NBC 5 Investigates

Chicago Drownings, Unsolicited Taxi Rides Spark Speculation, But Officials Say Cases Aren't Related

Viral social media posts have speculated whether several recent drownings are tied to unsolicited taxi ride offers some bar patrons have reported but authorities say they are no known connections.

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Sadness and anger turned to intrigue and fear.

Those emotions illustrate the feelings for some after several recent examples of young men who were reported missing, then discovered days later drowned off the coast of Lake Michigan or in the Chicago River.

Some have theorized in viral social media posts that the men’s deaths are not isolated or accidental, rather they are the victims of a single suspect: A theory that, at this time, officials say there is no evidence to support.

Fueling that speculation are reports of unsolicited taxi offers or "free rides" for patrons leaving bars and restaurants in Chicago, where drivers have offered rides outside of ride-share apps or formal taxi businesses for a cheaper cost – something consumer advocates and those in public safety strongly recommend against doing.

While the recent deaths, and the problem of unsolicited taxi offers, have been connected in social media posts, city and county officials say there is no evidence to support that they are related.

Tragic Drownings

Since December, there have been at least four reported drownings where young men were reported missing, days before their tragic discovery.

Krzysztof Szubert, a 21-year-old Polish businessman, was reported missing on Dec. 3 after leaving a River North party. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s office said Szubert’s body was recovered from Lake Michigan, in the area of Oak Street Beach on Dec. 7.

A missing person poster for 21-year-old Krzysztof Szubert.

The medical examiner determined Szubert’s cause of death was “drowning with ethanol intoxication as a contributing factor,” and the manner of death was ruled “accidental.”

Peter Salvino, a 25-year-old Northwestern doctoral student, disappeared on Dec. 17 after leaving a party in Lincoln Park. Officials say Salvino’s body was recovered from Diversey Harbor, off of the 2400 block of N. Cannon Drive on Dec. 20, three days after he was reported missing.

25-year-old Peter Salvino. Photo provided to Chicago Police.

Salvino’s cause of death mirrors Szubert’s: The medical examiner determined Salvino had “drown[ed] with ethanol intoxication as a contributing factor,” and the manner was also ruled “accidental.” 

Anthony Rucker, 23, was reported missing on Feb. 13, and Chicago police recovered his body three days later on Feb. 16 in the Chicago River, near the 3700 block of S. Pulaski Road.

The medical examiner’s office determined Rucker had taken his own life, and the primary cause of death was ruled as a "drowning."

If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, help is available by calling 9-8-8 or by visiting NAMI Chicago here.

And Joel Orduno, 24, was last seen at his Logan Square residence on Feb. 17 before his disappearance was reported to Chicago police.

24-year-old Joel Orduno. Photo provided to Chicago Police.

Nearly a full month later, officers said Orduno’s body was discovered in the Chicago River, in the area of the 2700 block of North Leavitt.

The medical examiner’s office tells NBC 5 the cause and manner of death in Orduno’s case is still under investigation. 

In addition to the four deaths, officials have been searching Lake Michigan in a northern Chicago suburb after a 21-year-old U.S. Navy servicemember disappeared in Waukegan after leaving an area bar. Séamus Gray has not yet been found and Waukegan authorities recently ended a days-long search effort. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) was seen searching the water Monday, though they said Gray remained missing.

"Waukegan Fire Department and Gurnee Fire Department divers searched a large area around the Government Pier in the harbor but did not locate Séamus," a statement from the agency read. "Additionally, a surface swimmer searched an area around the Waukegan Yacht Club but was unable to locate Séamus."

While there are some loose similarities to the cases, both the medical examiner’s office and Chicago Police Department told NBC 5 there are no known connections.

“At this time, there is no evidence suggesting there is a connection between these drowning deaths,” a spokesperson for the Chicago Police Department told NBC 5. “The Chicago Police Department conducts thorough death investigations as we work to bring a measure of closure to the families of these, and all, victims.”

Reported drownings in Cook County during the winter months of December through February have slightly decreased since 2018-2019.

From December 2018 to February 2019, there were a dozen deaths. During that same time period the following year, there were 11 deaths.

Jumping to December 2022 through February 2023, there have been eight reported drownings countywide, including four drownings ruled as “accidental,” two ruled as “suicides,” and two ruled as “undetermined.” 

Data from the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office shows a majority of drowning investigations are ruled “accidental," with 61% labeled as such since 2018.

Nearly one in three drownings since 2018 were ruled as “undetermined,” or examiners did not have enough evidence to conclude the manner of death.

Unsolicited Taxi Offers

Some social media posts have drawn a connection between the drownings and reports of drivers across Chicago approaching patrons of bars or restaurants leaving for the night, offering rides home for cash or free, outside of formal ride-share apps or taxi operations.

“I’m in Chicago,” one social media user said earlier this month. “[This] happened to me four times in the last two months.” 

The Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) told NBC 5 it has received 12 complaints of “fake taxis” from Jan. 1, 2022, to March 27, 2023. These complaints were related to overcharging and taxi numbers not matching the top-light and vehicle.

The problem of unsolicited rides is not new, and public safety advocates say people should never accept these offers or rides.

When using ride-share apps, like Uber or Lyft, advocates recommend customers confirm that the vehicle that pulls up is the ride that was assigned to them via the app, including confirming the vehicle’s make, model and license plate number.

If a person is approached by a suspicious vehicle, police recommend calling 911 and making note of the vehicle’s details, if it is safe to do so.

The Department of BACP also recommends reporting these types of complaints to the CHI 311 system, via calling 311 or online at 311.chicago.gov.

For more information on finding a safe ride home, visit Chicago’s Ride Smart website here.

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