dreamer who always sought a better life and had long wished to live in America. Now, his tragic death has become a grim chapter in the history of one of the world’s most famous countercultural events.