Credit: Alamy & CBS
City Gripped By Fear Of Serial Killer After 38 Bodies Found In Lake
Residents are terrified there might be a serial killer on the loose in a major U.S. city after 38 bodies have been found in a lake over the last three years.
The latest sad discovery was the body of a teenage boy who had been missing since Sunday.
He was found by a paddleboarder at Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas.
There have been rumors swirling for years about a potential serial killer, which residents have dubbed the ‘Rainy Street Ripper.’
Authorities are trying to put people’s minds at ease, and are insisting a killer is not on the loose.
They have said that only one of the 38 cases was ruled to be a homicide.
However, despite this claim, it has emerged that half a dozen of the bodies are yet to be allocated a cause of death.
The teenager was out on a trip with his family kayaking and paddleboarding on the lake when he fell in and tragically did not resurface.
The body of the teenager is the 30th male corpse to be discovered in the lake since 2022.
It has been reported that 60% of those who died were aged between 39 and 49. Two of those who were discovered were teenagers.
The leading cause of death shared by authorities has been drowning, with s**cide, drug overdoses, and natural causes also being listed.
As well as the lake, another two corpses were found in or around the river.
One sad case was found under a bridge near the river, and it was said to have been caused by a ‘cardiac arrest incident.’
There was then another tragic death in Lady Bird Lake a few days later, which is not being treated as a homicide.
The first death was recorded back in February 2023.
The body was identified as Jason John, 30, he had last been seen on Rainey Street, a street popular for bachelorette and bachelor parties and drunken gatherings.
Other sad deaths have included Cliff Axtell, 40, Jonathan Honey, 33, Julio Santos III, 22, and Martin Gutierrez, 25.
After facing criticism for the number of incidents, some efforts have been put in place to try and keep people away from the water.
Fencing and lighting has been installed round the lake, with $800,000 spent on safety upgrades.
Ambulances have also been seen on Rainey Street, prepared to help get people home who may have had too much to drink.
Despite this, residents aren’t believing the deaths are coincidental.
A petition collected more than 5,200 signatures.
The petition featured the case of Christian Pugh, 21, who went missing in 2019.
Horrifyingly, he was found so badly beaten he was in a coma.
However, police said he fell into the lake in a ‘tragic accident’ despite the signs he had been beaten.
Authorities insist there is no connection between any of the cases.
They say there is no question of foul play with the teenager who was discovered most recently.
They confirmed that there were no trauma wounds to be found.
Related Article: Police Issue Update After Eight Bodies Found Amid Serial Killer Fears
Related Article: Female Serial Killer Performed Defiant Final Act After Being Sentenced To Death
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