More than 300 people spent their final day in Nevada and died without anyone knowing who they were.

These unidentified individuals have cases dating back to the 1960s. The Clark County Coroner’s Office continues to find different ways to identify those individuals, with the goal of providing closure to their living family members.

One of those ideas was a first-of-its kind event, Missing in Nevada Day, held on February 1, 2025. The goal was to provide a safe and empathetic environment where people could feel comfortable sharing information about their lost loved ones. 

"Sometimes there is a fear of reporting missing loved ones." 

- Melanie Rouse
Clark County Coroner 

"I think sometimes there is a fear of reporting missing loved ones," says Clark County Coroner Melanie Rouse. "I think sometimes people are nervous or scared, they may not want to approach law enforcement, or they may be afraid of some actions their loved one may have been involved in."

Coroner Rouse encourages anyone with a missing loved one to provide as much identifying information as possible. 

“We would like them to bring anything that could help with identification, whether that’s dental records, specifically X-rays,  any radiographs from when the person was alive, any medical records or documents, any photos with identifying features such as tattoos, marks, or scars."

The Clark County Coroner’s Office says there are also about 200 people reported missing in Nevada. Coroner Rouse says events like these can help families discover what may have happened to their missing loved ones.

"I think this event could absolutely still help them. The hope is they’ll bring forth additional information they may not have previously provided that can help us make those connections."

While investigations continue into finding the identities of Nevada's unknowns, Coroner Rouse says her office gives a lot of care and attention to the decedents before they are laid to rest. 

"After we have done our due diligence in collecting as much information as possible on these decedents and making sure we’ve built the best profile possible to make identifications on them, they do get transferred to a funeral home for deposition and burial."

Anyone who is missing a family member who may have disappeared in Nevada is encouraged to send an email to MissingInNevada@ClarkCountyNV.gov.