In 1960, Lady Bird Lake was built by the city of Austin. The river-like reservoir was created as a cooling pond for Austin’s then-new city power plant.
The 416-acre lake is now primarily used for recreation, but many in the area are now concerned is it the hunting ground for a killer. There have been 10 deaths reported since 2022: four in 2022, five in 2023, and one in the past few days.
Even though police have given no indication there are signs of foul play, social media has lit up with speculation. According to the San Antonio Current, rumors of a serial killer hunting young men and dumping their bodies in Lady Bird Lake ran rampant last April. That’s when Police recovered the bodies of Jason John, Clifton Axtell, Jonathon Honey, and Christopher Hays-Clark — all between the ages of 20 and 40 and all recovered from Lady Bird Lake.
Reegan Aparicio says she has no doubts that her longtime boyfriend Chris Hays-Clark was placed in Lady Bird Lake. The dental nurse says despite police assurances that there was no foul play in Hays-Clark’s death, she believes he was already dead when he went into the water.
That sentiment, according to DailyMail, is shared by others who have lost loved ones to the lake. Jason John’s parents also believe there is more to his disappearance and his former roommate believes he was drugged. Martin Gutierrez’s brother says he believes Martin was murdered in 2018.
Despite family concerns, Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon says, “Nothing has come to light that would indicate that there is a serial killer in Austin.”
Aparicio says she believes the Austin Police Department is failing her and the other Lady Bird Lake victims’ families.
Joining Nancy Grace Today:
Additional Guests
- Alan Bennett – Former Assistant District Attorney; Partner at Gunter, Bennett, and Anthes
- Dr. Dana Anderson – Forensic Psychologist, Forensic Expert; Twitter: @psychologydrcom, TikTok: @psychologydr
- Dennis Franks – Former FBI Supervisory Special Agent, President of Investigative & Security Global Solutions
- Brianna Hollis – Crime Reporter, KXAN News; IG: @brihollis_, X: @brihollisNEWS, FB: Brianna Hollis News
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[Feature Photo: A man leaps into Lady Bird Lake from a bridge, Thursday, June 30, 2016, in Austin, Texas. Lady Bird Lake had been closed to water recreation earlier in the month after heavy flooding and swift currents, but businesses and activities have returned to normal. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)]
