Houston officials deny serial killer rumors as 16th body found in waterway

Officials are urging calm after a string of bodies pulled from Houston’s waterways sparked widespread fears of a serial killer.

Authorities say there is no evidence linking the deaths.

16th body recovered from Houston bayou

A 16th body has been recovered from Houston’s waterways this year.

Just after 9 a.m. on Oct. 8, a dive team recovered a man’s body from the White Oak Bayou near Marie Street, KHOU 11 and Fox News reported.

No sign of foul play

According to Fox 26 Houston, there were no obvious signs of foul play.

The man’s cause of death will be determined by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.

Officials reject “wild speculation”

At a Sept. 23 press conference, Houston Mayor John Whitmire dismissed what he called “wild speculation” circulating online, following the discovery of five bodies in just five days earlier in the month.

“We do not have any evidence that there is a serial killer loose in Houston, Texas,” Whitmire said. “If there was, you would hear it from me first.”

“Total transparency”

The mayor emphasized the city’s “total transparency” policy, saying misinformation was causing unnecessary panic.

“Enough is enough with misinformation,” he continued. “It’s very frustrating to watch social media and see people spread what I know to be false.”

Bayou deaths spark community alarm

Houston, known as “the Bayou City,” has roughly 2,500 miles of waterways running through and around it, many lined with homeless encampments, Whitmire noted.

He said some deaths could be attributed to natural causes among the homeless population.

“They are not taken to funeral homes”

“When homeless people die of illnesses, their friends and associates do not take them to a funeral home,” he explained.

Still, the frequency of recent recoveries has left many residents alarmed, demanding a deeper investigation.

Victims range from 20s to 60s

Capt. Salam Zia, commander of the Houston Police Department’s homicide division, said victims found in the bayous have ranged in age from their 20s to 60s and include both men and women.

Among the victims was 20-year-old University of Houston student Jade “Sage” McKissic, whose body was recovered on Sept. 15 after she went missing four days earlier.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the recent passing of one of our students,” the university said in a letter to the campus community.

List of identified victims

According to Click 2 Houston, the following victims have been identified throughout 2024:

• Douglas Sqearingen – January
• Carl Newton – February
• Anthony Azua, Juan Garcia Loredo – March
• Jesse Steel – April
• Kenneth Jones, George Grays, Culcois Racius, Anthony Curry, Shannon Davis – May
• Ernest Armstrong – June
• Raymond Halten – July
• Latracia Amos, Jamal Alexander – August
• Rodney Chatman, Michael Rice, and Jade McKissic – September

Some of the remains found have yet to be identified.

Police maintain there is no connection

Authorities have reiterated that no evidence links the deaths to one another or to any single perpetrator.

“We have no reason to believe these incidents are connected,” Capt. Zia said.

However, with at least 22 bodies reportedly found so far this year — according to some local outlets — residents continue to question whether something more sinister is happening in the city’s waterways.

Mayor promises continued transparency

Mayor Whitmire said the city will continue to release updates and share forensic findings to keep residents informed.

“We owe it to the people of Houston to be transparent and factual,” Whitmire said. “There’s no serial killer — but there is a need for compassion and for truth.”

This article is made and published by Camilla Jessen, which may have used AI in the preparation