Missing Teen Found Dead; Man Arrested for Murder
The family of 19-year-old Dacara Thompson from Lanham reported her missing on August 23. A day later, authorities discovered her car in Hyattsville, prompting a search for the young woman.
Tragically, Thompson’s body was found in a grassy area along Route 50 in Anne Arundel County on August 31. The Maryland State Police confirmed that the remains belonged to Thompson.
In connection to her death, police arrested 35-year-old Hugo Hernandez-Mendez from Bowie, Maryland, on charges of first- and second-degree murder. He is currently being held without bond.
Investigators analyzed surveillance footage that captured Thompson getting into a black SUV early on the morning she disappeared. The footage led them to a residence on Kembridge Drive in Bowie, where evidence indicated that Thompson may have been murdered.
Searches of the home revealed signs of foul play in a bedroom, believed to be where the crime occurred. Hernandez-Mendez had access to the SUV and was living in that room at the time.
While the exact cause of death is still under investigation, early findings suggest that it will likely be classified as a homicide. Detectives are working to determine if Thompson and Hernandez-Mendez had any prior connection before her disappearance.
