Hunt for the Lady Bird Lake killer: How a secret Austin social media group is connecting the dots
AUSTIN, TEXAS: A private Facebook group comprising Austin locals is buzzing with conspiracy theories after a fourth body was pulled from a lake in the city this year, sparking fears that a serial killer may be on the loose.
Jason John, 30, Clifton Axtell, 40, Jonathan Honey, 33, and John Christopher Hays-Clark, 30, were found dead in or close to Lady Bird Lake since mid-February. Another four unidentified bodies were recovered from the lake in the past 10 months. Other bodies previously found in the lake include Julio Santos, 22, in 2015, and Martin Gutierrez, 25, in 2018. Local residents have since set up social media groups to voice their concerns that the deaths may be connected.
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Fears of a serial killer on the loose
One such group on Facebook, Lady Bird Lake Serial Killer/Rainey Street Killer, discusses various theories and angles about the deaths. The group has garnered more than 70,000 followers while a local news outlet recently ran with a headline, 'Fears of a Rainey Street Ripper.' Some social media users noted that the circumstances surrounding the deaths resembled those of the Smiley Face Killers. These deaths reportedly began in 1997 and bore unmistakable similarities, with most victims being young males who were athletic and academically proficient.
Hotbed of conspiracy theories
Members of the Lady Bird Lake Serial Killer/ Rainey St Killer Facebook page have shared several theories as well as their own stories about being drugged and assaulted while reveling on Rainey Street. Users welcome all types of things related to the topic, including warnings, safety tips and ideas for those who intend to bike or hike on the trails surrounding Lady Bird Lake. One of the most popular theories on the Facebook group is that the alleged "serial killer" is a bartender who has been slipping date rape drugs into people's drinks. Meanwhile, a spreadsheet shared on the group seeks to link the 2008 death of Free Gaza activist Riad Hamad to the same perpetrator. The public schoolteacher was reportedly found dead on the south side of the lake with his hands and feet bound by tape. However, his death was ruled a suicide.
Police downplay foul play concerns
It's worth noting that local law enforcement has refuted these theories by releasing an official statement declaring there was no foul play suspected in any of the deaths. Instead, the statement issued a reminder to the public about responsible drinking and the dangers of being near water bodies.
Speaking to Fox 7 this week, Austin Police Department spokesman Chief Joseph Chacon said, "I realize that there is a rampant rumor about a potential serial killer here in Austin. We've found no evidence of that. It's a horrible circumstance that we have these, and we look at each one to determine the circumstances in which they occurred." He added, "Some of them are accidental, unfortunately, some of them are also suicides."
Locals remain skeptical
The authorities noted that while each incident occurred at the lake, the "circumstances, exact locations, and demographics surrounding these cases vary." Chacon assured the public that his office would keep them abreast of the investigations. However, despite the assurances by law enforcement, members of Lady Bird Lake Serial Killer / Rainey St Killer remain skeptical that there's absolutely no connection between the bodies found in the lake.
"As a criminal justice professional and student of criminal justice, I try to approach things from a fact-based academic standpoint," one user wrote in the group, as quoted by San Antonio Current, adding, "I'm really trying to make this accidental drowning thing make sense in my head, but I just cannot. I think the FBI needs to step in and investigate this."
If you or anyone you know has information about any of the cases, you are urged to contact APD's homicide unit at (512) 477-3588.