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Recently, rumors of a serial killer in Austin, Texas started gaining traction (again) when a teenage boy’s body was pulled from the area’s Lady Bird Lake on June 3. Although authorities claim the boy’s death was not “suspicious,” it was enough to make people in the area (and the internet) bring up the “Rainey Street Ripper” — a moniker that’s been given by locals to a suspected killer in Austin. Here’s the story:
1.
Over the past three years, 19 corpses have been found in Lady Bird Lake (which is actually a reservoir) in Austin, Texas.
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And you should know that swimming has actually been banned in Lady Bird Lake since 1964. However, kayaking and paddleboarding are allowed.
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According to My San Antonio, bodies have actually been found in Lady Bird Lake for a long, long time, dating back to when it was called “Town Lake” back in the ’60s.
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But, what really shook locals, was that in 2022, a “cluster” of six bodies were found. The victims were Rocael Lopez, Ricky Parks, Amos Olatayo, Christopher Gutierrez, Kyle Thornton, and Josue Moreno. Interestingly, they reportedly all had similar features.
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Then, in 2023, five more bodies were found, again, all men. It was reported that each had gone missing after having a night out on the nearby Rainey Street, which is a popular nightlife area with many bars, music venues, and food trucks.
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The moniker “Rainey Street Ripper” was given by locals to this believed serial killer because of Lady Bird Lake’s proximity to Rainey Street.
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However, according to My San Antonio, the Austin Police Department has said, “There is no evidence to support that these deaths are suspicious in any way. The vast majority of the cases either involve someone suffering from mental illness, substance abuse, or a medical issue.”
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But locals have not been satisfied with the APD’s statements, with many apparently “suspicious” of police.
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And former Austin resident (and YouTuber) Colin Browen believes the APD is “a very strange organization,” and even started a Change.org petition in 2024, asking the APD to “acknowledge that the Austin drownings may not be accidents.” The petition has over 6,000 signatures.
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According to Browen’s petition, none of the deaths that have been deemed “accidents” by police have been “thoroughly investigated as more than that — an ‘accident.'”
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Browen further says, “I have spoken to multiple family members of victims who believe that their loved ones were targeted and or murdered by a person or persons that is currently operating in the Austin city area. There is a belief amongst family members of victims that their loved ones were drugged before their deaths (another possibility that the APD refuses to acknowledge).”
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The petition also highlights what Browen alleges are “inconsistent autopsy reports, misleading toxicology reports, unexplained injuries, unexplained routes of victim travel, and leads that were never properly investigated.”
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Adding more fuel to the suspicion fire, in the last few years, several young men have been found either beaten to near death or actually killed on a trail surrounding Lady Bird Lake that is poorly lit and has no surveillance cameras.
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For example, in 2018, 25-year-old Martin Gutierrez disappeared from that trail and was found a week later, dead, in Lady Bird Lake. According to his brother, Martin had “decided to go out with some friends on Rainey Street, and he never came back.”
16.
In 2019, 21-year-old Christian Pugh was found “barely alive” at Lady Bird Lake after having a night out with friends on Rainey Street days before. Although he was found on the opposite side of the lake (from Rainey Street) and his injuries were bad enough to put him in a coma, the APD said that he “fell from the bridge in a ‘tragic accident.'” However, Pugh’s family believes he was thrown into the lake from a nearby bridge.
17.
In 2022, 29-year-old Joshua Crow had been riding his bike on that trail when he reportedly died from “blunt force trauma to the head and chest.” According to his family, he’d been on his way to work at a bar on Rainey Street.
18.
In February 2023, 30-year-old Jason John went missing after a night out with friends and was found dead in Lady Bird Lake eight days later. According to the autopsy reports, he was found “fully dressed with all his personal property, including his wallet and phone, in his pockets.” His death, like the other ones, was ruled an accident by the police.
What do you think? Is it possible there’s a serial killer active in Austin, Texas? Are all of these deaths truly “accidental,” or do you think authorities (or someone) need to investigate this high number of deaths further? Are you someone who lives in Austin and have thoughts about it? Sound off in the comments below.
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