A newly released independent study is challenging the long-running “Rainey Street Ripper” theory that has circulated online in recent years, concluding there is no evidence of a serial killer operating in downtown Austin.
The research, released Tuesday, examined 189 drowning cases in Austin dating back to 2004. The analysis was led by Dr. Kim Rossmo, Professor at the School of Criminal Justice at Texas State University and Director of the Center for Geospatial Intelligence and Investigation. According to the study’s authors, the goal was to evaluate whether patterns in the drownings supported claims of a serial offender targeting victims near the Rainey Street District.
Dr. Rossmo said the speculation surrounding a so-called “Rainey Street Ripper” was largely fueled by social and mainstream media coverage…