Juan David Ortiz fled from state troopers and was found hiding in a hotel parking lot in Laredo, Texas at around 2am Saturday

A US Border Patrol agent in Texas described by authorities as a 'serial killer' has been arrested for the murders four prostitutes and the abduction of a fifth, who managed to escape him and notify authorities.

Juan David Ortiz fled from state troopers and was found hiding in a hotel parking lot in Laredo at around 2am Saturday, Webb County Sheriff Martin Cuellar said in a press conference hours later.

Cuellar said investigators have 'very strong evidence' that Ortiz is responsible for the murders, and Webb County District Attorney Isidro Alaniz described the Border Patrol intel supervisor as a serial killer.

Alaniz said investigators are still trying to determine a motive for the killings. He said all of the women worked as prostitutes.

He said his office plans to charge Ortiz with four counts of murder and one count of aggravated kidnapping.

Authorities didn't disclose the victims' names or nationalities and they declined to discuss the evidence or say how the women were killed - but local media outlets have linked them to at least three bodies found in the area over the last two weeks.

Three bodies have been found in the northwest area of the county this month, and Cuellar said authorities are investigating whether there may be a fourth body.

The first victim was identified as 29-year-old Laredo resident Melissa Ramirez, whose body was found on September 4.

Investigators have not disclosed her cause of death.

US Border Patrol agent Juan David Ortiz was arrested in Webb County, Texas, on Saturday morning as authorities say he suspected of murdering of four women and the abducting a fifth. The first victim, 29-year-old Laredo resident Melissa Ramirez, is pictured

On Thursday, 42-year-old Claudine Anne Luera was found fatally wounded off a roadway not far from where the previous body was found.

Luera was taken to a hospital in critical condition, where she was later pronounced dead from fatal head trauma.

The ongoing investigation is being spearheaded by the Texas Rangers.

Department of Public Safety Sgt Erick Estrada said no additional information could be disclosed on Saturday morning.

At around 1.30pm local time Saturday the Laredo Police Department released a statement about the case, which says: 'We want to reassure the citizens of Laredo that the community and your families are safe.'

Law enforcement officers gather near the scene where the body of a woman was found near Interstate 35 north of Laredo

At around 1.30pm local time Saturday the Laredo Police Department released a statement about the case, which says: 'We want to reassure the citizens of Laredo that the community and your families are safe'

It continues: 'There has been a recent breakthrough in the investigations and there has been someone detained. That information belongs to the corresponding agencies who are handling the information and will make a more in depth release at the appropriate time.

'We value the release of timely information and we are making this notice public in order to remove any unnecessary fear in the community.

'There will be information made available very soon by those agencies who are in charge of the case. (In the) meantime we maintain our city's safety and security and our responsibility to make you feel safe as well.'