HOUSTON -- The nude body of a woman was found in a ditch in the Acres Homes area, KPRC Local 2 reported Saturday.

Lonnie Harrison and another man made the discovery in the 1100 block of Bland on Saturday at about 9:15 a.m.

"They had this roped off when everybody got out. They didn't let nobody in here," resident Betty Jean Williams.

Police said the victim was a young black woman. Her nude body was facedown. She has not been identified.

"The first thing that went through my mind was last year when they were having all these females killed like that. I hope it wasn't a repeat of last year," Harrison said.

Last year, the bodies of six women were found over the course of seven months.

The women were tossed away like trash -- along roadways and out of site behind buildings, according to authorities.

Investigators said all the incidents were strikingly similar.

"We have had some problems in this area with (women) found deceased in this area," said Steve Straughter with the Houston Police Department. "We are taking this one real serious."

The rash of murders caused residents of the Acres Homes community to rally together -- holding meetings and passing out fliers to spread awareness and find the killer.

Police said they believed the murders and several sexual assaults were the work of one man.

Investigators thought they captured the man behind the slayings, but that is still being debated.

Meanwhile, residents just hope Saturday's discovery was an isolated incident.

"I'm not a scared person, but there's so much stuff going on and I've seen a lot of things that you just didn't think would happen," Harrison said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.