--- title: "Officials identify some of 315 human remains found outside Las Vegas" type: "News" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/269269959.md" description: "Officials have identified some of the 315 piles of cremated human remains found in the desert outside Las Vegas. The remains were discovered in July and removed in October. The investigation is ongoing, and it is unlikely more identifications will be made. The remains may be linked to a recently closed funeral home. Scattering ashes on public land is legal in Nevada, but mass dumping violates federal law." datetime: "2025-12-09T00:39:10.000Z" locales: - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/269269959.md) - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/269269959.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/269269959.md) --- # Officials identify some of 315 human remains found outside Las Vegas LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Officials have identified some of the more than 300 piles of cremated remains located in the desert outside of Las Vegas. The 8 News Now Investigators first reported the discovery of more than 100 piles of cremated remains in August. The person who found the ashes later contacted 8 News Now and said he stumbled on the piles on July 28 in a desert area outside of Searchlight. Searchlight is a rural community about an hour south of the Las Vegas valley off U.S. 95. _Representatives from Palm Mortuaries and Cemeteries removed approximately 315 piles from the desert in October 2025. (KLAS)_ In August, a Bureau of Land Management official confirmed the piles were human cremains and that the department was actively investigating. “Cremains,” the term the official provided, refers to human cremated remains. What are generally referred to as “ashes” are pulverized bone, which are left over after a person is cremated. In late October, representatives from Palm Mortuaries and Cemeteries removed approximately 315 piles from the desert. A second area containing more piles was found near the dump site in the 8 News Now Investigators’ original report. As of Wednesday, officials identified three of the 315 piles, officials said. It was unlikely that more identifications would be forthcoming. Officials declined to comment further, citing the open investigation. There is no law in Nevada barring a person from scattering ashes on public land. State law requires funeral operators to preserve the “dignity” of any remains in their care. BLM policy allows for a person to scatter cremated remains; however, the policy limits “commercial distribution of cremated remains.” A mass dumping site, like this one, violates federal law. Palm was in the process of placing the remains in a crypt. Several sources have suggested to the 8 News Now Investigators that the remains came from a recently closed funeral home and that they were years unclaimed. A representative from that business, which is headquartered out of state, has repeatedly denied any involvement. Tips can be submitted to the BLM at blm\_law\_enforcement@blm.gov. 8 News Now Investigator David Charns can be reached at dcharns@8newsnow.com. _Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed._ For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. ## Related News & Research - [11:56 ETMcLean & Company Announces Alex Weber as Keynote Speaker and Reveals Agenda for Signature 2026 HR Conference in Las Vegas, October 4-6](https://longbridge.com/en/news/282367920.md) - [18:57 ETGUESS RETURNS TO THE DESERT FOR ITS 5TH ANNUAL CULTURAL TAKEOVER, MARKING A NEW ERA OF BRAND EVOLUTION](https://longbridge.com/en/news/282752739.md) - [Desert Mountain Energy Raises $3 Million in Brokered Unit Offering](https://longbridge.com/en/news/282218236.md) - [17:19 ETPACSUN CAPTURES FESTIVAL MOMENT WITH CREATOR-LED DESERT ACTIVATIONS](https://longbridge.com/en/news/282592556.md) - [14:04 ETGastelum Attorneys Opens Second Las Vegas Office in Summerlin, Expanding Family Law Access for West Side Residents](https://longbridge.com/en/news/281917795.md)