SARTELL — The North Dakota State University student found slain in Moorhead will be laid to rest as authorities search for the person responsible for his death.

A funeral Mass for 18-year-old Thomas Bearson will be held today at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in his hometown of Sartell.

Bearson’s body was found Tuesday outside a recreational vehicle store in Moorhead. The Ramsey County medical examiner’s office said Bearson died as the “result of homicidal violence.”

Police said Bearson had last been seen at a party early Saturday morning in Fargo, N.D., about six blocks from his dorm. NDSU officials are encouraging students to walk with others on and off campus at night. On-campus police escorts are available around the clock.