JERSEY CITY — Authorities have arrested and charged a city man for the murder of a woman in Lincoln Park, officials with the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office said.

Members with the HCPO’s Homicide Task Force early Sunday morning arrested Jorge Rios, of Jersey City, for the murder of Carolina Cano.

The Jersey City woman was found dead in the lake in Lincoln Park, east of Route 1&9 near the tennis courts, on Sunday, March 24. Authorities say she was kidnapped and sexually assaulted prior to her death.

Rios, 33, has been charged with murder, kidnapping and aggravated sexual assault, authorities said. He was transported to the Hudson County Correctional Facility in Kearny.

Authorities found Cano's body last Sunday in the lake in Lincoln Park just after 7:30 a.m. The Regional Medical Examiner's Office determined the cause of death to be from "strangulation and water submersion."

Cano, 45, lived two blocks away from Lincoln Park on Gautier Avenue. Law enforcement sources said she was believed to have been jogging.

Residents in the park were relieved to hear of the arrest, but said the incident was shocking. Cano's murder has prompted calls from residents for additional security in the park.

Phil Taino and Cesar Realista have been playing tennis in the park for years — not far from where Cano’s body was found in the park.

They said they “thought the park has gotten safer” over the years “with all of the cameras — and there are a lot of police patrols going around.”

"But it's surprising this happened," Taino said.

Realista said he thinks additional security is needed, and added that "there's not enough lighting around here."

Khalid Muhammad, a lifelong resident of Jersey City who has been jogging in Lincoln Park for more than 25 years, called the park a "sanctuary" for joggers and residents looking to escape the urban environment.

He said Cano's murder was tragic, but that he has "always thought (the park) was safe."

"I never felt threatened," he said. "This is just a really terrible and unfortunate incident."

Freeholder Bill O’Dea and Jersey City Councilwoman Mira Prinz-Arey, who represent the West Side, plan to host a meeting Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Gallo Center to discuss the homicide and talk about security measures at the park.

Corey W. McDonald may be reached at cmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @cwmcdonald_. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.