Five bodies were recovered last week from Houston’s bayous, igniting fears that a serial killer could be on the loose.

Krista Gehring, a criminal justice professor at the University of Houston-Downtown, shared insights with the Daily Mail about the evidence indicating whether such anxieties are justified.

The dead bodies were discovered over a five-day period, and just one has been identified to date.

The first body to be found on September 15 around 10am belonged to Jade Elise McKissic, 20.

A University of Houston student was last observed four days prior, exiting a local bar, leaving behind her phone, and heading to a nearby gas station to purchase a drink, according to the police’s homicide division.

McKissic then walked towards Brays Bayou, where her body was eventually found.

While there were no indications of trauma or foul play, the swift discovery of multiple deceased individuals between September 15 and 20 led to widespread speculation about a potential serial killer.

An account, @HitsOnFye, shared on Instagram: ‘There’s someone kidnapping women and men, leaving them in various bayous. Watch out for your families. Someone’s been killing people throughout the week.’

Known as the Bayou City, Houston boasts numerous waterways where locals enjoy paddling and kayaking. These areas are often surrounded by trails frequented by joggers and cyclists.

Krista Gehring told the Daily Mail that serial killers usually have a ‘cooling off period’ and ‘signatures’

But is that true?

Professor Gehring clarified, ‘Serial killers typically have a cooling-off period between murders, so discovering multiple bodies in rapid succession is not typical behavior.’

Serial killers also have repeat ‘signatures’ in the way they kill and tend to prey on vulnerable people, she added, pointing out that the only pattern in Houston is that ‘these bodies show up in a bayou.’

There have been 14 bodies found so far in the bayou in 2025, Houston police confirmed. This is compared to 24 bodies for the whole of 2024. 

Gehring, along with police, dismissed that the spate of bodies in Houston were the work of a serial killer.

Serial killers are rare, Gehring told the Daily Mail, and rampant rumors about them usually start due to pop culture.

The first body was found on September 15 and identified as Jade Elise McKissic, 20 (pictured)

McKissic was a student at the University of Houston

She said: ‘We have things on Netflix like Mindhunter, there’s true crime documentaries, there’s a ton of podcasts you can listen to about serial killers, and so this sort of person dominates entertainment.

‘So when we hear about multiple deaths, our brains automatically reach for this script.’

Recently, thirteen unexplained deaths in New England – many of which involved female victims – also led to widespread speculation about a potential serial killer.

In Austin, at least 38 bodies have been found in and around Lady Bird Lake since 2022.

Police have repeatedly denied the existence of a so‑called ‘Rainey Street Ripper’ in the Texas capital.

Accidental drowning was ruled in 12 of the deaths, per Austin Police Department documents.

When it comes to death, people find it ‘almost comforting’ to have a ‘boogeyman’ they can believe in, Gehring said, but the cause behind someone’s demise is often more complicated.

She said: ‘It feels less frightening than facing these realities of mental health crises, substance abuse problems, poverty, inadequate safety, unhoused individuals.

The bodies were found in Brays Bayou, Hunting Bayou, White Oak Bayou and Buffalo Bayou from September 15-20

McKissic went missing September 11 and her remains were found four days later in Brays Bayou

‘One villain is easier to understand and “fight” than tackling all of these social issues that may be contributing to these deaths.’

Gehring said she thinks this could be what happened in Houston as she dismissed the possibility of a serial killer.

She added: ‘The most simple explanation is often the explanation.

‘People often sort of meet their demise through accidental drownings.’

Houston officials quickly shut down any speculation about a serial killer too saying that evidence suggested there was no mystery murderer and nothing that implied the deaths were connected.

City mayor John Whitmire said in a press conference: ‘Enough of misinformation [and] wild speculation by either social media, elected officials, candidates, the media.

‘We do not have any evidence that there is a serial killer loose in Houston, Texas.’

Law enforcement recovered five individuals from bayous across Houston between September 15-20, police chief J. Noe Diaz said at the presser.

Houston mayor John Whitmire peaking this week said: ‘Enough of misinformation [and] wild speculation’

Authorities have not found ‘any kind of typical pattern’ in the five bodies so far. Pictured: The Buffalo Bayou River

McKissic was described by the University of Houston as a ‘campus resident and student employee, and a friend to many in our community’ in a campus-wide email.

Lauren Johnson, who sang with McKissic in her youth church’s praise team, told the Daily Mail: ‘Jade was such a light in our room. She was talented and always had a smile on her face. 

‘Jade was also a great friend to me, whom I looked up to for her ambition and her “go-get-it” attitude. I miss her so much, and I hope her family finds closure on everything regarding her loss.’

The second body was found on the same day – September 15 – as McKissic.

They have not been identified yet, police said, and were found in Hunting Bayou at 13400 East Freeway around 11.50am.

The third body – which remains unidentified, as well – was discovered on September 16 in White Oak Bayou at 2200 White Oak Drive at about 1.25pm.

Two days later, a fourth body was located in Buffalo Bayou at 400 Jensen Drive around 2pm. That person is also unidentified.

Lastly, a fifth body was found on September 20 in Buffalo Bayou at 900 North York Street at about 8.25am.

The deceased has been identified by the medical examiner’s office, police said, but their identity is not public since authorities ‘don’t know whether the next of kin has been notified.’

Authorities have not found ‘any kind of typical pattern’ in the five bodies up to now, police captain Salam Zia said.

He added: ‘It runs the gamut [of] genders, ethnicities, age range.’

Remains were found in Buffalo Bayou on Saturday. It brings the total number of bodies discovered in the waterways around the city to 14 this year. A police boat is seen in White Oak Bayou in this file photo

The area is also vulnerable to flooding, with Buffalo Bayou seen after Hurricane Beryl last year

Houston, America’s fourth-largest city, has more than 2,500 miles of waterways, including bayous.

In the wake of the deaths, there has been an increase in demands for greater safety measures around the bodies of water to prevent future deaths.

Whitmire pointed to the existing barricades but did not commit to making any safety changes.

The Houston mayor said: ‘I don’t know of a fail-safe way when bayous are such a part of our lifestyle and our environment, other than everyone should be smart [and] we should look out for each other.

‘But I think when the facts are reported from these instances, you’re going to see each one was very unique.’

Whitmore said that some of the individuals were ‘facing challenges’ and reiterated that he was concerned about the rampant speculation and misinformation.

Authorities are still investigating the incidents and the medical examiner’s office will determine the exact causes of death.