Three bodies have been found scattered across the Bayous of Texas in December, sparking social media rumors that a serial killer is on the loose. However, experts warn against spreading such information, as they do not believe it is the case. Houston police are investigating the bodies found and have yet to release the cause of death.
Bodies Discovered in Bayou
On Monday, December 22, local authorities discovered a man’s body in the Buffalo Bayou near Crawford Street in Downtown Houston, Texas. Less than an hour after their discovery, investigators found another body a few miles down the road in Brays Bayou. The latest recovery took place on December 24, when a man’s body was found along Buffalo Bayou Park. Officials have yet to confirm whether the three deaths are connected, but they claim this is not the work of a serial killer.
Authorities discovered five bodies in local bayous less than a week apart back in September, and three more bodies during Christmas week. Many have taken to social media to express their concern and insist there is a serial killer on the loose. Experts say that this is false, but have yet to disprove the claims.
A visitor to the Houston area told ABC13, “The math isn’t mathing, I think there’s a serial killer,” said Juan Sandoval. “I get Nevada’s ‘for you’ page now, and even in Nevada, they’re talking about Buffalo Bayou, so it’s that bad, it’s reaching another state, across state lines.”
Sandoval’s friend, Erick Cortez, who lives in Houston, strongly believes there is one person responsible for these bodies, and there is no other plausible explanation for how many have been found. “There must be someone out there, no? Because it’s ridiculous that so many people are dying in the bayou, I think it’s unfortunate that they haven’t found the person,” he said.
Officials Deny Serial Killer Claim
Unfortunately, this is not an abnormal year for the discovery of bodies in the Houston Bayous. Experts are not concerned with the number found, as this is a recurring issue every year. In 2024, 35 were identified. Thus far, 34 have been confirmed in 2025. Experts understand the community’s concern but wish to reassure them that there is no evidence that a single person is responsible for the deaths. They have not even confirmed whether they were murdered.
Following the discovery of the five bodies in September, Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz said, “For us as an agency, rumors stir fear and anxiety in our communities,” in a news conference. They insist that while each case is tragic, they are not connected and have their own explanations. This statement does not prevent the media from spreading misinformation, and officials should focus more on explaining it to the public rather than blaming the public for false claims.
Experts Explain
University of Houston criminal justice professor Dr. Krista Gehring and retired Houston Police Department Captain Greg Fremin agrees with officials’ current stance that there is no serial killer on the loose and also warn against spreading such rumors. They recommend being more vigilant, but should not be concerned that they could be ‘next’.
“Because a lot of times people think, ‘Oh they’re in the bayou, they are dumping the body to get rid of evidence,’ because that’s what we see in those shows, that the water will wash away the evidence’ people could have just had an accident, people could’ve done this to themselves, people could’ve been intoxicated,” said Gehring.
“I tell the citizens of Houston, we have a relatively safe city for the most part, but it’s just like any other big city, there is crime, you have to be vigilant, have situational awareness of what’s going on, but this is not anything to be concerned about,” said Fremin.
