Ottawa Police have identified Ottawa's sixth homicide victim of the year as 23-year-old Tausif Chowdhury.

Early Thursday morning, people along a walking trail in Ottawa's south-east end came across a dead body. Police are treating the case as homicide. The pathway, off the Airport Parkway, north of Hunt Club, is isolated, used by joggers and cyclists.  It was a cyclist who found the body around 7 a.m. and called police.  They are investigating.

Police say Chowdhury's family, who live outside of Canada, have been notified of his death.

Ottawa Police quickly set up a command centre along the pathway beside the South Keys mall on Thursday, securing the area and any evidence that may have been left behind.

‘It's a tough one to look at when it's an isolated area like this,’ says Staff Sergeant Bruce Pirt, with the Ottawa Police Major Crime section, “so that's why we're asking any witnesses who think they may have seen something to come forward and speak to us. We are treating it as a homicide.’

Police believe the body had been there since Wednesday evening.  They are using surveillance footage from the Transitway and from the mall at South Keys to help in their investigation.

The pathway is fairly isolated and the further north you go towards heron road the more isolated it becomes.  Where the body was found is very close to the Transitway at South Keys that will be connected to the new airport parkway footbridge when it opens on Saturday.

A man cycling along the path Thursday says he uses it often.

“Unfortunately, it’s sad but things happen you know.’

Alex Loeffen lives in the area near the mall, ‘You'd think this is a safe neighborhood but this area has had a few tragedies like this.’

In fact, less than a kilometre away, at the South Keys mall, a shrine stands in the memory of Melissa Richmond, the 28-year-old whose body was found in the bush there in July of last year.  Her husband has been charged with her murder.

‘This is a couple times now,’ says Nathalie Lebrun, ‘It's becoming quite unsafe around here.’  

‘I live across street from the O Train, says Adam Farah, ‘and I guess it could shock community to know stuff like this happening. It's pretty scary.’

Police are now turning to that very community to help, canvassing houses along the west side of the Transitway, hoping someone may have seen something.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Major Crime Unit at 613-236-1222 ext. 5493.

With files from CTV Ottawa