Authorities in Texas are pushing back against growing fears that a serial killer is targeting victims in Houston’s bayous, after dozens of bodies have been recovered from the city’s waterways over the past year.
Rumors intensified over the Christmas holiday after police pulled three more bodies from bayous around Houston in just one week. On Dec. 22, one body was discovered in Buffalo Bayou, followed by another found in Brays Bayou. Then, on Christmas Eve, a third body was recovered from Buffalo Bayou after a passerby spotted it floating in the water.
The recent discoveries come amid mounting public anxiety, with some residents and visitors questioning how so many deaths could occur without a single person responsible. In total, 34 bodies have been recovered from Houston-area waterways over the past 12 months, reigniting online speculation and neighborhood fears.
City leaders and law enforcement, however, say there is no evidence to support claims of a serial killer.
“We do not have any evidence that there is a serial killer loose,” Houston Mayor John Whitmire said back in September, when the number of recovered bodies first surpassed two dozen. Officials have continued to repeat that message as the count has grown.
Following the Christmas Eve recovery, police released only limited information, noting that the Houston Police Department dive team responded and retrieved the body. As with several recent cases, the individual could not be immediately identified, and autopsy results are still pending.
At one earlier scene, where a decomposed body was found near a bayou bank, an officer told Houston Public Media that investigators had little to go on.
“Right now, face value, there’s not a lot that we can see or determine from the body,” the officer said at the time.
Despite official reassurances, skepticism remains. One visitor told a local ABC affiliate that the sheer number of deaths raised red flags.
“The math isn’t mathing,” the person said. “I think there’s a serial killer.”
Houston resident Erick Cortez echoed those concerns, saying it was hard to accept so many deaths without foul play.
“There must be someone out there, no?” he said. “It’s ridiculous that so many people are dying in the bayou.”
Authorities and local journalists say the bigger picture tells a different story. According to an analysis by the Houston Chronicle, roughly 200 bodies have been recovered from Houston-area bayous over the past nine years. The past two years have seen the highest totals, but officials note that there was actually one more bayou-related death in 2024 than this year.
About 40 percent of the deaths are classified as drownings, with a similar percentage attributed to suicides, homicides, or blunt force trauma. Many of the victims who were later identified came from Houston’s homeless population.
Mayor Whitmire addressed this reality earlier this year, explaining that the circumstances surrounding homelessness often play a role.
“What do you think happens when a homeless person dies from an illness, diabetes, or cancer?” he said. “Unfortunately, the homeless, when they pass, often end up in the bayou.”
Retired Houston police captain Greg Fremin also urged calm, telling an ABC affiliate that while residents should remain aware of their surroundings, there is no indication of a serial killer.
“We have a relatively safe city for the most part,” Fremin said. “Like any big city, there is crime. You have to be vigilant and have situational awareness, but this is not anything to be concerned about.”
As investigations continue into the most recent recoveries, officials say they remain focused on identifying the victims and determining causes of death — while urging the public not to jump to conclusions fueled by fear and speculation.
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