The father of a Russian man who was discovered dead at the Burning Man festival last month has urged U.S. President Donald Trump to mandate an FBI inquiry into what appears to be his son’s murder, according to Russian media reports on Thursday.
Vadim Kruglov, 37, originally from Omsk in Siberia and residing in Washington State, was found on August 30 in a pool of blood at the annual desert event that attracts around 70,000 attendees. Authorities stated that his death is being investigated as a homicide.
In a video released on Thursday by the pro-Kremlin publication Komsomolskaya Pravda, Kruglov’s father, Igor, criticized the local sheriff’s office for their investigation approach and made a direct appeal to Trump.
“Evil must not go unpunished, so I urge you, Mr. President, to instruct the FBI to take immediate action in investigating my son’s murder,” said Igor Kruglov in the video, expressing his trust in the FBI’s expertise.
The Russian embassy in Washington has indicated that it is in touch with local law enforcement. Igor Kruglov informed the state-run news agency TASS that his son’s remains are anticipated to be cremated in the U.S., with his ashes sent back to Russia.
A GoFundMe campaign initiated by friends has successfully raised almost $45,000 to assist with the expenses related to returning his remains to his family in Omsk.
The Burning Man Project, the organization behind the event, along with Nevada’s Secret Witness nonprofit, has announced a $10,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest.