People are convinced there’s a Houston serial killer, after 34 bodies found in same lake

The Houston bayous are once again at the center of a grim viral mystery. Despite repeated assurances from local officials, residents are convinced that the math “isn’t mathing” as the number of bodies recovered from the city’s waterways continues to climb.

The Houston bayous are a massive network of slow-moving, swampy rivers that weave directly through the city Often murky and lined with thick vegetation, the bayous are designed to manage the city’s heavy rainfall.

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Rumors of a serial killer have resurfaced this week after three more bodies were pulled from the water between the 22nd and 24th of December. The discoveries, made in the Buffalo and Brays Bayous, have brought the total body count for 2025 to 34, nearly matching the 35 deaths recorded in 2024.

While police maintain there is no evidence of a “repeat killer”, the sheer volume of deaths is making locals uneasy. Houston resident Erick Cortez told ABC13: “There must be someone out there. Because it’s ridiculous that so many people are dying in the bayou.”

His friend, Juan Sandoval, noted that the mystery has transcended Texas borders, appearing on social media feeds as far away as Nevada. “Even in Nevada, they’re talking about Buffalo Bayou,” he said. “It’s that bad.”

What do the stats actually say?

A Houston Chronicle analysis of medical examiner records paint a chilling picture of the city’s waterways. Between 2017 and November 2025, 201 deaths have been recorded in Harris County bayous.

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While the “serial killer” theory dominates social media, the official data suggests a more complex, though equally tragic, reality. Out of the deaths recorded since 2017, 17 were attributed to drugs or alcohol, 11 were linked to heart issues, and seven were the result of car accidents.

However, the most unsettling statistic is the “undetermined” category. As of early December, the cause of death for 68 victims remains unknown, providing plenty of fuel for theorists.

Credit: Unsplash/Alisa Matthews

The official stance is bleak

Houston Mayor John Whitmire addressed the fears earlier this year in a press conference, suggesting the location of the bodies is often a byproduct of the city’s homelessness crisis.

“What do you think happens when a homeless person dies from an illness, diabetes or cancer?” Whitmire said in September. “They do not take him to a funeral home. Unfortunately, the homeless, when they pass, often end up in the bayou.”

Retired HPD Captain Greg Fremin also urged calm, telling citizens to remain vigilant but not to jump to conclusions. “This is not anything to be concerned about,” he insisted, describing Houston as a “relatively safe city”.

With 68 causes of death still a mystery and the 2025 body count nearly breaking records, the serial killer rumors aren’t likely to disappear anytime soon.

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Featured image credit: Unsplash/Thaddios Thomas, Houston Police Department