Residents Launch ‘Serial Killer’ Hunt After 22 Bodies are Found

Residents in Houston have taken matters into their own hands — launching social media “Scooby-Doo”–style investigations — after an additional six bodies were found in the city’s bayous since mid-September, fueling fears of an alleged serial killer.

The panic started after five bodies were discovered in just five days, with residents convinced a mystery killer was on the loose. Police said the city’s total number of bodies found this year was 14, but records from the Harris County medical examiner suggest the real number is 22.

TikTok users have since turned amateur sleuths, sharing videos vowing to “hunt down” the supposed killer. One man posted, “Let’s set up a trap. We have a serial killer on the loose,” while another threatened to confront the so-called “Bayou Killer” face-to-face.

Others have expressed deep fear and frustration. “What the f**k is going on? Every day, it’s something else,” one TikTok user said, while another shared a clip of Houston’s waterways captioned, “Can’t catch me if I run fast.”

Authorities, however, are dismissing the rumors. Houston Mayor John Whitmire blasted the speculation as “wild misinformation,” insisting there’s no evidence of a serial killer.

Criminology professor Krista Gehring of the University of Houston-Downtown agreed, telling the Daily Mail that serial killers typically leave distinct patterns and take “cooling-off periods” between murders — traits not seen in Houston’s recent cases. “The only common link is that these bodies are showing up in bayous,” she said.

The frenzy began after the body of 20-year-old University of Houston student Jade McKissic was found in Brays Bayou on September 15. Authorities said she had no signs of trauma or foul play. In the days that followed, several other bodies — including those of Rodney Chatman and Michael Rice — were found in nearby waterways, sparking widespread panic.

Despite official denials, Houston residents continue to demand answers. City council member Letitia Plummer urged officials to increase safety around the city’s 2,500 miles of bayous and said, “Families deserve the truth. We don’t want assumptions or rumors — just answers.”