Last year, Jeff Jones flew to Austin expecting an unforgettable, high-energy bachelor party.
Before hitting the lively pubs along the infamous West 6th Street, the Boston native enjoyed dinner with his friends.
But at 1 a.m., Jeff mysteriously lost contact with his group—and everything went blank.
He woke up two weeks later in a hospital bed, metal rods stabilizing his shattered back.
Doctors revealed he had been found submerged in water after falling 25 feet from a bridge—and that his system tested positive for Rohypnol, a notorious date-rape drug.
As whispers of a serial predator stalking Austin’s streets spread, a terrified Jeff was left to piece together the terrifying truth: he believed he had been drugged and pushed by a ruthless attacker.
Despite police assurances that no serial killer is prowling Austin’s streets, rumors continue to swirl, fueled by disturbing discoveries in a river winding through the city’s core.
On Wednesday, officials revealed that over three dozen bodies have been recovered from Lady Bird Lake in the past three years.
While authorities have dismissed theories about a suspect dubbed the “Rainey Street Ripper” and confirmed only one homicide, six deaths remain unexplained.
Police believe the root of the problem lies in Austin’s vibrant party culture, especially in downtown hotspots popular for bachelor and bachelorette celebrations.
Just steps from the lake, Rainey Street’s bustling pub scene is where many victims were last seen enjoying themselves.
In response, the city has ramped up safety measures — fencing and lighting now surround the lake, and ambulances are stationed near Rainey Street to assist those overindulging or to prevent accidents near the water.
The latest discovery came Tuesday when remains thought to be those of a missing teenager were found.
The 17-year-old Black teen vanished Sunday evening while paddle boarding with his family around 7 p.m.
Though a body was recovered Tuesday wearing clothing matching his description, authorities await final confirmation from the medical examiner.
Investigators say there are no signs of foul play, categorizing the death as a drowning.
“The teenager got off his kayak to stand in shallow water without a life jacket. Unaware, he stood near an underwater shelf—a sudden drop-off—stepped or slipped, and did not resurface,” Austin Police said.
His kayak, life jacket, and backpack were also recovered.
Fox 7 reports that since 2022, 38 bodies have been found in Lady Bird Lake.
Drowning, drug overdoses, suicide, and natural causes top the list of causes.
Still, the unresolved cases have sparked rampant speculation about a serial killer, repeatedly denied by police.
Rumors that gay men were targeted have been debunked.
Like Jeff Jones, 30 of the 38 victims are men, with 60% aged between 30 and 49. Two of the victims were teenagers.
Jones told the Daily Mail last year, “What fuels the serial killer theory is the very specific victim profile—people like me, with nothing stolen, found drowned, disappearing in the middle of the night.”
“I fit the profile perfectly—I just got lucky and didn’t end up dead,” Jones said.
Still, police point to the city’s booming party culture along the water as the main reason behind the rising number of deaths.
In a recent interview with KVUE, former Austin Police Department forensic director Mark Gillespie urged the public to trust law enforcement’s conclusions.
“They’re actively searching for foul play,” Gillespie explained. “When APD says they don’t suspect foul play at this time, believe me—they’ve been looking very hard for it. I have full respect for their thoroughness.”
