Salinas psychiatrist found dead in car trunk near Las Vegas

FILE PHOTO: Vegetation grows between boat docks at the now defunct Echo Bay Marina in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Thursday, May 19, 2016, near Las Vegas. FILE PHOTO: Vegetation grows between boat docks at the now defunct Echo Bay Marina in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Thursday, May 19, 2016, near Las Vegas. Photo: John Locher, Associated Press Photo: John Locher, Associated Press Image 1 of / 15 Caption Close Salinas psychiatrist found dead in car trunk near Las Vegas 1 / 15 Back to Gallery

Thomas Burchard, a 71-year-old psychiatrist from Salinas, Calif. (Monterey County) was found dead in the trunk of a car parked near a recreation area outside of Las Vegas.

The Las Vegas Review Journal reported that Burchard's body was found by officers near the Lake Mead National Recreation Area on March 7, and the cause of death was blunt force to the head.

Burchard's death was ruled a homicide, and police have yet to make any arrests related to the case.

RELATED: Ex-Peru president, wanted by Interpol, arrested in Menlo Park for public intoxication

The body was discovered after a man driving through the area with his kids spotted a parked vehicle on the side of the road that had a rock thrown through one of its windows. The area is remote, and the man reported the suspicious vehicle to police.

Community Health of the Monterey Peninsula confirmed Burchard's death to the Salinas Californian.

"He's a longstanding physician in the community who was very helpful to many of his patients," spokeswoman Mary Barker said. "It was a sad situation and our hearts go out to his family."

ALSO: 1 injured after car crashes into pole in Haight-Ashbury neighborhood

Barker said that Burchard worked for nearly 40 years in behavior health, and had a small number of adolescent patients and a larger number of adult patients.

Police in Las Vegas continue to investigate his death.

Eric Ting is an SFGATE staff writer. Email him at eting@sfchronicle.com and follow him on Twitter

Start receiving breaking news emails on floods, wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news.