- By Shivangi Sharma
- Sun, 12 Oct 2025 03:21 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Texas authorities have extracted a minimum of 16 bodies from the city's bayous so far in 2025, and concern and speculation have arisen over the possibility of a serial killer. The most recent finding, on October 8, is the sixteenth body in the same section of water, which is frequented for recreational use. Victims' ages are between their 20s and 60s, adding to the complexity of the investigation.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire has been downplaying publicly the speculation of a serial killer, assuring, "We do not have any evidence that there is a serial killer loose in Houston." City officials have insisted that investigations continue and that no causal relationship among the deaths has been established.
Experts Call For Deeper Investigation
In spite of assurances from authorities, criminal justice scholars are urging an in-depth examination of the cases. Retired NYPD sergeant and Penn State-Lehigh Valley professor Joseph Giacalone stated, "Something is afoot. A coincidence? Unlikely. A close examination of all cases is in order, including the 48 hours leading up to the discovery of their disappearance."
The grim pattern has revived the controversial “Smiley Face Killers” theory, first advanced by retired NYPD detectives Kevin Gannon and Anthony Duarte, along with Dr. Lee Gilbertson, a criminal justice professor. The theory suggests an organised gang may target young men, often college students, and dispose of their bodies in water, marking the locations with graffiti of smiley faces. The cases clustered in Midwestern and Northeastern cities, but the Houston incidents fit several aspects of the alleged pattern.
Gannon told Fox News Digital, “We’ve never seen drowning numbers like this before, especially with a drowning occurring every other day in the same location. The pattern fits Houston, for the most part, except that some victims are older.”
The Smiley Face Killers hypothesis has been greeted with suspicion by numerous law enforcement and crime experts, who contend that the victims died as a result of accidents or natural causes. Nevertheless, the sheer number and clustering of drownings in Houston's bayous this year have raised more scrutiny.
Police continue to probe all 16 cases, reviewing evidence and questioning possible witnesses. In the meantime, the community is anxious, weighing fear and rumour against comfort promises from municipal officials. Experts such as Giacalone call for caution and careful analysis, observing that trends such as these, either criminal or coincidental, require close monitoring.
