Police have recovered a sixth body in the Houston bayou within days amid growing concerns of a serial killer.
On Thursday (September 25), another body was pulled from a waterway near Commerce and Milam in downtown Houston, marking the 15th body found in the bayou in 2025, per Click 2 Houston.
The alarming pace of six bodies within 10 days has sparked growing public concern about a potential serial killer. However, city officials and law enforcement are pushing back against the speculation and urging the public not to jump to conclusions.
“There is no serial killer. Stop spreading misinformation,” Mayor John Whitmire said during a recent press conference.
According to Houston Police Department Chief Noe Diaz, the medical examiner’s office is still working to determine the cause of death in each case. So far, investigators say there’s no evidence of foul play or any connection between the recent cases.
“It runs the gamut — different genders, different age ranges. There’s no clear link between them,” Captain Salam Zia of the Houston Police Department said.
Among the six bodies found within days was Jade McKissic, a University of Houston student who went missing on Sept. 11. McKissic’s autopsy found no signs of trauma, police said. Four bodies remain unidentified, and one identity is being withheld pending family notification.
Criminologist Krista Gehring, a professor at UH-Downtown, said environmental factors could be contributing to the sudden rise in visible bodies. Changes in temperature, water levels, and debris movement can all affect the timing of recoveries.
“Sometimes bodies sink and only become visible when decomposition causes them to rise. Others may be caught on underwater debris and come into view later,” she said.
Despite assurances from authorities, fear of a serial killer has continued to spread on social media.
“SIX BODIES IN TWO WEEKS AND YALL DONT THINK ITS A SERIAL KILLER??!!” one Instagram user wrote.
“whenever its black bodies showing up missing or deceased they often suspect no foul play,” another person wrote.
“So it’s different people killing everyone and throwing them there? Oh ok,” a third user quipped.
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