POLICE in Texas have been forced to address serial killer fears after five bodies were pulled from murky bayous in just six days.
The horror discoveries unfolded after 20-year-old University of Houston student Jade McKissic disappeared on September 11.
Her body was uncovered in the Brays Bayou, which flows through the Houston area, on September 15.
No trauma was detected, and cops do not suspect any foul play, but they’re still investigating the cause of death.
The same day that McKissic was found, another body was discovered in nearby waters, according to Houston Public Media.
Detectives are still investigating that cause of death as well.
On September 16, another body was found along the White Oak Bayou, which is just north of downtown Houston.
On September 18, investigators got a report of someone throwing themselves into the water and pulled another body from the bayou.
And on September 20, cops got another call of a body floating down the Buffalo Bayou, which is just east of the downtown area.
None of the victims save for McKissic have been identified.
After the string of horror discoveries, terrified locals feared that people were being killed and dumped in the murky waters.
A social media post from an account called Daily Rumble posted that Houston police suggested a serial killer could be afoot.
However, the Houston Police Department has since squashed these rumors and said the post was completely fabricated.
That still hasn’t calmed down speculation from online sleuths.
Some questioning locals have pointed to the Rainey Street Ripper, which is the made-up name of a rumored serial killer who has targeted partiers in Austin.
According to public records, 13 people have been found dead in bayous running throughout the city, the Houston Chronicle reported.
But a HPD spokesperson said they’ve investigated each one of these cases, and haven’t found any threads that connect them.
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RARE CRIME
Experts have insisted that serial killings are incredibly rare, while drownings are very common.
Sick killers are also known to prefer stabbing or strangling victims instead of suffocating them under the waters, Texas State University professor Kim Rossmo told the Houston Chronicle.
“And one of the reasons is, if you think about it, it’s really hard to kill somebody by drowning,” she said.
“There’s a lot of steps involved and a lot of chances for people to escape, and so it’s just not the preferred method.”
While social media apps like TikTok run rampant with theories regarding the recovered bodies, experts urge people to listen to officials and quell their fears.
