California psychiatrist's body found in trunk of car, died of blunt-force injury, police say

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Psychiatrist's body found bludgeoned to death in the trunk of his car

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police are investigating the death of a California psychiatrist, whose body was found in the trunk of his car near the entrance to the Lake Mead National Recreational Area in Nevada.

A California psychiatrist was found bludgeoned to death in the trunk of his car in Nevada earlier this month and police have now launched an investigation into the man’s murder.

Thomas Burchard’s body was discovered March 7 near the entrance to the Lake Mead National Recreational Area, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said. Authorities ruled that Burchard died from blunt force injury to the head, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

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The Clark County’s Coroner’s Office said Thursday the 71-year-old Salinas, California native's death could officially be ruled a homicide, but police added no one had been arrested in his death, according to the newspaper.

Burchard’s body was found after a passerby noticed that a parked vehicle had a rock thrown through one of the windows, police spokeswoman Laura Meltzer said.

"He’s a longstanding physician in the community who was very helpful to many of his patients," Community of Health of the Monterrey Peninsula spokeswoman Mary Baker told The Californian. “It was a sad situation and our hearts go out to his family.”

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Burchard had worked four decades in the behavioral health program with Montage Health, according to The Californian.