'I Just Want Justice': Dacara Thompson's Mom Speaks Out After Suspect's Bail Hearing

BOWIE, MD — The man charged with first- and second-degree murder in the death of 19-year-old Dacara Thompson of Lanham has been ordered held without bond after his first court appearance Monday in Prince George's County.

According to WTOP, after the bond hearing, 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.”

Hugo Hernandez-Mendez, 35, an undocumented immigrant previously arrested then let go by police, was charged in Thompson’s murder Friday.

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.

Prosecutors said Hernandez-Mendez met Thompson in Hyattsville and drove her to his home in Bowie, killed her in his bedroom, then threw her nude body off the South River Bridge along Route 50 in Anne Arundel County. Thompson's body 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.

Suspect Previously Arrested, Released

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.”

Thompson's Last Hours, Death

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. Thompson left her vehicle at a meeting spot in Hyattsville and entered Hernandez-Mendez's black GMC Yukon Denali. They then drove together to a home where Hernandez-Mendez was staying with relatives, court documents show.

Cell data and video surveillance confirmed Thompson’s movements and the movements of the black Yukon Denali are consistent with moving together, documents say.

Her phone was deactivated around 5 a.m., documents show.

Court documents said Thompson's body was found Aug. 31 around 30 feet below the bridge. The victim's tattoos and jewelry matched those of Thompson.

Detectives found Hernandez-Mendez's GMC in front of that same home Sept. 3 when they were going to execute a search warrant. A man got into the vehicle and left. Police conducted a traffic stop on that vehicle in the early morning hours of Sept. 4 and arrested Hernandez-Mendez. The suspect told police he'd been at the Galaxy Night Club in Hyattsville, which is across the street from the Family Dollar where Thompson got into his GMC. He told detectives he was supposed to meet up with his ex-girlfriend but never did, court documents said.

DC News Now reported that one person at the home where Hernandez-Mendez was staying said they were cousins with him and two others. The person told reporters that Hernandez-Mendez has a drinking and drug problem. A second person staying at the home told DC News Now they recalled hearing Hernandez-Mendez having sex with someone at around 5 a.m. on Aug. 23.

Court documents stated that “sexual intercourse [was] heard coming from [Hernandez-Mendez’s] bedroom which sounded as if someone was not enjoying it," DC News Now reported. After waking up a few hours later, one of the residents said they walked outside and saw that the suspect's SUV was not parked outside the house, which was strange because he doesn't work Saturdays.

USA Today said police found identification cards with Hernandez-Mendez’s name on them inside a bedroom of the home where they executed a search warrant and where there also was “suspected blood evidence,” court documents say.

Investigators also found a fake French manicure-style fingernail on the floor, matching the same nails Thompson had when she was found, and hair in a trash bag matching a wig she appeared to be wearing in the surveillance video, The Washington Post disclosed.

Police said in the charging documents that they also tested for “possible blood evidence” in the Denali, which came back positive on the passenger front seat. An autopsy revealed skull and facial fractures, according to unredacted charging documents obtained by The Washington Post.

Related:

• 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