BREAKING: Illegal immigrant arrested in brutal rape and murder of 11-year-old girl in Texas

An illegal immigrant from Guatemala has been arrested and charged for the murder of an 11-year-old Texas girl who was found dead in her home last week.

Juan Carlos Garcia Rodriguez, 18, was arrested in Louisiana on Saturday by the Shreveport Police Department. Rodriguez has been charged with capital murder and is waiting to be extradited back to Texas, according to KHOU.

The victim, Maria Gonzalez, was found dead by her father, Carmelo Gonzalez, on Aug. 12. Her body was hidden in a laundry bag hidden underneath her bed. Maria was also reportedly sexually assaulted by Rodriguez. 

"This arrest has brought the family and community some peace," the Gonzalez family said in a statement, according to KHOU.

"We are extremely thankful that he cannot cause this type of pain to anybody again," the family said. "I ask for those who are in charge to give us justice. May he be burdened with the full with of the law for what he has done to my daughter."

According to police, Garcia-Rodriguez lived at the same apartment complex as the Gonzalez family. Officers located a key at the crime scene, which they believe is evidence that belongs to the suspect, whose DNA was swabbed at the scene.

On Monday, police interviewed Rogriguez, but he immediately vanished and informed his roommate he was leaving town for a job.

Garcia-Rodriguez had illegally entered the US through El Paso in January but had been granted release upon arrival due to having a sponsor located in Louisiana after he had turned himself into authorities.

Maria had moved to the United States with her father four years prior and had only been living in the complex for three months when she was killed.

This is a breaking story and will be updated.