The disappearance of an unofficial person of interest, a sudden decline in Houston body recoveries and eight eerily similar deaths in Lady Bird Lake are fueling a disturbing new theory HOUSTON — For nearly a decade, Houston’s bayous produced a grim and seemingly relentless procession of bodies. More than 200 people have been recovered from Houston-area waterways since 2017. Most deaths were eventually attributed to accidents, suicides, overdoses, drownings or other causes, wh

HOUSTON — For years, bodies have surfaced in the waterways that wind through America's fourth-largest city. Some were discovered by joggers. Others by fishermen, maintenance workers or people walking along Houston's sprawling network of bayou trails. Since 2017, more than 200 bodies have been recovered from Houston-area waterways, according to figures compiled in The Chronicle investigation. Most of those deaths have ultimately been attributed to drownings, suicides, overdose

The discovery of dozens of bodies in Houston-area bayous over the past two years has triggered growing public fear, online speculation, and demands for answers from community advocates who believe authorities may be overlooking the possibility of a serial predator operating in the city. Bodies found in and along Houston's bayou system in raising alarm in the community Houston officials, however, insist there is no evidence connecting the deaths. In 2025 alone, more than 30 bo