Houston – KPRC 2 has obtained data this week highlighting the growing questions around the number of bodies found in Houston’s Bayou.
We found that since 2017, there have been a total of 189 bodies found, and 75 of them were ruled undetermined.
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That includes 22-year-old Kenneth Cutting Jr., who was found on July 1, 2024.
KPRC 2 spoke with Cutting’s cousin Lauren Freeman on Thursday about the events leading up to Cutting’s discovery, a chain of events Freeman is still trying to piece together.
“I don’t think anybody ever prepare you to lose someone that is that close to you,” said Freeman.
Freeman said Cutting was born when she was in high school, and they grew up like siblings.
About six months prior to his death, Freeman said Cutting moved in with two men in their mid-30’s with whom he was having a polyamorous relationship.
On the night of June 28th, Freeman discovered Cutting was out with his two boyfriends at Pete’s Dueling Piano Bar in Downtown Houston.
“It was just a regular night out,” said Freeman.
In a surveillance video Pete’s Dueling Piano Bar has provided Freeman, you can one of the men having a verbal argument with Cutting, before he walks down the escalator and off camera.
“About 2 o’clock in the morning, my uncle received a text message that my cousin went crazy and got out of the car at I-10 and Waco,” said Freeman.
According to Cutting’s autopsy report, his body was discovered about a mile away from that spot at 3100 Swiney Street.
Freeman said police have closed the case and said there was no foul play. But discrepancies in his autopsy report have left her with more questions.
“One of the things they stated was that there was a medical device on his neck,” said Freeman. “That kid has never had surgery in his life.”
KPRC 2 reached out to the Harris County Medical Examiner’s Office. Public information officer Shane Hughes sent the following statement:
“This was a clerical error that had no impact on the findings or the cause and manner of death. The error occurred during the report editing process, after the postmortem exam was already completed. The pathological findings and conclusions in the report are correct and supported by the forensic pathologist’s notes, x-rays, and over 50 photographs taken during autopsy. The forensic pathologist communicated the error to the family in an effort to maintain transparency.”
Freeman said other discrepancies included Cutting’s height and weight and the wrong spelling of the street where his body was found. Cutting was found of Swiney Street but the autopsy said Sweeney Street.
“What other mistake has been made?” said Freeman.
Freeman is calling on police to do a thorough investigation on her cousin’s case.
“This is bigger than Kenneth. It’s more than just him.”
Freeman remembers Cutting as a 22-year-old man who loved art and was full of life.
At the time of his death, Cutting was working as a server at a local restaurant in the Cypress area.