Howard County Police are searching for a Columbia man after his girlfriend was found strangled to death in his apartment Sunday.

Investigators obtained an arrest warrant for Darwin Carcamo-Santiago, 24, on charges of first- and second-degree murder related to the death of Esmeralda Perez-Mendez, 35, of Takoma Park, police said in a news release Monday.

Police responded Sunday afternoon to an apartment in the 9000 block of Watchlight Court in the Long Reach village after an acquaintance found Perez-Mendez dead in Carcamo-Santiago’s bedroom. Detectives believe she may have been killed Saturday night or early Sunday, police said.

Authorities are actively searching for Carcamo-Santiago and said he may have fled the area.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact police at 410-313-STOP or HCPDCrimeTips@howardcountymd.gov.