MYSTERY IN LADY BIRD LAKE: BODIES, STOLEN CARS, AND THE SEARCH FOR ADRIEN WASHINGTON

Austin, Texas — Beneath the vibrant heart of Austin, a dark mystery lurks under the calm waters of Lady Bird Lake. Over the past year, the lake has become the center of chilling rumors, bizarre coincidences, and ongoing investigations — a place where stolen cars and missing people seem to converge.

Five Bodies in Six Months

Between late 2023 and mid-2024, five bodies were pulled from Lady Bird Lake in just six months. Each discovery renewed fears of a possible serial killer operating in the city. The victims — all men, often found near the Rainey Street district — sparked widespread concern that something sinister was happening along the Austin waterfront.

Last year, multiple bodies were also recovered from the same area, prompting city officials to invest $1 million in new lighting and surveillance cameras near Rainey Street. Despite this, the mysterious drownings have continued, leaving locals questioning whether these are tragic accidents — or something far darker.

The Search for Adrien Washington

Amid these developments, search teams turned their attention to an older case — the 2012 disappearance of Adrien Washington, who vanished on May 26, 2012, along with his blue 2001 Ford Expedition. He was last seen in Austin, and while police retraced his steps and searched nearby fields with cadaver dogs years ago, no significant leads emerged.

In 2025, volunteer divers from a non-profit organization revisited Austin, hoping to find clues about Adrien’s disappearance — or at least eliminate possible search areas. Their efforts led them to Lady Bird Lake, where their sonar scans revealed something unexpected.

A City Below the Surface

Using a remote-controlled sonar boat, the team began scanning the lake near Festival Beach Boat Ramp. The diver, operating from the surface, spotted an unmistakable shape on the sonar screen: a vehicle resting upside down on the lakebed, roughly 17 feet underwater and 100 feet from shore.

When divers entered the water, they discovered a white Kia Optima, windows rolled down, resting upside down in the mud. After surfacing, they reported the find to the Austin Police Department. Officers arrived at the scene and confirmed the vehicle was reported stolen. Fortunately, no bodies were found inside.

Police later removed the Kia from the water, but the discovery only deepened the mystery. It wasn’t an isolated find.

The Second Vehicle

The next day, divers returned to a smaller, secluded section of water behind the main lake. Locals told them that another car — possibly a Cadillac — had once been pulled from that same area. When the sonar boat passed over the murky depths, the divers’ screens lit up again. Another upside-down car.

This time, it was a black Hyundai Elantra, also upside down, roughly 20 feet underwater. Unlike the Kia, this car’s windows were rolled up, and its trunk was open. The diver noted that the car seemed relatively new and still held air inside — a sign it hadn’t been underwater very long.

When police ran the plate, the Hyundai also came back as stolen — reported missing since January 5th of the previous year. Officers speculated it might be connected to a series of car thefts by local teens known online as the “Kia Boys”, a trend fueled by viral TikTok videos teaching how to hotwire certain Kia and Hyundai models.

A Troubling Pattern

The discovery of multiple stolen vehicles within days, in the same body of water tied to a string of suspicious deaths, paints an unsettling picture. Police confirmed that both vehicles were stolen and likely dumped to destroy evidence. However, the timing and proximity of the finds — along with the lake’s reputation for unexplained drownings — have fueled online speculation about a larger connection.

City workers familiar with the area, speaking anonymously, suggested that Lady Bird Lake has long been a dumping ground. “They drag out cars, they drag out bodies,” one said. “It happens more than people think — just doesn’t always make the news.”

The Human Side of the Search

For the volunteer divers, the goal remains the same: bring closure to families of the missing. “We’re not law enforcement,” one of the searchers explained. “We’re just trying to help families get answers — whether it’s finding a missing person or clearing a search area.”

Though Adrien Washington’s vehicle was not found during this mission, each discovery narrows the possibilities and helps investigators focus their efforts. Eleven years after he vanished, Adrien’s family still waits for answers.

Unanswered Questions

Two stolen cars found. Five bodies in six months. A missing man for over a decade. And a lake that continues to guard its secrets.

Authorities maintain that most drownings near Lady Bird Lake involve alcohol and accidents, not foul play. Yet the eerie consistency of the cases — and the vehicles hidden below the surface — suggest there’s still much to uncover beneath Austin’s glittering skyline.

For now, the mystery of Lady Bird Lake remains unsolved. But with each new dive, each sonar ping, and each muddy vehicle pulled from the depths, another piece of Austin’s underwater puzzle comes to light.