Texas serial killer fears after 38 bodies found in lake
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Fears that a serial killer is at large were reignited by the recent discovery of a body in a Texas lake where 38 corpses have been found over the past three years.
The Austin Police Department has been contacted via email outside of working hours.
A woman on Lady Bird Lake, Austin, Texas, Wednesday, June 21, 2023.
A woman on Lady Bird Lake, Austin, Texas, Wednesday, June 21, 2023.
Eric Gay/AP Photo
Why It Matters
The cluster of deaths at Lady Bird Lake has alarmed residents in Austin and drawn national attention, fueling speculation of foul play. But Austin police say talk of a serial killer is false, and that only one of the bodies died from homicide that they know of.
However, multiple bodies found in the lake still have unknown causes of death, according to Fox 7 Austin. The persistence of unresolved cases, the lake's proximity to a party hub, and high visibility on social media have led to increased distrust of officials, and pressure to explain the ongoing deaths and address community fears.
What To Know
Rumors of a killer known to people in Austin as the "Rainey Street Ripper" erupted again on June 3, after the body of a teenage boy was found in the lake.
The 17-year-old was reported missing after a family outing involving kayaks and paddleboards.
"Another paddleboarder was here out on Lady Bird Lake and notified us that it appeared that an individual was deceased and floating on Lady Bird Lake," said Corporal Jose Mendez of the Austin Police Department, according to FOX 7 Austin.
The teen was not wearing a life jacket and disappeared after stepping off an underwater shelf, according to a statement from the Austin Police Department cited by the outlet.
Between 2022 and June 2025, at least 38 bodies were recovered from Lady Bird Lake, according to figures published by Fox 7. Of these, 30 victims were male and more than 60 percent were aged between 30 and 49. Only two of the victims were teenagers.
The rumored killer became known as the Rainey Street Ripper due to the proximity of the popular bar and restaurant area of Austin, and Lady Bird Lake.
According to My San Antonio, bodies have shown up in Lady Bird Lake for most of its history. However, they started to gain media attention when six men with similar features were found dead in the lake around the same time in 2022.
In early 2023, five more men were pulled from the lake, all of whom had gone missing after being out with friends on Rainy Street late at night. All except one were deemed to have drowned accidentally. One man's death was deemed unknown.
Despite police attempts to quell the rumor, the Facebook page The Lady Bird Lake Serial Killer, is filled with people stating their distrust of law enforcement, per My San Antonio reporting.
A Change.org petition from 2024 amassed over 6,000 signatures from people urging the police to further investigate the incidents and to install better lighting and protection around the lake.
Former Austin Police Department PIO Demitri Hobbs told My San Antonio that he believes these deaths were due to "drunk guys" falling into the lake. However, according to the Change.org petition, some family members of the deceased believe something more sinister occurred.
For example, the family of Martin Gutierrez, whose body was found in the lake in 2018, before the media frenzy around Lady Bird Lake, believe he was drugged while on a night out. According to the petition: "The APD has refused to admit that this may be a possibility, and they seemingly have tried their hardest NOT to investigate this case."
What People Are Saying
Sergeant Nathan Sexton of the Austin Police Department told My San Antonio: "There is no evidence to support that these deaths are suspicious in any way," says. "The vast majority of the cases either involve someone suffering from mental illness, substance abuse, or a medical issue."
UT professor Kate Winsler Dawson, a crime historian, told My San Antonio: "I think there have been enough instances in high profile cases where the police, quite frankly, have screwed up, that it makes people very suspicious already. Some people think [police] are lazy, that they don't care, and I don't know if that comes from personal experience or if it's a generational thing. But I certainly think over the years the trust in the police has eroded for many different reasons."
What Happens Next
Citizens have urged police to implement better safety structures around the lake to prevent accidental drownings from happening.
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