A growing number of people in Houston are upset after a 16th body was pulled from a local bayou, leading many to believe there could be a serial killer. Mayor John Whitmire has pushed back on those claims, saying there is no evidence to support that idea.
The mayor said in a press briefing: “We do not have any evidence that there is a serial killer loose in Houston, Texas.” He explained that many of the drownings involve people struggling with drugs, alcohol, or homelessness, and that these tragedies are not new to the city.
Whitmire also said: “Unfortunately, the homeless, when they pass, often end up in the bayou.” His comments did not sit well with everyone, especially those who lost loved ones in recent months.
Lauren Freeman, whose cousin Kenneth Cutting Jr. was found dead earlier this year, said the mayor is gaslighting the entire city. Her family wants answers and believes the deaths deserve more serious investigation.
Kenneth Cutting Sr., the victim’s father, said: “All them people didn’t commit suicide or fall into the bayou accidentally and drown. It’s ridiculous. There’s been so many of them in the last three years.” His son went missing after a night out in June and was later found in the bayou with no visible injuries and no drugs in his system.
Cutting Sr. also said: “Something happened to my son. My son didn’t fall into the bayou and drown.” His words echo what many other families are feeling as more bodies are recovered from the same waterways.
Freeman said: “Either there’s a serial killer on the loose, or the scum of society have realized they can start dumping bodies in the bayou in the midst of the heat and they start decomposing so nobody gets caught. You just can’t stab them or shoot them.” Her frustration reflects a growing fear across the city.
Among the other victims was Anthony Curry, whose death was ruled an accidental drowning. An examination found PCP and ethanol in his system. But his family is not convinced.
Curry’s sister, Alexis Curry, told local news: “That ain’t my brother. He’ll go somewhere and chill off before he just go jump in some water.” She described her brother as her superhero and said she can’t understand how he ended up in the bayou.
As more families speak out, the calls for further investigation continue to grow. People in Houston want to know what is really happening in those bayous and whether there is more to these deaths than they are being told.
