Houston authorities have responded to concerns about a potential serial killer on the loose, as at least 16 bodies have been found in the same bayou.
On October 8, just after 9am, a dive team recovered a man's body from White Oak Bayou near Marie Street, Houston, Texas, with Fox 26 Houston reporting that it is the 16th body to be pulled from the water.
The cause of his death has yet to be determined by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, and there are no obvious signs of foul play.
Five bodies were recovered from the bayou in the week from September 15, while another body was located on September 26. Autopsy results are still pending, and police have not made any connection between the deaths.
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However, because of the frequency of discoveries, Houston residents have been left speculating about whether a possible serial killer could be behind it, but officials are urging people not to buy into the theories.
While describing the situation as 'alarming', Mayor John Whitmire has said that 'enough is enough with misinformation' and 'wild speculation' from social media, adding in a press conference on September 23: "We do not have any evidence that there is a serial killer loose in Houston, Texas.”
He continued to say that 'if there was, you would hear it from me first'.
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"So, I’m before you today to let you know that enough is enough of wild speculation. It’s very frustrating to me to be at home, watch the news, or social media, and see people spread what I know to be false," Whitmire said.
The mayor then stressed that Houston’s 2,500 miles of waterways can make accidental deaths sadly common, particularly among homeless communities who live nearby.
He claimed that when homeless people die from illnesses, 'friends and associates do not take him to a funeral home'.
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Whitmire also reiterated that there was no proof 'to suggest that any of these incidents are connected'.
Police Captain Salam Zia, who leads the department’s homicide division, also confirmed that there’s currently nothing linking the cases.
"There is no evidence, and I repeat no evidence, to suggest that any of these incidents are connected," Diaz said, adding that 'it's important to rely on verified information and investigations'.
Fox Houston 26 reports that the victims range in age from their twenties to their sixties and include both men and women, with one of the victims being confirmed to be student Jade McKissic, 20, whose remains were discovered on September 15 after her disappearance on September 11.
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Houston isn't the only place in Texas where serial killer rumors are rife, as Austin residents have expressed similar fears after numerous bodies have been recovered from Lady Bird Lake over the past three years.
Ben Williams