Houston’s bayous have long been part of the city’s identity—winding through neighborhoods, parks, and industrial corridors. But in 2025, they’ve become something darker: a recurring site of tragedy. At least 24 bodies have been recovered from Houston’s bayous this year, nearly triple the number from 2023. While city officials deny any connection between the cases, families and communities are left with grief, questions, and silence.
The Numbers Behind the Mystery
According to the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, only six of the 24 deaths have confirmed causes. The rest remain “undetermined” or “pending”, leaving families without closure.
17 cases lack clear evidence of how the victims died.
8 are officially listed as “undetermined.”
9 are still under investigation.
These aren’t just statistics. They’re lives cut short—and stories that deserve to be told.
Faces of the Bayou
🕊️ Jade McKissic, 20
A University of Houston student found dead in Brays Bayou on September 15. She had been missing for four days. Surveillance footage showed her walking alone toward the bayou after leaving a bar without her phone.
Autopsy: No signs of trauma or foul play.
Status: Cause of death remains pending.
🕊️ Kenneth Cutting Jr., 22
Discovered in Buffalo Bayou in July 2024. His family believes he was murdered, despite police ruling his death accidental.
Last seen after a night out downtown.
His body was found more than a mile from where he was last spotted.
Autopsy: No drugs, no injuries, no explanation.
🕊️ Unidentified Victims
In late September, six people were discovered in just two weeks, one of whom the medical examiner still needs help identifying.
Many were found near White Oak and Buffalo Bayous.
Some had no ID, no known missing persons reports.
A Survivor’s Story
In a rare case of survival, an elderly woman was kidnapped, assaulted, and dumped in a bayou in 2023. She escaped and found help at a nearby apartment complex. Her attacker, Talib Smith, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison.
She was blindfolded, bound, and choked before being thrown into the water.
Her story is a chilling reminder that not every bayou victim is lost—and that justice, though rare, is possible.
Bayou Victim Archive 🗂️
This archive is a living record—updated as new cases emerge, identities are confirmed, and families speak out. Each entry includes known details, location, and case status.
| Name | Age | Bayou Location | Date Found | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jade McKissic | 20 | Brays Bayou | Sept 15, 2025 | Pending | UH student; last seen walking alone after leaving the bar |
| Kenneth Cutting Jr. | 22 | Buffalo Bayou | July 2024 | Undetermined | Family suspects foul play; no trauma or drugs found |
| Unidentified Male | — | White Oak Bayou | Sept 16, 2025 | Unidentified | Found near Taylor St & Katy Fwy; no ID recovered |
| Unidentified Female | — | Buffalo Bayou | Sept 2025 | Pending | One of six bodies recovered in two weeks |
| Multiple Unnamed Cases | — | Various Bayous | Jan–Oct 2025 | Mixed | 24 total deaths; 17 undetermined, 9 pending |
📌 This archive will expand as more details emerge. Each name represents a life lost—and a story still unfolding.
What Officials Say
Houston Mayor John Whitmire has repeatedly denied speculation of a serial killer.
“There is no evidence that there is a serial killer loose on the streets of Houston,” he said in October.
Instead, officials cite homelessness, substance use, and mental health crises as contributing factors. But for families, the lack of answers feels like a second loss.
🎙️ Voices from the Water: Interviews with Families, Experts & Survivors
💬 Annisa Villareal, Mother of Salome Garza Jr.
“My son didn’t deserve to be pulled from the water like a stranger. We still haven’t been told how he died. No one called us. We found out through the news.” — Interview with FOX 26 Houston, Oct 2025
💬 Family of Kenneth Cutting Jr.
“He knew how to swim. He wasn’t drunk. He wasn’t high. And yet they say it was an accident? We don’t accept that.” — Interview with WFAA and Fox News Digital
🧠 Dr. Priya Banerjee, Forensic Pathologist
“There’s nothing definitive at autopsy to say why Kenneth Cutting Jr. died or whether it happened before or after he entered the bayou. The answer hinges on investigation.” — Quoted in Yahoo News, Oct 2025
🛑 Survivor: Elderly Woman Assaulted and Dumped in Bayou
In 2023, a Houston woman was kidnapped, blindfolded, choked, and thrown into a bayou. She escaped and found help at a nearby apartment complex. Her attacker, Talib Smith, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison. — Reported by Click2Houston, Oct 2025
🕯️ Honoring the Lost
This blog isn’t about speculation. It’s about remembrance.
Each victim deserves a name, a story, and dignity.
Each family deserves answers.
Each recovery from the bayou is a call for transparency, compassion, and change.
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