A Houston mayor has been accused of "gaslighting" the city as fears of a serial killer in the area grow, as more bodies are pulled from a bayou.
Late June 2024 marked the last time Kenneth Cutting Jr. — a 22‑year‑old from Katy, Texas — was seen alive.
After a night out in downtown Houston, his body was found days later in the Buffalo Bayou, part of the city’s expansive 2,500‑mile network of waterways.
The autopsy returned unsettling findings: no external injuries, no drugs, and no definitive cause of death — simply “undetermined.”
His father, Kenneth Cutting Sr., voiced his disbelief: “Something happened to my son… My son didn't fall into the bayou and drown,” per Fox News Digital.
Now the family is pushing for public answers — and the timing is embedded within a broader surge of recovered bodies from Houston’s bayous.
Mayor accused of gaslighting
Mayor John Whitmire described the deaths as tragic but not unprecedented: “There are 2,500 miles of waterways in Houston… Unfortunately, drowning in our bayous is not a new phenomenon.”
He also highlighted homelessness, mental‑health struggles, and substance use as factors: “Unfortunately, the homeless, when they pass, often end up in the bayou.”
And he suggested some individuals might be “thrown in by others living on the streets.”
Lauren Freeman, the victim's cousin, referred to that description as "gaslighting" but agreed that the problem was something the city had been dealing with for years.
A growing trend of recovered bodies
In recent months, Houston has seen at least 16 bodies pulled from its waterways, with five discovered in a single week. The locations — including the Buffalo Bayou, Brays Bayou and White Oak Bayou — cover large portions of the city’s green‑corridor water system.
City officials have repeatedly told the public to remain calm and resist jumping to conclusions. On September 23, John Whitmire, the mayor of Houston, stated: “We do not have any evidence that there is a serial killer loose in Houston, Texas.”
Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz echoed this: “There is no evidence, and I repeat no evidence, to suggest that any of these incidents are connected.”
Yet voices in law‑enforcement circles and affected families disagree, stating the pattern merits deeper review.
The Cutting family’s unanswered questions
Kenneth Cutting Jr.’s disappearance began on June 28, 2024. Surveillance footage shows him leaving a downtown bar, Pete’s Dueling Piano Bar, around 11:45PM.
He borrowed someone’s phone to call his own - after losing it - and shortly afterward, stormed off yelling: “f*** off” at one of his companions.
Later that night, the group left, heading east on Interstate 10 - opposite the direction of their home in Katy. The last message Kenneth Sr. saw from the roommates came at 2:00AM, although he didn’t view it until 8:00AM the next day.
The family says the roommates reported Cutting “went crazy” and wanted to get out of the car near one of Houston’s rougher neighborhoods. After his disappearance, the roommates ended up with Kenneth’s phone, wallet and shirt.
Lauren Freeman described Kenneth as “a small human” — about 4′10″ tall and 115 lbs. By the time his body was recovered on July 1, he weighed 89 lbs.
Kenneth Sr. remains troubled by the official suggestion of an accidental death: “First of all, he knew how to swim. Second of all, he shouldn't have been nowhere near that bayou.”
Dr. Edward Kilbane, who performed the autopsy, wrote: “This 22‑year‑old male, whose decomposing remains were recovered from a bayou, showed no apparent traumatic injuries, no serious natural disease and no commonly abused drugs in his tissues.”
And yet — the cause and manner of death were ruled “undetermined.” Kenneth Sr.’s plea remains: “What would help is some closure, finding out exactly what happened to my son.”