Authorities in Houston have been addressing concerns about a potential serial killer following the discovery of at least 16 bodies in the same bayou.
On October 8, shortly after 9 am, a dive team recovered the body of a man from White Oak Bayou near Marie Street in Houston, Texas. According to Fox 26 Houston, this marks the 16th body retrieved from the water.
The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences has not yet determined the cause of death, and there are no signs of foul play at this time.
In the week following September 15, five bodies were recovered from the bayou, with another found on September 26. Autopsy results remain pending, and police have not linked the deaths to each other.
Despite the frequency of these discoveries, Houston residents are speculating about a potential serial killer, but officials have cautioned against jumping to conclusions.
Mayor John Whitmire described the situation as ‘alarming’ but emphasized the need to combat misinformation and ‘wild speculation’ circulating on social media. During a press conference on September 23, he stated: “We do not have any evidence that there is a serial killer loose in Houston, Texas.”
He reassured the public that if there were a serial killer, he would be the first to inform them.
“So, I’m before you today to let you know that enough is enough of wild speculation. It’s very frustrating to me to be at home, watch the news, or social media, and see people spread what I know to be false,” Whitmire said.
The mayor highlighted that Houston’s 2,500 miles of waterways contribute to the frequency of accidental deaths, which are particularly prevalent among homeless communities living nearby.
He pointed out that when homeless individuals pass away from illnesses, ‘friends and associates do not take him to a funeral home’.
Whitmire reaffirmed that there is no evidence to connect the incidents.
Police Captain Salam Zia, head of the department’s homicide division, also confirmed the absence of links between the cases.
“There is no evidence, and I repeat no evidence, to suggest that any of these incidents are connected,” Diaz stated, stressing the importance of relying on verified information and thorough investigations.
According to Fox Houston 26, the victims range in age from their twenties to sixties and include both men and women. One confirmed victim is a student, Jade McKissic, 20, whose body was found on September 15 after she went missing on September 11.
Concerns about potential serial killers are not limited to Houston. In Austin, Texas, similar fears have arisen following the recovery of multiple bodies from Lady Bird Lake over the past three years.