MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas – The devastation in Texas’s Hill Country continues to worsen as more bodies are discovered following flash floods that struck the area in the early hours of the Fourth of July.
On Wednesday, Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough posted an update on missing Reese Manchaca, a Montgomery County resident and recent graduate of Caney Creek High School.
Judge Keough said Manchaca had been swept away by the deadly floodwaters when it tore through Kerr County.
On Monday, officials confirmed Manchaca’s body had been found.
Two days later, Judge Keough said all five constable precincts headed to Kerrville to escort Manchaca’s body back to Montgomery County so she could be laid to rest.
“I want to thank all of our Constables for answering the call and providing some comfort to the family during this difficult time. My office has been coordinating this with the family and our team. Please continue to keep the family and friends of Reese in your thoughts and prayers and our deputies as they make the journey home this morning,” the judge wrote in a statement to KPRC 2.
Supporters gathered under a bridge near the funeral home, where local organizations, faith leaders, and first responders stood together to welcome Manchaca back. Groups included the Caney Creek Cowboy Church, the Taylor’s Organization bikers, and Montgomery County first responders.
“She’s one of our own,” said Constable Kenneth Hayden of Precinct 4. “She was a wonderful, caring young lady. Her family is heartbroken. There are just no words.”
Although most people in attendance didn’t know Manchaca personally, they said how much her story resonated deeply with them.
“We live on the river every summer,” said Ellese Derrossett, a fellow graduate of Caney Creek High School. “That’s always been a peaceful place. To hear what happened—it’s heartbreaking. We had to come out and support her family.”
Johnathan Brocken, who was preparing to send his child to church camp, said the tragedy “hit home in a big way.”
Over 30 people arrived on short notice after being informed just three hours earlier. They formed a solemn tribute line, holding signs and flags as the procession passed.
Allen Taylor, founder of the Taylor’s Organization, said his group brought members from across the region to be present on motorcycles.
We took off work and brought as many people as we could,” he said. “We’re also going to follow her to the funeral home.”
Though none of them were involved in the search and rescue efforts due to the distance, community members say they wanted to do what they could, offering comfort, presence, and solidarity.
Manchaca is among more than 20 people from the Houston area whose lives were lost during the floods.
Over 100 bodies have been recovered, but the large number of missing remains unclear five days after the disaster.
Officials have been seeking more information about those who were in the popular tourist destination during the Fourth of July holiday weekend but did not register at a camp or a hotel and may have been in the area without many people knowing, the governor said.
The riverbanks and hills of Kerr County along the Guadalupe River—where most of the flood victims have been recovered so far—are filled with vacation cabins, youth camps and campgrounds. Among these is Camp Mystic, the century-old all-girls Christian summer camp where at least 27 campers and counselors died. Officials said five campers and one counselor have still not been found.
Funeral arrangements for Manchaca have not yet been announced. As of Friday, July 11, she’s the only confirmed flood victim from Montgomery County.
Authorities are continuing to search for the two missing people who were with Manchaca.
