Has the Rainey Street ripper struck again? Fresh fears of Texas serial killer as two more bodies are found

Fears that a Texas serial killer is on the loose have been reignited following the discovery of two more bodies in the same Austin lake.

The unidentified victims were plucked from the infamous Lady Bird Lake within days of each other.

The discoveries mean that a total of twelve bodies have been recovered from the water since 2022.

Police continue to insist there is no killer at large, but rumors of a possible ‘Rainey Street ripper’ continue to swirl as the bodies continue to pile up.

Although police have ruled out foul play in several cases, at least one death remains unsolved.

Cliff Axtell, 40, was found March 5 in Lady Bird Lake after going missing Feb. 25 near Stubb’s downtown. His death is considered ‘undetermined’.

In 2023, four bodies were found in Austin’s Lady Bird Lake, including 33-year-old Jonathan Honey (pictured), who was found dead on April 1.

Jason John, 30, was found on February 13, 2023 after he was last seen on Rainey Street a week earlier. His parents believe there is more to his disappearance

The first body was found under South 1st Street Bridge on April 9 and was described as a “cardiac arrest” style event. However, police continue to investigate the death.

Just five days later, a fisherman called to report another body near 515 S. Pleasant Valley Rd. The death was not investigated as a homicide.

Police have managed to rule out foul play in some of the deaths linked to the reservoir, saying they are most likely accidental drownings due to the lake’s proximity to popular nightlife spots.

These include that of Ricky Parks, 59, whose body was first found in July 2022 and who is thought to have drowned.

The deaths of Christopher Gutierrez, Kyle Thornton, 56, and Christopher Hays-Clark, 30, were also not considered suspicious.

Two of the deceased, Jason John, 30, and Jonathan Honey, 33, were presumed to have drowned accidentally. Both men were last seen on Rainey Street.

One man Josue Moreno was shot while driving and his vehicle plunged into the reservoir, police said.

The death of Clifton Axtell, 46, who was found in March 2023, was ruled “undetermined.” The remaining bodies were not investigated as homicides.

The death of father Christopher Hays-Clark, 30, (pictured with son) was not considered suspicious

Rainey Street (above) is a vibrant neighborhood in Austin known for its nightlife and selection of bars, food trucks and restaurants. Lady Bird Lake is approximately 2.9 km, or a 35-minute walk, from the street. There are no cameras around the lake

However, a local bartender told the newspaper American sun she has a hard time accepting that there is nothing sinister going on.

“The number of people being found dead is staggering,” she said. “We now have police patrols on the streets quite regularly.”

“It’s also a strange place for people to go. I find it hard to understand how people can leave Rainey and end up at the lake. You have to walk blocks to get there.”

Last year, the city of Austin announced further safety measures, including lighting and fencing around the lake.

The city is also considering stationing park rangers around the water and more surveillance cameras.

Former Austin Police Department forensics director Mark Gillespie previously emphasized in an interview with KVUE that the public should believe police when they say no foul play is involved.

“They’re looking for foul play, and so if APD comes out with the statement that they don’t suspect foul play at this time, I promise you they were looking for it, and they looked very hard for it, so I respect that Gillespie said.

In an interview with KXAN, Dr. Carsten Andresen of St. Edward’s University said the rumors surrounding the Lady Bird Lake deaths are similar to conspiracy theories spread in cities across the country.

A memorial left near where Chris Hays-Clark’s body was found in Lady Bird Lake

Last year, the city of Austin announced further safety measures, including lighting and fencing around the lake

Lady Bird Lake is a popular Austin destination for water activities, including kayaking

‘Human nature has always looked at things and looked for patterns that may or may not exist. But also social media and the ability to just put these rumors online and let them spread like wildfire,” he said.

Andresen pointed out that Austin has a reputation as a city where people go to drink and party.

“I don’t think we’ve seen anything that would lead us to believe there’s a serial killer on the loose.” “But we do know that people in Austin drink too much and that men often engage in risky behavior,” he added.