Overview
- Three bodies were recovered days apart in Buffalo Bayou and Brays Bayou this week, including one on Christmas Eve.
- Mayor John Whitmire and Houston police say there is no evidence of a serial killer, with autopsies and identifications still pending.
- Officials cite roughly 35 bodies recovered from local waterways in 2024 and about 34 so far this year, with 198 tracked since 2017.
- Experts note drowning is rare in serial murders and say many recoveries result from accidents, intoxication, self-harm, homelessness, or lack of medical care, with occasional postmortem movement by acquaintances.
- Social media posts attempt to link Houston cases to Austin’s Lady Bird Lake rumors, though police there reported only one homicide, and Houston officials warn that unverified claims fuel fear.