Texas police have discovered no less than 16 our bodies within the bayous round Houston thus far this yr, in line with authorities and native experiences, sparking considerations of a serial killer which metropolis leaders are working to dispel.
Houston’s mayor has mentioned police haven’t any proof of a serial killer, however consultants are calling for an in depth investigation into the deaths.
“One thing is afoot,” mentioned Joseph Giacalone, a retired NYPD sergeant and legal justice professor, at Penn State-Lehigh Valley. “A coincidence? Unlikely. A cautious inspection of every case is warranted, together with the 48 hours previous to the invention of their disappearance.”
The spate of obvious drownings is paying homage to one other regarding variety of deaths within the waters of Woman Hen Lake in Austin, Texas.
5 of the our bodies had been found in a five-day span final month, in line with Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz.
“There isn’t a proof, and I repeat no proof, to counsel that any of those incidents are linked,” Diaz instructed reporters.
Capt. Salam Zia, commander of the Houston Police Division’s murder division, mentioned the youngest sufferer was 20.
Authorities later revealed the our bodies belonged to each women and men, and ranged in age from their 20s to their 60s.
“Rumors stir worry and anxiousness in our communities,” the chief mentioned. “It’s vital to depend on verified data and investigations.”
Nevertheless, authorities have found no less than two extra our bodies since authorities made these remarks, in line with Chron, Houston’s native information website.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire slammed misinformation and “wild hypothesis” on-line and from political candidates surrounding the instances at a information briefing on Sept. 23.
“We should not have any proof that there’s a serial killer free in Houston, Texas,” he mentioned. “Let me say that once more, there isn’t a proof that there’s a serial killer free within the streets of Houston.”
He known as the variety of deaths “alarming” and requested for persistence as metropolis police examine.
“I grew up in Houston,” he instructed reporters. “Sadly, drowning in our bayous is just not a brand new phenomenon.”
There are 2,500 miles of waterways across the metropolis, he mentioned, in addition to a homeless inhabitants dwelling outdoor.
Whitmire urged that when homeless individuals die, their buddies typically throw them within the water.
“Sadly the homeless, once they cross, typically find yourself within the bayou,” he mentioned.
He additionally pointed to alcohol use and psychological well being issues as potential components within the deaths.
