Houston River Bodies Spark Serial Killer Fears

Houston officials have discovered a record number of bodies floating in rivers this year, fueling public concerns about a potential serial killer, despite no concrete evidence.

On October 8, a Houston dive team recovered the body of a male from a branch of the White Oak River at Marie Street. The Harris County Institute of Forensic Science is investigating the cause of death for this individual. This marks the 16th body found floating in Houston’s waterways in 2025. Back in September, city officials uncovered five bodies in just five days.

Houston police report that the victims include both men and women, aged 20 to 60. Among the deceased is Jade McKissic, a 20-year-old University of Houston student whose body was discovered on September 15, four days after she went missing.

The rapid succession of body discoveries in such a short period has heightened fears among Houston residents of a serial killer operating in the city. Kevin Gannon, a retired New York Police Department (NYPD) investigator, believes the deaths could be linked to the “Smiley Face Killers” group.

Gannon has long championed the controversial theory that a network dubbed the Smiley Face Killers is responsible for hundreds of drowning deaths nationwide. These alleged killers are said to target young men and dispose of their bodies in water.

However, Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz stated there is no verifiable evidence supporting this claim. “Rumors create fear and anxiety in the community. It’s crucial to rely on verified investigative information,” Diaz emphasized.

Since then, authorities have located at least two more floating bodies. During a September 23 press conference, Houston Mayor John Whitmire firmly denied the presence of a serial killer in the city, while acknowledging the situation as “alarming.”

He pointed out that Houston boasts a total of 4,000 kilometers of rivers and bayous, home to a significant homeless population, many of whom struggle with substance abuse. When homeless individuals die, their friends often do not take them to a funeral home, he explained, implying that bodies are sometimes discarded into the rivers.

The Houston Police Department and Mayor Whitmire’s office have not yet commented on the 16th body recovered on October 8.

Joseph Giacalone, a retired NYPD investigator and criminal justice professor at Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley State University, expressed skepticism toward the Smiley Face Killers conspiracy but also critiqued Mayor Whitmire’s statements as premature.

“With 16 bodies, you can’t just assume they’re all homeless people dumped in the river after death,” he said. “We don’t even know if they were locals.”

He urged Houston officials to conduct thorough investigations into each death, including full autopsies and toxicology tests for every body. Forensic personnel can also determine whether victims died before entering the water or drowned, he added.