Sixth body found in Houston bayou as city on edge over possible serial killings

Houston — A sixth body was pulled from a bayou near the University of Houston on Thursday night, authorities said, broadening a string of discoveries that has left the Texas city on edge. Police said the body is female and the investigation continues, but there is no confirmed link to previous deaths.

In all, 15 bodies have been found in Buffalo Bayou this year, with five discovered in the last 10 days, according to investigators. The latest body was spotted by several scooter riders under a bridge near the campus, and authorities said the unidentified remains were female. The medical examiner's office has yet to determine the cause of death, and investigators cautioned they do not yet know how the person ended up in the water.

Houston Mayor John Whitmire held a news conference earlier in the week and insisted there is no evidence of a serial killer operating in the city, emphasizing transparency in the police response. "There is no evidence that a serial killer is loose in Houston," the mayor said, adding that if there were, residents would be told promptly. Still, the rapid string of discoveries has kept residents alert and has fed social-media speculation about a broader pattern.

But some law-enforcement officials have cautioned against drawing quick conclusions. Harris County Precinct One Constable Alan Rosen, speaking as four bodies had been found in a matter of days, called the sequence unusual and said investigators must determine how each person arrived in the bayous, whether foul play was involved, and what, if any, connections exist. "It's unusual — usually, you don't find four bodies in the bayous in a week," Rosen said. A local jogger echoed that concern, describing the events as concerning and noting that several deaths have occurred in close proximity.

One of the most scrutinized cases involved Jade "Sage" McKissic, a University of Houston student who had been reported missing on Sept. 11. Her remains were found four days later in Brays Bayou. Police said autopsy results showed no signs of trauma or foul play, and they ruled out murder in her case. Investigators also traced McKissic’s movements in the hours leading up to her disappearance, including a bar stop with friends and a stop at a nearby gas station before she was last seen walking toward Brays Bayou.

The same day McKissic’s body was found, a man’s body surfaced in Green Bayou; on Sept. 16, a third body was found in White Oak Bayou, followed by a fourth near downtown Buffalo Bayou on Sept. 18. Police said the cause of death in those cases remains under review, and not all autopsies have concluded. "Each death is different," a Houston Police spokesman told local media. Investigators stress that they will release findings from the Medical Examiner's Office as soon as they are available.

The incidents have drawn attention beyond Houston. In Austin, Lady Bird Lake has seen at least 19 bodies this year, though police there have similarly said there is no evidence of a serial killer. Criminology professor Krista Gehring of the University of Houston emphasized that without clear signs of homicide, drownings, accidents, and other non-criminal deaths are a reality, even as public concern persists. "People slip, people fall, people drown. That's reality," she said.

Officials have cautioned residents to rely on official communications and not to assume a single cause or a broader conspiracy. Authorities say investigations remain active across the bayous involved, and autopsies will continue to inform determinations of cause and manner of death. While the number of fatalities in the bayous is unusually high for a short period, investigators have stressed that extraordinary patterns require careful analysis rather than quick labeling. The city of Houston and HPD pledged ongoing transparency as they pursue answers about what happened to each victim and whether any connections exist between the cases.

As the investigation progresses, residents in Houston and nearby communities are urged to stay vigilant and avoid speculation that could hinder official inquiries. The authorities say the public can expect updates as autopsies are completed and additional details become available.