Whoa — have we missed something? Could there really be a serial killer in the city without us having heard about it?
Violent crime in Dallas is down overall, but we still suffer from a relatively high murder rate by some metrics. Over the first few months of 2023, for example, Dallas saw a sharp increase in murders compared with the start of 2022. Dallas ranks seventh among cities with the worst homicide rate problems, according to an April report by WalletHub. By contrast, Chicago — Fox News’ prime example of crime-ridden urban areas — comes in at No. 20.
Of course, just because our murder rate has room for improvement doesn’t mean there’s a crazed serial killer at large. But some web sleuths seem to think that a recent string of disappearances and homicides in Dallas are the work of one person.
We’ve looked into what could account for this jarring search trend and reached out to the Dallas Police Department for its take.
Here’s what we know about why “serial killer Dallas 2023” could be charting on Google.
“Dallas Serial Killer 2023” Trending
Some North Texans are taking to social media with claims of a spree murderer. “There’s a serial killer in Dallas, ladies be careful,” reads one Facebook post shared more than 200 times as of Friday morning.
Some commenters assert that alleged victims may have been sex workers. There are also claims that women are vanishing and being murdered along Harry Hines Boulevard.
“Attention: Dallas, Texas,” one viral TikTok video begins. “There is a serial killer on the loose.”
Dallas Police Department spokesperson Brian Martinez noted via email that the TikTok video aired the case number of a recent homicide. He pointed to a DPD blog post about an ongoing investigation into a woman’s stabbing death, adding “there are no updates at this time.”@user7500558166548 ❗️PLEASE HELP AND SHARE❗️#crime #murder #dallas #dallastx #harryhines #viral #trending #texas #truecrime #serialkller #fypシ゚viral #fyp #foryoupage ♬ original sound - user7500558166548
The 25-year-old woman’s body was discovered on June 24 in east Oak Cliff.
The viral TikTok video also alludes to the disappearance of a 31-year-old woman who was later found fatally shot in east Oak Cliff that same weekend.
“Please help and share this video with everyone you know,” the TikTok video concludes. “And please help these women and their families get the justice they deserve.”
DPD’s Martinez told the Observer that a probe into the latter death is under way, with no updates.
Asked for the department’s response to viral claims of a serial killer, he replied: “Looking into a connection between crimes would be part of the ongoing investigations. If there is ever a message that needs to be relayed to the public in regard to public safety — the department will communicate that as soon as possible.
“The safety of the public is our top priority,” he continued.
Of note: Googling “Dallas serial killer 2023” doesn’t seem to produce stories about either of these local deaths. It does, however, lead to other true-crime rabbit holes.
Raul Meza Prison Release
The first link that pops up when searching for “Dallas serial killer 2023” is a recent Fox 4 story headlined “North Texas City Among Several to Run Suspected Serial Killer Out of Town After Prison Release.” Back in 1993, residents of Mineral Wells — a city roughly 82 miles west of Dallas — effectively ejected convicted killer Raul Meza, who’d been released after serving time for the murder and rape of an 8-year-old girl. He would allegedly strike again in the decades following his release.
In May, Meza purportedly confessed to killing his 80-year-old roommate, in addition to a 66-year-old woman in 2019. Austin authorities have said Meza may be involved in up to 10 other homicides.
“Police said he told them he was ready to kill again,” Fox 4 reported.
Billy Chemirmir Case
Googling “Dallas serial killer 2023” also calls up stories about Billy Chemirmir, the home health aide accused of slaying 22 elderly women in North Texas and stealing their valuables. Chemirmir was found guilty in October of murdering Mary Brooks, 87. He’d already been convicted in April 2022 of the murder of 81-year-old Lu Thi Harris, for which he received a life sentence without parole.
Some of these Dallas-area deaths were initially attributed to natural causes, despite the fact that victims’ family members expressed concerns over missing jewelry, according to the Associated Press.
Chemirmir’s name made headlines again last month.
On June 8, D-FW's NewsRadio 1080 KRLD covered an appeal by Chemirmir’s team related to Harris’ smothering death. Appellate attorneys argue that an FBI agent’s data about Chemirmir’s cellphone use, which placed him near the crime, was “misleading.”
Alleged Austin Serial Killer
Looking into why “Dallas serial killer 2023” is trending invariably leads to stories about a supposed spree of murders some 200 miles south. Five bodies have been recovered from Austin’s Lady Bird Lake in the first six months of this year, fueling fears of a serial killer, The Beaumont Enterprise reported last week. Over the past 12 months, a total of 10 bodies have been found.
But Austin police remain adamant that they don’t think the cases are connected. Officials cite a lack of evidence of foul play in the drowning deaths, but some family members have pushed for further investigation.
Plenty of social media users in the “Lady Bird Lake Serial Killer – True Crime” Facebook group are convinced of nefarious goings-on around that body of water. Launched earlier this year, the group already boasts nearly 88,000 members as of Friday morning.
