HOUSTON, TX — A woman’s body was pulled from the water near downtown Houston late Thursday night, adding to a troubling series of discoveries in the city’s waterways that has fueled speculation and concern across social media.
According to Houston police, officers received a call around 11:30 p.m. reporting a person in the water near Commerce and Milam, just off the bayou. A group of scooter riders initially spotted what appeared to be a body and contacted authorities. Members of the Houston Police Department’s dive team later recovered the woman.
The victim’s identity has not yet been released, and investigators say it is too early to determine how she ended up in the water. The Harris County Medical Examiner’s Office will perform an autopsy to establish the cause of death.
This latest case marks the sixth body recovered from Houston’s bayous in the last two weeks, with 13 bodies found so far in 2024. By comparison, 24 were recovered throughout 2023.
Recent Discoveries
- Monday, Sept. 15: Two bodies were recovered. One was identified as University of Houston student Jade “Sage” McKissick, found in Brays Bayou. Police said no foul play was suspected. A second body was recovered from a canal near Greens Bayou; the death was ruled natural causes.
- Tuesday, Sept. 16: A body was pulled from White Oak Bayou near 2200 White Oak Drive after being spotted by a witness. The cause of death remains pending.
- Thursday, Sept. 18: Witnesses reported someone jumping into Buffalo Bayou near Jensen Drive and Navigation Boulevard and never resurfacing. That case was ruled a drowning.
- Saturday, Sept. 20: A body was recovered from the bayou at North York Street.
- Thursday, Sept. 25: A woman’s body was recovered near Commerce and Milam in downtown Houston.
So far, only two individuals from the cluster of recent recoveries have been positively identified — Jade McKissick and a second victim whose name has not been released pending family notification.
Rumors vs. Official Response
The string of deaths has prompted widespread speculation online, with some suggesting the possibility of a serial killer targeting victims along Houston’s waterways.
However, city officials and law enforcement have firmly rejected these claims.
“There’s no indication — nothing that would give us that indication,” an HPD official stated when asked about connections between the cases.
Mayor John Whitmire also addressed the concerns during a press conference earlier this week.
“I do say enough is enough on speculation, out of respect for the families and also the 2.3 million Houstonians in our region,” Whitmire said. “We have challenges — we’re meeting those challenges — but a serial killer loose in Houston is not one of our challenges today.”
He added that the reasons people may end up in Houston’s bayous vary widely, from accidents to homelessness to mental health struggles.
Expert Analysis
Criminal justice experts agree that the serial killer theory does not hold up under scrutiny.
“The short answer is no,” said Dr. Krista Gehring, a University of Houston-Downtown professor. “It’s possible these are accidental deaths, or people unfortunately taking their own lives. There are a lot of alternative, less scary explanations for all of these bodies turning up.”
Gehring noted that serial killers often follow identifiable patterns, such as targeting a specific demographic, which is not evident in these cases.
Former HPD officer Tom Nixon echoed this view, stating, “I don’t think there’s a serial murderer problem because the causes of death are not consistent. While there were five in one week, overall, it’s probably not going to deviate from any historical pattern. It’s something that happens.”
Both experts warned that misinformation online can create unnecessary panic. “There’s a real concern about perpetuating fear on social media or in the media — fear that may not be warranted,” Gehring said.
What’s Next
The medical examiner will determine the official cause of death for the woman recovered Thursday night. Police say they will release further details once her identity is confirmed and her family is notified.
For now, officials continue urging the public to avoid spreading rumors and to allow investigators the time and space to conduct their work.
Reported by NewsPulse Reporter | NewsPulse Media