Overview

• Houston police say 16 bodies have been recovered from bayous in 2025, including five found within a short span in September and the most recent on October 8.
• Police Chief Noe Diaz states there is no evidence the cases are connected or that a serial killer is responsible.
• The recovered individuals include both males and females ranging from their 20s to their 60s, with several discoveries concentrated in the same stretch of water used for recreation.
• Retired NYPD Sgt. Kevin Gannon contends the deaths may fit the controversial 'Smiley Face Killers' pattern, a claim not substantiated by current investigations.
• Mayor John Whitmire views drownings as not unusual given Houston’s 2,500 miles of bayous and has cited homelessness and substance use as potential factors, while retired Sgt. Joseph Giacalone calls for case-by-case autopsies and toxicology.