Guatemalan National Indicted in Langley Park Murder of 19-Year-Old

Hugo Hernandez-Mendez has been indicted on charges including murder, tampering with evidence and disposing of a body in an unauthorized place for the death of 19-year-old Dacara Thompson.

Prince George's County State's Attorney Tara Jackson announced the indictment Tuesday. "Today's indictment marks a critical step in the criminal justice process," Jackson said. The charges include common law murder, tampering with physical evidence, and burying/disposing of a body in an unauthorized place.

Hernandez-Mendez, 35, was first arrested and charged with first- and second-degree murder in September in the death of Thompson. He was found to be living in the U.S. illegally and is a Guatemalan national, according to Prince George's County police. Immigration officials confirmed Hernandez-Mendez is a Guatemalan native who has lived and worked in the U.S. illegally for over three years.

Thompson left her father's home in Lanham the night of Aug. 22 and said she was going to put gas in her car. Her family reported her missing the next day. The car was found Aug. 24 with her purse inside. Her phone was gone and disabled. PGPD Homicide Unit detectives located surveillance video showing Thompson approach a black SUV in the early morning hours of August 23, 2025. After speaking to the driver, she entered the SUV. The driver then drove to a home in the 12000 block of Kembridge Drive in Bowie.

Detectives applied for and obtained a search warrant for that home on September 4, 2025. Evidence was located suggesting Thompson had been murdered in a bedroom in the residence. During the search, officers found what they believe to be Thompson's blood and a missing fingernail, along with hair and other evidence.

Thompson's nude body was found Aug. 31 on a riverbank off Route 50 in Anne Arundel County, Prince George's County police confirmed. Investigators believe Hernandez-Mendez transported her body to Anne Arundel County and disposed of it by throwing it off a bridge along Route 50 in an attempt to conceal the crime. Thompson had skull and facial fractures, court documents say. Detectives expect her death to be ruled a homicide. Her exact cause of death was not released.

According to police, Hernandez-Mendez had been arrested by U.S. Park Police for a DUI five months prior to Thompson's death, but was released. Thompson's mother, Carmen Thompson, reacted to that revelation: "I'm very disappointed finding that out now. Because we may not be here today if they did what they were supposed to do."

Carmen Thompson described her daughter to the public after her accused killer appeared in court. "She was 19, just getting started, young lady out of high school. She had just completed a yearlong internship in which she was very successful...she was a free spirit," she said.

Hernandez-Mendez is currently being held without bond.