Home / Crime and Justice / Burning Man Murder: Killer Still Free One Year Later
Burning Man Murder: Killer Still Free One Year Later
3 Sep
Summary
- Vadim Kruglov, 37, found stabbed to death in his tent at Burning Man.
- No arrests have been made one year after the August 2025 killing.
- Investigators struggle to account for his final four hours of life.
A year has passed since Vadim Kruglov, a 37-year-old Russian-born resident of Washington state, was found murdered at the Burning Man festival. Kruglov was discovered stabbed to death inside his tent on August 30, 2025, and his killer has yet to be apprehended. Investigators believe the fatal attack occurred within the tent, as an autopsy revealed no defensive wounds, and a knife was recovered from the scene.
The circumstances surrounding Kruglov's final hours remain a significant mystery. He was released from a temporary hospital on the festival grounds around 5 p.m. on August 30, but his movements until he was found deceased at 9:14 p.m. are not publicly accounted for. Earlier that morning, he was reportedly seen DJing with two unidentified men on the festival's outskirts.
Friends and campmates reported that Kruglov exhibited increasing paranoia in the days leading up to his death, potentially due to drug use. He expressed concerns about being watched and wanted out of his camp. His death marked the first known homicide in Burning Man's history, and authorities continue to appeal for information to bring the perpetrator to justice.
