The search has ended for an autistic boy that had gone missing in Southern California this week. Tragically, his body was found in a shallow grave on his family's property, and now, one of his family members has been implicated in the murder.

Terry Dewayne Smith, Jr. went missing sometime Saturday night, with his parents first recognizing his absence on Sunday morning. The 11-year-old was last seen by his brother at sometime between 7:30 and 9:00 p.m. Saturday.

"The brother was walking away from their residence, turns back, sees that Terry's following him and tells Terry, 'Hey, go home,'" Deputy Albert Martinez told The Desert Sun this week.

Now, that brother, who is 16-years-old and a half-brother to Terry, has been taken into custody as the prime suspect in the boy's murder. The mother and other family members have also been taken into questioning, but it is believed that Terry's older brother murdered him due to a family dispute at the time.

"We want to thank everyone who is following our efforts here and for the thousands of volunteers and businesses that have helped this incredible search effort," the administrator for the "Find Terry Smith" Facebook page posted on Wednesday. "PLEASE REMEMBER that our focus has always been on Terry Smith, an 11 year old boy. Our focus is still on that boy and the memory."

The search for Terry, who suffered from autism and had the mental capacity of a 7-year-old, was a very extensive and costly one for the city of Menifee, which is just due south of Riverside, Calif. Those who had been searching had held out hope that they would find the boy alive.

"I'm devastated," said Dawn Berning, a volunteer who had worked long hours to help bring Terry back home. "To see something like that happen in our community tears me up. I'm angry. I feel used."

Scorching temperatures had made the likelihood of finding Terry alive smaller and smaller with each passing day. Despite over one thousand officers and volunteers combing the area, he was not found until Wednesday, when they were finally able to uncover his body not far from his house.

There have been no formal charges yet in the investigation. While it is believed that the brother is guilty of murder, officers are still talking with the family and gathering as much information as possible.