Overview
- Three separate recoveries occurred this week in Buffalo Bayou and Brays Bayou, including one reported on Christmas Eve.
- Houston police and Mayor John Whitmire say there is no evidence linking the cases to a serial killer, with autopsies and identifications pending.
- County data list 198 bodies found in waterways since 2017, with 35 in 2024 and about 34 so far in 2025.
- Experts say many water deaths reflect accidents, intoxication, self-harm, or homelessness, and that drowning is uncommon in serial murders.
- Officials urge reliance on verified updates as social-media claims circulate widely and heighten public anxiety.