LANHAM, Md. — A 35-year-old Bowie man, Hugo Hernandez-Mendez, has been arrested and charged in connection with the death of 19-year-old Dacara Thompson of Lanham, whose disappearance in late August sparked concern across Prince George’s County.
Prince George’s County police announced Thursday that Hernandez-Mendez faces charges of first- and second-degree murder and is currently being held without bond.
Thompson was reported missing by her family on August 23, 2025. Just days later, Maryland State Police launched a separate investigation after a woman’s body was discovered in a grassy area off Route 50 in Anne Arundel County. Authorities soon confirmed the deceased as Dacara Thompson, linking the two cases.
Surveillance footage revealed that in the early hours of August 23, Thompson entered a black SUV after briefly speaking with the driver. That vehicle was later tracked to a residence on Kembridge Drive in Bowie, where investigators believe the murder occurred. A search warrant executed on September 4 uncovered critical evidence in the home, identifying Hugo Hernandez-Mendez — the resident and SUV owner — as the prime suspect.
Although the official cause of death has not yet been released by the medical examiner, authorities believe it will be classified as homicide. Investigators are still determining whether Thompson and Hernandez-Mendez knew each other before that night.
The arrest brings partial closure to a case that has left the Lanham community in mourning and Thompson’s family seeking justice. Police are continuing their investigation and ask anyone with further information to contact the Homicide Unit at 301-516-2512.
