This week’s true crime mystery draws intriguing parallels to the Lady Bird Lake killings,
but this time the events are unfolding in Brooklyn, NY. A recent series of bodies
discovered in and around Newtown Creek has sparked a wave of questions and
concerns.
The first of the three deaths occurred on June 11, 2023 with 27-year-old Karl Clemente.
Clemente, a case manager at NYC’s Child Welfare Agency, had planned to enjoy a
night out with friends to a concert at the Brooklyn Mirage. However, he was unable to
enter the venue because he was too intoxicated.
According to his father, when his friends noticed he was missing they went looking for
him, but he was already gone.
Five days later, his wallet – containing credit cards and his ID – was discovered at a
lumberyard near Newtown Creek, where his body was subsequently found. The
toxicology report indicated the presence of alcohol and cannabis in his system, and
since there were no signs of violence, his death was ruled an accidental drowning.
This death was largely overlooked by the media until two weeks later, when another
man turned up in the creek with an eerily similar story.
John Castic, a 27-year-old senior analyst at Goldman Sachs, was attending a Zeds
Dead concert at the Brooklyn Mirage when he started to feel sick. He decided to call an
Uber and informed his friends that he was planning to head home early.
Surveillance footage outside the venue captured him entering a vehicle, only to exit
shortly afterward. He was then seen wandering around the neighborhood for more than
an hour before he was last seen on a bridge pier near Newtown Creek.
Three days later, Castic’s body was recovered from the creek. The toxicology report
revealed the presence of ketamine in his system, but there were no indications of foul
play, leading to his death also being ruled an accidental drowning.
Following his death, the media started giving both stories attention; however the NYPD
maintained their belief that they were unrelated.
Almost exactly a year later, on July 28, 2024, 30-year-old Damien Alexander, a
Manhattan nightclub security guard, told friends and family he was heading to the Knockdown Centre, a popular nightlife venue on the Queens-Brooklyn border. While
there, he sent his friend a series of alarming text messages, expressing that he was in
danger. The messages read, “I think dudes trynna kill me” and “Dudes waiting for me
outside.” These were the last messages Alexander sent before he was found dead
three days later in Newtown Creek.
His toxicology report found traces of cocaine and alcohol in his system, but no signs of
overdose or physical trauma. Although he was found in the water, there was no water in
his lungs, indicating he didn’t drown. His cause of death remains undetermined.
Alexander’s family and friends have expressed their frustrations with the NYPD’s lack of
investigation into his death. Although it wasn’t ruled a drowning, they believe that little
has been done to uncover the actual cause, identify any suspects, or find out who he
was referring to in his final messages. They have since hired a private investigator to
pursue answers on their own.
Much like the Lady Bird Lake deaths in Austin, TX, the NYPD does not believe these
incidents are connected, attributing them instead to insufficient safety measures around
the creek.
The area is very desolate, dominated by industrial buildings, facilities and lumber yards
with spotty service. Its isolation makes it an ideal location for clubs and concert venues,
as noise complaints are rare — but it also provides an ideal setting to commit a crime.
A New York Times article reports that officials and venue owners have been working to
improve lighting, signage, and cell phone service in the area and have even discussed
cracking down on unlicensed taxi pickups, but it is unclear if and when those plans have
will be put in place.
In addition to these deaths, new information has come to light regarding human bones
that washed ashore around the same time the three bodies were discovered. According
to a Newsweek article, three sets of human remains were found along the shoreline
near Brooklyn Bridge Park.
The first two sets of bones belonged to the same individual, while the third set has yet to
be tested by the NYPD. The investigation is ongoing, leaving many to speculate about a
possible connection to the Newtown Creek deaths, though the NYPD has not
commented on this possibility.
Despite ongoing efforts to determine what is really happening in and around Newtown
Creek, the rising number of bodies – and now human bones – appearing around this
area is undeniably suspicious. Many fear it’s only a matter of time before another victim
is discovered.
Leaving us to question: Is there a club-killer on the loose somewhere in New York City?
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