A wave of fear has swept across Houston after five bodies were pulled from local bayous in less than a week, prompting speculation that a serial killer may be at large in America’s fourth-largest city.
Between Sept. 15 and Sept. 20, Houston police confirmed the recovery of five separate bodies from different waterways across the city.
“It’s unusual. Usually you don’t find four bodies in the bayous in a week,” Constable Alan Rosen of Harris County Precinct One told Fox 26 Houston. “When you have bodies showing up in bayous, it’s always a concern because we have to determine how they got there, what was the cause of death. Was it foul play? Was it suicide? Was it an accident? What were the circumstances?”
So far this year, at least 14 bodies have been recovered from Houston’s waterways, authorities said.
Victim Identified: University of Houston Student
Among the victims was Jade “Sage” McKissic, a 20-year-old University of Houston student last seen on Sept. 11. She had been out with friends at a local bar but left alone, leaving her phone behind.
Surveillance cameras later captured her at a nearby gas station buying a drink before walking toward Brays Bayou around 1 a.m. Her remains were recovered on Sept. 15.
Police said an autopsy showed no signs of trauma or foul play, though the official cause of death remains pending.
On the same day, the body of a man surfaced in Green Bayou. In the days that followed, additional bodies were found in White Oak Bayou (Sept. 16), Buffalo Bayou near downtown (Sept. 18), and another discovery in Buffalo Bayou on Sept. 20.
Police Caution, Public Fear
While investigators have cautioned that there is no current evidence of homicide, the string of discoveries has unsettled many Houstonians.
“Each death is different,” a Houston Police spokesperson told the Houston Chronicle. “It’s all determined by the cause of death, which is released by the Medical Examiner after an autopsy. It’s unfortunate, but each death is different.”
Still, many locals aren’t convinced, drawing comparisons to Austin, where at least 19 bodies have been found in Lady Bird Lake since last year. Despite repeated denials from Austin police, rumors of a so-called “Rainey Street Ripper” continue to swirl.
Criminology experts caution against jumping to conclusions.
“Unless you have stab wounds, gunshots, strangulation marks — clear signs of homicide — it’s not a serial killer,” said Krista Gehring, PhD, professor of criminology at the University of Houston. “People slip, people fall, people drown. That’s reality.”
What’s Next
Most of the Houston cases remain under medical examination, leaving open questions about whether foul play is involved.
Until then, city officials are working to calm public fears while reminding residents that each death must be evaluated individually.
