The Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner (CCOCME) will host the first ever “Missing In Nevada Day” Saturday, February 1, 2025 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the Clark County Government Center. The event is free and open to the public.

     The CCOCME hopes the public uses this opportunity to report missing loved ones and allow staff to gather information with the goal of reconnecting and providing answers.

     DNA samples can be collected from close family members to create a profile for a missing person. Families are encouraged to bring photographs, medical records, dental records, and/or fingerprints of their missing loved ones.

     “Right now, there are more than 200 missing and more than 300 unidentified individuals in the state of Nevada alone. We are proactively working to reduce those numbers,” said Melanie Rouse, Clark County Coroner. “We know some people may be afraid to come forward or are confused on how the process works and we hope this event makes it easy and stress-free for everyone. Creating a day for people to come forward and report a missing person in a non-confrontational and non-intimidating setting will not only aid in the identification of unidentified decedents but also can lead to the reunification of family members, providing closure, and healing.”

     The CCOCME investigates all deaths by violence, criminal means, suicide, or any unattended death for Clark County. Additionally, CCOCME provides coroner/medical examiner services to Lincoln, Nye, and White Pine Counties. The coroner’s office is required by state statute to provide identification of deceased individuals, perform autopsies/medical examinations, and to make notification to next of kin.

     CCOCME has dedicated professionals who work hard to follow up on unidentified cases, these professionals consist of administration, coroner investigators and forensic technicians who continue to search through these cases and work with law enforcement and the public in hopes of positively identifying a decedent. Many of the investigative and forensic tools used by this unit were later used to assist in the creation of the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) program’s website and are shared with investigators all over the world.

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Clark County is a dynamic and innovative organization dedicated to providing top-quality service with integrity, respect and accountability.  With jurisdiction over the world-famous Las Vegas Strip and covering an area the size of New Jersey, Clark is the nation’s 11th-largest county and provides extensive regional services to 2.4 million citizens and 45.6 million visitors a year (2022). Included are the nation’s 7th-busiest airport, air quality compliance, social services and the state’s largest public hospital, University Medical Center. The County also provides municipal services that are traditionally provided by cities to 1 million residents in the unincorporated area. Those include fire protection, roads and other public works, parks and recreation, and planning and development.