Nearly three years after 23-year-old Te’vion Quinton Antonio Bass was found dead in the San Jacinto River, his family is still searching for answers and justice.
Bass, the younger brother of Houston creative and cultural producer Randy Wrosiv, disappeared just before Thanksgiving 2022. He was last seen walking along U.S. 90 toward North Shore on Nov. 24. His body was discovered more than two weeks later, on Dec. 10, in the bayou near Shorewick Drive outside Channelview. Yet, the official cause of death has never been released.
“They told the public there were no signs of trauma,” Wrosiv said. “But there’s been no reasoning, no transparency, no urgency. I never even spoke to a detective. There’s no record, no contact name…nothing.”
A family’s pain and persistence
Wrosiv said his family knew right away something was wrong when Te’vion stopped calling his grandmother.
“He would at least check in every couple of days,” he said. “By the time we realized he was missing, we knew he wasn’t just off somewhere trying to be alone.”
The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences publicly asked for help identifying the body, listing Bass’ race as “unknown” and releasing only black-and-white photos of his tattoos.
“They said he was 6-1 and 114 pounds,” Wrosiv recalled. “But my brother was bigger than me, and I’m 185. That’s not a small mistake. It’s negligence.”
Bass was finally identified on Dec. 22. Officials publicly mentioned that he had been “off his medication,” a statement Wrosiv believes was used to “devalue the investigation” into his brother’s death.
“My brother had mental-health challenges, yes,” he said. “But he wasn’t suicidal. The day he disappeared, he was singing and walking home from a job interview. He was full of life.”
A familiar pattern
Bass’ death is one of more than 60 bodies discovered in Houston-area bayous and waterways in recent years — a disturbing trend that has sparked community outrage and skepticism.
“When a little white girl goes missing, they bring in dogs, drones, entire teams. But when it’s Black people in Houston, we get silence and press conferences that try to pacify us.”
Randy Wrosiv
“They want it quietly pushed aside so people forget with time,” Wrosiv said. “When things like FIFA (World Soccer Cup) come to town, they don’t want anyone talking about this. But these aren’t coincidences. These bodies of water are literally connected. Someone could easily be preying on people and dumping them where the current keeps moving.”
Community members have long questioned why law enforcement has not sought federal assistance or issued broader public safety alerts. Wrosiv says he’s seen “no urgency” from local officials.
“When a little white girl goes missing, they bring in dogs, drones, entire teams,” he said. “But when it’s Black people in Houston, we get silence and press conferences that try to pacify us.”
Calling for accountability
In September 2025, Mayor John Whitmire publicly addressed the string of waterway deaths for the first time—a press conference Wrosiv described as “overly defensive and dismissive.”
“He said he can relate because he has a daughter, but there was no urgency, no key information, no progress,” Wrosiv said. “Who’s even leading these investigations? We deserve to know.”
He’s calling for a comprehensive and transparent review of everyone recovered from the waters of Greater Houston over the past four years, including names, demographics, autopsy results, and exact locations.
“We need a map. We need data. We need answers,” he said. “If the city won’t do it, the community will.”
Remembering Te’vion
Wrosiv described his brother as a “big, lanky, playful dreamer” who grew up in a close-knit family. Taken in as a baby, Te’vion spent his childhood surrounded by love and music.
“We kept a close relationship with his grandmother,” Wrosiv said. “As a kid, he’d say he saw ghosts, and I told him not to be afraid. I’d remind him that it’s the living you have to watch out for.
“He never got to see New York or Paris or Africa. He didn’t even get to start his career,” Wrosiv continued. “But I’m going to make sure people know his name. Too many Black lives are discarded. Don’t let this go cold.”
As families like Wrosiv’s continue to push for answers, they’re also pushing for unity and for neighbors to speak up and demand transparency.
“Share knowledge. Share resources. Protect our people,” Wrosiv said. “If you see something that’s not right, check in. Because if we don’t fight for our own, nobody else will.”
Call to action:
Families of other bayou victims are urging the public to come forward with any information or patterns related to bodies recovered from Houston-area waterways. Contact The Defender Network (reshonda@defendernetwork.com) or local advocacy groups if you have information that may help connect the cases.
Follow the Defender for complete coverage of Bodies in the Bayou.
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