A booking photo of Omar Armando Loera in the killing of Cheree Osmanhodzic, Wednesday, Oct.13, 2010. Loera was turned over to Los Angeles police by Mexican authorities Tuesday night, hours after being arrested in the Mexican border town of Mexicali. Loera, 34, is suspected of the murder of Cheree Osmanhodzic, 34, who was found burned to death inside her home in the 11500 block of Riverside Drive on July 24. | See photo gallery. (Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer)

After an 81-day search that took authorities up and down the state and over the Mexican border, a man suspected of murdering a Valley Village bride-to-be was captured thanks largely to community help, police said Wednesday.

Omar Armando Loera, 34, was arrested Tuesday afternoon by Baja State Police with little resistance, according to authorities, and turned over to Los Angeles Police Department homicide detectives at the Calexico border at 9:30 p.m.

A known transient, Loera had been evading police since he was identified as the suspected killer of 34-year-old Cheree Osmanhodzic.

Loera, who is being held without bail at Van Nuys County jail, will be arraigned Nov. 16 on charges that include murder with special circumstances, making him eligible for the death penalty.

He is also charged with burglary, arson and assault with a deadly weapon.

While DNA found at the crime scene helped identify Loera as the suspect, police said tips from community members, who were offered a $50,000 reward for information, eventually led to his arrest.

Authorities said it was a tip from the community that led them to his location in Mexico, but said they could not elaborate on who would be getting the reward money.

"The most important aspect of this investigation was the support we received from the community," said Lt. Alan Hamilton, commanding officer of North Hollywood's homicide detectives, at a news conference.

"We worked on this every day, stayed up several nights, but our sacrifice was for the right reason and that reason was justice."

Osmanhodzic's mother said she was overwhelmed with mixed emotions.

Adam Colvey, center, the fiance of murder victim Cheree Osmanhodzic, gets a hug from Pam Kuse following the news conference about the arrest of Omar Armando Loera, Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2010, at the LAPD North Hollywood station. (Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer)

"I am happy because I know he is now in custody and will never hurt anybody like he hurt my daughter," said Gail Cameron.

"But I'm sad because I know that this won't bring her back."

Cameron also showered the North Hollywood police department with gratitude.

"At times I felt like she was their daughter," Cameron said.

Osmanhodzic's father, Mike Cameron, also thanked police and the local community.

"I don't know how to thank you," Mike Cameron said, holding back tears.

Osmanhodzic's death struck a chord with the Valley Village community, known for its quiet tree-lined streets.

According to police, Osmanhodzic was fatally stabbed on July 24 at her home on the 15500 block of Riverside Drive, which she shared with her fiance, Adam Culvey. Culvey discovered the suspect at the residence, chased him and then returned home to find the apartment engulfed in flames. Firefighters found Osmanhodzic's body in the ashes of the blaze.

Four days after Osmanhodzic's death, City Councilman Paul Krekorian, who represents Valley Village, put out a $50,000 reward for information on Loera's whereabouts.

"We all felt Cheree's loss as our own and everyone in the community stepped up," Krekorian said.

"As we move forward we will leave no stone unturned to ensure the successful prosecution of Loera ... to ensure he spends the rest of his life in prison."

Just as community members rallied together to provide clues and tips for police, several law enforcement agencies also worked together to locate Loera.

Those agencies included the U.S. Marshal's Fugitive Task Force and Mexican authorities, who visited some 15 locations in Mexicali before finally capturing Loera. Authorities would not give details on exactly where Loera was found, but did say that the suspect seemed calm during the arrest.

"He just gave up ... he knew what he was facing," said Detective Federico Sicard, who works with LAPD's foreign prosecutions division.

Loera has five previous convictions on his record for a drugs and weapons charges including a conviction for assault with a deadly weapon and robbery with a knife.

He was sentenced to 32 months for the robbery, and was released on parole in two years - this past February. According to police, he then failed to report to his parole officer in Fresno.