On Monday, officials disputed claims that a serial killer is behind a recent rash of bodies found in Texas bayous.
KTRK reported that the three bodies were pulled from Houston-area bayous in the past week. In September, five bodies were recovered from local bayous in less than a week — sparking concerns of a serial killer.
Five people, including University of Houston student Jade McKissic, 20, were all discovered deceased in Houston bayous in September. Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences classified the deaths of Mikissic, Rodney Chatman, Seth Hansen, and Michael Rice as undetermined.
In September, officials denied speculation that the deaths were the work of a serial killer. They also claimed there was no indication that any of the deaths were the result of foul play.
The Houston Chronicle reported that a body found at Buffalo Bayou Park brought this year’s count to 34. Last year, 35 bodies were recovered from local waterways.
Officials addressed the serial killer speculation again this week, reiterating there is no evidence of a single culprit in these cases.
“There is nothing, nothing, and I want to be crystal clear, to indicate that there is someone operating here as a serial killer,” Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare told KPRC. “There are many reasons for these deaths. None of them are a serial killer.”
Teare went on to attribute many of these deaths to the city’s issues with substance abuse, mental health, and homelessness. He said it is not a “regular occurrence” that are people found dead in the bayou due to criminal action.
“It’s kind of a little known fact, but when you get into the bayous, it is very difficult to get out,” he told KPRC. “When you combine that with someone that is high on some substance, someone that is intoxicated somehow, it makes it even more difficult.”
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[Feature Photo: Houston police]
