Weeks after John Christopher Hays-Clark’s body was found in Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas, authorities still have not shared important details about his mysterious death with his family.
The mother of Hays-Clark’s 12-year-old son says she believes some sort of “foul play” was involved in his premature demise. She wants answers.
The body of the 30-year-old Hays-Clark was pulled out of the 416-acre reservoir on Saturday, April 15, around 1:20 p.m., the Austin American-Statesman reported.
Authorities have said, based on the evidence available days after discovering his body, they did not believe his death was a result of foul play.
“It is a very unfortunate incident, but up to this point, we have not discovered anything suspicious tied directly to this incident. But we don’t make that final determination until the medical examiner has been able to make their review as well,” Austin Police Officer Michael Bullock said in an interview with the New York Post.
Reegan Aparicio, Hays-Clark’s partner, said she is not sure that this is the case — and is disappointed that law enforcement is not forthcoming with information about the investigation into his death.
“They won’t give us any answers. Everything literally has been pending is what we’re being told. I don’t think they’re taking it as serious,” Aparicio said in an interview with KVUE.
While details are scarce and the cause of death has not been released, the Austin Police Department has not closed the investigation into Hays-Clark’s death. Aparicio believes perhaps the police are overlooking something that might be right in front of their eyes: the lake.
“I think that something is going on at the lake, and I just want anybody who has information, Austin Police Department or even just a random person at the lake or who was there, if y’all know anything, to say it,” she said. “And for the community in that area, just to be safe at all times.”
Many on social media believe there is a serial killer targeting men around 30 years old on the prowl. They’ve noted Hays-Clark is the fourth body to be found in the lake in a short two-month window. Other men discovered dead in the water are Jason John, 30; Johnathan Honey, 33; and Clifton Axtell, 40.
Police say the three men that were drawn out of the water before Hays-Clark all died of a “combination of alcohol and easy access to Lady Bird Lake.”
John’s mother has spoken out with doubts like Aparicio’s.
“On the death certificate, it said accidental drowning, and I am having a difficult time believing that because Jason doesn’t swim and he doesn’t go near the water, I know that for sure,” Elsie John told Newsweek. “So for him to go near the water either someone had to push him in, or somebody would have had to get him and throw him in there.”
Police are hesitant to say anything, but they have found no foul play in these cases. Still, security measures have been heightened in the area near the lake.
Concern citizen Christopher Pugh brought up the dangers of people drowning in the lake at an Austin City Council meeting.
“There are too many people that have gone missing,” Pugh said. “There are too many people that have been injured. There are too many people that can walk off, and we still have absolutely no answers as to what has happened to any of those folks.”
Pugh has a vested interest in making sure something is done around the lake. In 2019, his son’s body was found in Lady Bird Lake with “serious” injuries all over it” days after going missing.
The appeal was made one week before Hays-Clark’s death. Now, the family is preparing to lay Hays-Clark to rest. The family has set up a GoFundMe to help with his expenses and plans to have his funeral services on Saturday, May 13.
