Serial killer fears grip Austin as another body is found in Lady Bird lake
Fears of a possible serial killer in Austin, Texas, have reignited after another body was discovered in Lady Bird Lake.
A man’s body was found floating on the north side of the lake just before 11 a.m. Friday.
Although Austin police say the man’s body showed no signs of trauma — and they do not suspect foul play — the human remains are the second to be found in several weeks.
The APD is also currently investigating the death of 73-year-old Thi Lang Nguyen, whose body was found in the lake on the morning of December 1.
A kayaker spotted her near Brazos and West Cesar Chavez streets and called 911.
Police believe Nguyen, who was homeless, may have been trying to stay warm when she ended up in the water. No signs of violence or suspicious circumstances were found in her case.
The latest death is one of at least seven fatalities at or near Lady Bird Lake this year, raising concerns among Austin residents.
Despite the growing number of deaths, APD maintains there is no evidence linking the cases.
Previous incidents include the September death of a man who drowned after behaving erratically near East Cesar Chavez and Nueces streets, and the February discovery of a woman’s body near the lake’s north shore.
Fears of a possible serial killer in Austin, Texas, have resurfaced after another body was discovered in Lady Bird Lake
The APD is also currently investigating the death of 73-year-old Thi Lang Nguyen, whose body was found in the lake on the morning of December 1.
Other fatalities include a fisherman who spotted a body on the east side of the lake in April, a man found with blunt force trauma near Rainey Street in July, and another body found along a trail near Pleasant Valley in September Road was located. All were considered non-suspicious.
Austin police have consistently refuted claims of a serial killer in recent years, with most deaths attributed to accidental drownings, often linked to the lake’s proximity to popular entertainment areas such as Rainey Street.
Victims including Jason John, 30, and Jonathan Honey, 33, were last seen on Rainey Street before they accidentally drowned.
However, speculation continues, fueled by reports such as a bartender’s Reddit post from April in which he recalled a customer making disturbing comments about attacking Rainey Street men.
The patron was described as a muscular, white man in his 40s with light brown hair and stubble.
That same month, a man who was drugged and plunged 25 feet from a nearby bridge, narrowly missing drowning, told Dailymail.com he thought he had been attacked by the ripper.
Jeff Jones, 38, was on a bachelor party trip to Austin with a dozen friends from his home in Boston on June 23 last year.
He woke up in the hospital more than two weeks later with metal rods holding his back together and doctors found the date-rape drug Rohypnol in his system.
“Whoever it was just missed the target and I hit the ground, so luckily I didn’t drown,” he explained. “I just got lucky… Not many people can say they possibly survived a serial killer, so that’s a story I can tell, I guess.”
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 death of father Christopher Hays-Clark, 30, (pictured with son) was not considered suspicious
Nguyen’s death is one of at least six fatalities at or near Lady Bird Lake this year, raising concerns among Austin residents
One Facebook group alone has attracted 90,000 followers to its updates on the deaths, but police continue to insist the deaths are not linked.
Still, Mark Gillespie, former forensics director of the Austin Police Department, urged the public to trust police investigations, saying authorities rigorously investigate every case for signs of foul play.
As police continue to investigate, they remain steadfast in their position: the deaths around Lady Bird Lake are unrelated, and speculation about a serial killer lacks credible evidence.