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In the first ten months of 2025, at least 16 bodies have been pulled from bayous in the Houston area. In 2024, 24 bodies were found.
The Houston area has more than 2,500 miles of waterways.
We do not know a lot about the victims but the media are focusing primarily on the people who have been recovered since mid September. We will chronologically run through what we know about some of the victims so far.
January 11, 2025
Location: White Oak Bayou (Heights area, 2200 block Patterson St.), Houston
Name: Douglas Swearingen (44)
Manner of Death: Accident
Primary Cause of Death: Drowning
Contributory Cause(s): Acute methamphetamine toxicity
It seems like Douglas went missing on January 4 and his body was found in the bayou on January 11.
DOUGLAS PAYNE SWEARINGEN passed away Saturday, January 4, 2025, at the age of 44 and was called home to Heaven. Welcoming him with open arms was God, his mother, grandparents, a host of angels and many others experiencing an eternity of perfect peace, happiness, and love in the presence of God.
February 14, 2025
Location: Unspecified bayou
Name: Carl Newton
Manner of Death: Accident
Primary Cause of Death: Sudden cardiac death (Hypertensive cardiovascular disease, KCNQ1 variant with hypothermia)
We found an obituary for a Carl Newton who died in Houston on this date.
March 22, 2025
Location: Unspecified bayou
Name: Rodolfo Salas Sosa – aged 56
Manner of Death: n/a
Primary Cause of Death: Drowning with blunt force trauma.
March 30, 2025
Location: Unspecified bayou
Name: Anthony Azua (33)
Manner of Death: Pending
Primary Cause of Death: Pending
March 31, 2025
Location: Brays Bayou in southeast Houston (6000 block Old Spanish Trail at S. Wayside Drive)
Name: Juan Garcia Loredo (69)
Manner of Death: Pending
Primary Cause of Death: Pending
April 15, 2025
Location: Buffalo Bayou near Downtown Houston (bridge near I-69 & I-10 / Runnels St.)
Name: Jesse Steel
Manner of Death: Undetermined
Primary Cause of Death: Multiple blunt force injuries
Jesse was born July 7th 1990 in Pasadena TX. Jesse Stayed in Houston most of his life, briefly moving to Dallas, TX while his sister Samantha Juarez was born, returning shortly after to move to Cypress, TX. He Attended Cy fair high school for a short span of time until he moved to a group home for people with autism, where he met the warmest family and joined them. His family at the group home was better than we could’ve hoped for. Mrs. Pat and Mrs. Obi took him under their wing and always made sure he had what he needed. At the group he had the chance to be in a stable environment where he made friends, and celebrated birthdays and Christmases together. He quickly became a son and friend to everyone he met. While with his family he became a member of the church and delved into watching sports like soccer.
Many lists do not include Jesse amongst victims but some do, so we have included him here.
May 7, 2025
Location: Unspecified bayou
Name: Kenneth Jones (34)
Manner of Death: Undetermined
Primary Cause of Death: Undetermined
May 9, 2025
Location: Unspecified bayou
Name: George Grays (54)
Manner of Death: Pending
Primary Cause of Death: Pending
May 9, 2025
Location: Buffalo Bayou, 800 block of N. York (Second Ward, Houston)
Name: Culcois Racius (39)
Manner of Death: Pending
Primary Cause of Death: Pending
May 17, 2025
Location: Brays Bayou
Name: Anthony Curry (35)
Manner of Death: Accident
Primary Cause of Death: Drowning with acute toxic effects of PCP and ethanol
May 30, 2025
Location: Brays Bayou
Name: Shannon Davis (14)
Manner of Death: Accident
Primary Cause of Death: Drowning
June 9/10, 2025
Location: White Oak Bayou meets Buffalo Bayou (Downtown Houston)
Name: Ernest Armstrong (62)
Manner of Death: Undetermined
Primary Cause of Death: Undetermined
June 12, 2025
Location: Unspecified bayou
Name: Brent Brown (28)
Manner of Death: Pending
Primary Cause of Death: Undetermined
It appears that Brent was found around ten days after he went missing.
With heavy hearts and profound sorrow, we announce the passing of our beloved son and brother, Brent Everett Brown, 28, of Houston, Texas. Brent departed this world on June 2, 2025, in Channelview, Texas, leaving behind a legacy of quiet strength, deep love, and unforgettable warmth.
July 7, 2025
Location: Unspecified bayou
Name: Raymond Hatten (30)
Manner of Death: Pending
Primary Cause of Death: Pending
Raymond was the typical “around-the-way” guy who loved to write and recite his lyrics to anyone who would listen. He was a true hidden gem whose humor and energy brought joy to everyone around him. He found happiness in making others smile and was known for his easy going nature. A graduate of Elkins High School, Raymond went on to study Business Management Techniques at Houston Community College. He was always on the move, staying busy through his most recent jobs at Burger King, Amazon, and Discount Tire.
