Someone has been secretly poisoning trees along a Lake Tahoe beach for four years, and now a $147,000 reward is on the table to catch them.
Story Snapshot
- Local officials and residents pooled $147,000 for tips leading to an arrest and conviction in the Burnt Cedar Beach tree poisonings.
- Deputies say someone poured a substance around tree roots or drilled holes to inject it, killing trees over several years.
- Sixteen trees were harmed in the most recent round, adding to earlier poisonings in 2022 and 2024.
- The exact poison is still unknown and being tested by the county crime lab.
- No suspect has been named, and investigators are asking the public for tips.
Community Pools Money for a Big Reward
The Incline Village General Improvement District and a group called Friends of Burnt Cedar Beach teamed up to offer $147,000 for information that leads to an arrest and successful prosecution. The district put in $25,000. The Friends group added $122,000. The size of the reward shows how seriously this small Lake Tahoe community, known for expensive lakefront homes, takes the loss of its trees.
Washoe County Sheriff’s Office deputies are investigating what they call intentional tree poisoning at Burnt Cedar Beach. Someone reported a strong chemical smell near the base of several trees. Deputies later found signs that a substance had been poured around roots or poured into holes drilled straight into the trunks. That method points to a deliberate act, not disease or storm damage.
A Pattern Going Back Years
This is not a one-time attack. Reports say six trees were poisoned in 2022 and six more in 2024. The newest incident brought the count to 16 damaged trees, though some outlets say the total across all incidents is closer to 28 or even nearly 30. The differing numbers show local reporters and officials are still working out the exact scope of years of damage.
Investigators have not said what chemical was used. The unknown substance is now being tested at the county crime lab, a process that could take time and may determine how the case moves forward. Until that testing is done, the type of poison, and any clues it holds about who bought or used it, remains a missing piece of the investigation.
Tips Wanted, Case Number Attached
Anyone with information is asked to call the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office and reference case number 26-4225. Tipsters can also use the Secret Witness line, which lets people share information without giving their name. Investigators have not named a suspect or explained a motive, leaving the case open to the public for help solving it.
Lake Tahoe officials offer $147,000 reward to catch a serial tree poisoner pic.twitter.com/a42MjXhOhl
— KUSI News (@KUSINews) September 21, 2026
Large rewards for information about crimes against trees are not new. Communities from Australia to Germany have offered cash payouts after tree poisonings, often because these acts are hard to witness and even harder to prove. Experts who study these programs say the promise of anonymity, not just the size of the reward, is often what convinces people to come forward with tips.
What Happens Next
Trees at Burnt Cedar Beach could potentially regrow with care, but replacing mature trees along the shoreline takes many years. For now, the case remains open. The reward, the case number, and the tip lines give residents a direct way to help close a mystery that has stretched across four years without an arrest.
Sources:
sacbee.com, kioncentralcoast.com, fox40.com, rgj.com, washoelife.washoecounty.gov, hoodline.com
