Spate of Austin lake deaths is ‘consistent’ with other cities as cops temper ‘serial killer’ theories
Over the past few years, dozens of bodies have been recovered from in or around Austin’s Lady Bird Lake, fueling fears of a serial killer across Texas’ capital city.
The deaths have sparked a slew of theories online, but police have maintained that there is no such serial killer – and that Austin is no different from other cities when it comes to drownings.
“The unfortunate deaths… are consistent with a population this size and a body of water that runs right down the middle of (the city),” Sgt. Nathan Sexton told KXAN.
But a recent “Beneath the Surface” Catalyst investigation by KXAN suggests the comparison between cities is not so straightforward.
The news outlet’s review of autopsy reports and law enforcement records identified at least 30 drowning deaths, many involving intoxication, in Lady Bird Lake over the past decade.
“Our team reviewed medical examiner and law enforcement data in other U.S. cities with populations roughly the same size as Austin, which hovers around a million,” the outlet said.
“They also have waterways in their downtowns and along their entertainment districts – like Rainey Street. In those places, we focused only on drownings – with a manner of death listed as accidental or undetermined – that could be preventable.”
The team analyzed only cases classified as accidental or undetermined drownings that appeared preventable. They excluded suicides, deaths from natural causes, flood-related incidents, vehicle crashes into water, shoreline deaths, and cases lacking both cause and manner of death.
Between 2022 and early June 2025, at least 38 bodies were recovered in or around Lady Bird Lake, the outlet reported, citing police reports. Roughly 30 of the victims were men, mostly between the ages of 30 and 49. At least 11 of those men had blood-alcohol levels above the legal limit to drive, a proportion similar to other cities studied.
Still, Austin’s total number of drownings exceeded several other cities, KXAN reported.
In Columbus, Ohio, there were just six drownings in the downtown Scioto River and River South District during the same period, according to the Franklin County Coroner. All were men with an average age of 35. Toxicology showed that only two victims were legally intoxicated.
Fort Worth reported 14 drownings over the past decade, nearly all involving men with an average age of 36. At least three had alcohol levels above the legal limit, while five had “methamphetamine toxicity” listed as a contributing factor – a trend less common in other cities reviewed.
The KXAN investigation also uncovered major data gaps that make nationwide comparisons difficult.
“Our research also uncovered data challenges, as there is no uniform tracking site or method among cities and counties across the U.S. when it comes to drownings in waterways,” the outlet said.
In Jacksonville, Florida, medical examiners could not provide location-specific data. In San Jose, California, records lacked precise incident locations and only dated back to 2018.
In Fort Worth, differences emerged between public health records and medical examiner data, with some autopsy reports temporarily withheld because of ongoing criminal cases.
A 2024 study by Texas State University and the Austin Police Department reviewed nearly 200 Lady Bird Lake deaths and found no evidence of a serial murderer. Researchers concluded that alcohol use and proximity of bars to the shoreline were the dominant risk factors.
In response, Austin has invested in safety improvements. In 2023, the city allocated $1 million for lighting, fencing, sidewalks and cameras near Rainey Street.