August 21, 2025
Location: Brays Bayou
Name: Latrecia Amos (57)
Manner of Death: Pending
Primary Cause of Death: Pending
August 27, 2025
Location: Brays Bayou
Name: Jamal Alexander (31)
Manner of Death: Pending
Primary Cause of Death: Pending
September 15, 2025
Brays Bayou near University of Houston: Jade McKissick (20)
Jade went missing on September 11, 2025. At the time of her death, Jade was a student at the University of Houston. According to The Cougar, she was a junior majoring in strategic communications and advertising.
Jade spent the evening of September 11 bar hopping with friends. Her group said that she left the bar by herself and that she left her cell phone behind. After she left the bar, she went to a gas station to get a drink.
Police say Jade was seen leaving the gas station alone and was walking towards Brays Bayou, near Scott Street and MacGregor Way.
Jade’s body was found on September 15, about 2.5 miles away in the bayou, in the 4900 block of Spur 5.
According to Houston Police, an autopsy showed “no signs of trauma or foul play.” Jade’s cause of death is pending.
September 15, 2025 – Greens Bayou: Rodney Riccardo Chatman (43)
September 16, 2025 – White Oak Bayou: Seth Joseph Hansen (24)
September 18, 2025 – Buffalo Bayou, Jensen Dr.: Arnulfo Alvarado (63) Witnesses reported seeing Arnulfo jump into Buffalo Bayou near Jensen Drive and Navigation Boulevard. He did not resurface and his body was eventually recovered.
September 20, 2025– Buffalo Bayou, N. York St.: Michael Andrea Rice (67)
September 26, 2025 – Buffalo Bayou, Commerce St.: Unidentified Black woman, under 30
The unidentified woman recovered Sept. 26 remains a key focus for investigators. She was described as 5’3”, 120 pounds, with short black hair and a widow’s peak. She was wearing a black t-shirt that said “Black & Beautiful,” jeans, and had a tattoo reading “888” on her inner left wrist.
October 8, 2025 – White Oak Bayou, Taylor Street: Unidentified man found, investigation is pending autopsy results and cause of death. In tems of this person, “We received a drowning call,” HPD said. “Officers are at the scene trying to figure out what’s going on.”
City officials have denied that a serial killer is at work.
“We do not have any evidence that there is a serial killer loose in Houston,” Mayor John Whitmire said in a Sept. 20 press conference. “If there was, you would hear it from me first.”
“There is no evidence that there is a serial killer loose on the streets of Houston,” the Mayor also said recently. “Enough is enough on speculation, out of respect for the families and also the 2.3 million Houstonians in our region.”
Criminal justice experts also say there is no evidence of a serial killer pattern.
“The short answer is no,” said Dr. Krista Gehring, a University of Houston-Downtown criminal justice professor. “It’s possible these are accidental deaths, or people, unfortunately, taking their own lives. There are a lot of alternative, less scary explanations.”
She noted that serial killers typically follow specific victim patterns, which is not happening here. Dr Gehring also said cameras near bayous might help provide both answers and peace of mind.
“The camera might actually capture where an individual falls into the bayou or has an accident or is intoxicated or whatever, because that’s likely what is happening,” she told KHOU 11.
“We’ve created this cultural boogeyman-the serial killer,” she said. “But the truth is, they’re incredibly rare. Most deaths like this are accidental or self-inflicted.”
“We’d see a pattern-same demographics, same trauma, same location. Right now, this looks random.”
Houston’s sprawling bayous are notorious for tragic drownings-especially during rain-heavy weeks or among at-risk populations like the unhoused or those dealing with mental health crises.
“When you live near water, unfortunately, you’ll see deaths related to water,” Dr Gehring said.
According to Click2Houston, the records show that:
Four victims drowned, with toxicology results showing drugs or alcohol in at least two of the cases.
One victim died of sudden cardiac death, tied to hypertensive heart disease and hypothermia.
One case was ruled a suicide from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
19 of the deaths were men, three were women. The ages are varied with the majority falling between 29 to 55 years old.
21 of the bodies were found in Houston’s waterways and one was found in Channelview.
As we mentioned, Houston has around 2,500 miles of waterways in the area. These deaths have prompted people to question what safety measures are in place near the water.
City of Houston leaders discussed the issue during a city council meeting recently, but expressed skepticism about the need and potential effectiveness of physical barriers such as fencing. They said alcohol, mental health and homelessness could be contributing factors to the recent deaths.
“I’m always willing to listen to the solutions that may be available, but I just don’t know how we can stop people’s bodies ending up in the bayou, or people being killed on a daily basis, other than trying to get a mindset of people to change those behaviors,” Houston City Council member Carolyn Evans-Shabazz said earlier this week.
SOURCE LIST
https://www.fox26houston.com/news/uh-houston-student-dead-details-jade-mckissic-missing
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