Dacara Thompson's Funeral Service Plans Released

BOWIE, MD — Funeral service plans have been announced by the family of Dacra Thompson, the 19-year-old from Lanham who was found dead along Route 50 last month.

Visitation hours for Thompson will be at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 23, followed by funeral services at 11 a.m. Both will be held at Kettering Baptist Church Legacy Center, 6909 Crain Highway, Upper Marlboro, according to WUSA9.

Hugo Hernandez-Mendez, 35, an undocumented immigrant, has been charged with first- and second-degree murder in Thompson's death. He was arrested in April by Park Police for driving while impaired and was released rather than being deported, according to reports.

Thompson's family reported her missing on Aug. 23 after last seeing her the day before. Police say Thompson was killed in Hernandez-Mendez 's bedroom in a house in Bowie after they met in a parking lot around 3 a.m.

She was last seen in Langley Park and her car was found two days later parked across from the Chillum-Aldephi Volunteer Fire Station, reports said. Her wallet and house keys were in her vehicle.

Authorities said the suspect threw Thompson's nude body off the South River Bridge along Route 50 in Anne Arundel County. She was found several days later by Maryland State Police, lying along the riverbank.

Court records show Thompson was thrown more than 30 feet off the bridge and her body suffered numerous fractures. An autopsy showed Thompson suffered skull and facial fractures, according to unredacted charging documents obtained by The Washington Post.

An official cause of death has not been released by the medical examiner.

According to WTOP, after the suspect's bond hearing in which he was denied bail, Thompson's mother, Carmen, spoke about her daughter and demanded justice.

“She had just completed a yearlong internship in which she was very successful. She did a great job. She was an outgoing, soft-spoken, kind young lady,” Carmen said, wearing a shirt printed with her daughter’s photo. “I just want justice served for my daughter.”

Read more:

• Grisly Details About Dacara Thompson's Death, Suspect's Immigration Status
• 'Possible Connection' Between Body Found And Missing Dacara Thompson
• Missing Woman Confirmed Dead, Bowie Man Charged With Murder
• 'I Just Want Justice': Dacara Thompson's Mom Speaks Out After Suspect's Bail Hearing

Aisha Braveboy (D), Prince George’s County executive, said the suspect was arrested by U.S. Park Police for drinking under the influence as an undocumented immigrant, but was released pending trial, criticizing federal authorities.

NBC Washington reported Hernandez-Mendez had been arrested by U.S. Park Police after he was stopped April 25 on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway near Annapolis Road for a suspected DUI. The federal government released him pending trial, Prince George's County officials said.

The U.S. attorney for Maryland would not comment, NBC Washington said. ICE released a statement saying Hernandez-Mendez was put under an immigration detainer Thursday.

The Washington Post said a spokesperson at DHS confirmed in a statement that ICE has lodged an arrest detainer against Hernandez-Mendez, who is from Guatemala. According to the spokesperson, he had arrests “for driving under the influence and failure to maintain control of a motor vehicle to avoid a collision” in May 2022.

In the statement, DHS condemned the county’s “sanctuary policies” and claimed that it “historically does not cooperate with ICE.”

“The U.S. government has made status of individuals relevant,” Braveboy said during a news conference. “This was someone who was in their custody, and they made the decision to release him.”