A scar-faced unlawful migrant was charged Friday with murdering a Maryland teenager whose physique was discovered dumped on the aspect of a freeway greater than every week after she was reported lacking.
Hugo Hernandez-Mendez, 35, was charged with first- and second-degree homicide after a physique discovered close to a Washington, DC-area freeway was confirmed to be lacking 19-year-old Dacara Thompson, officers mentioned.
He’s suspected of murdering the teenager in his bed room after surveillance confirmed her getting right into a again SUV that took her to the home in Bowie, the Prince George’s County Police Division mentioned.
Hernandez-Mendez — who has a protracted scar stretching from above his proper eye right down to his mouth — was within the US illegally regardless of an earlier arrest in April for driving below the affect, County Govt Aisha Braveboy advised a press convention Friday.
He was launched pending trial earlier this yr — however is now dealing with an ICE detainer whereas held with out bond on the homicide costs, officers mentioned.
It isn’t clear if he knew Thompson, who was reported lacking by her household on Aug. 23, the day after she left her father’s home in Lanford, simply exterior DC, saying she was rapidly grabbing fuel, her household advised NBC Washington.
Thompson’s automobile was discovered two days later, parked the unsuitable manner subsequent to a hydrant, along with her purse and bank cards nonetheless inside.
On Sunday, a physique was lastly discovered, dumped on the aspect of Route 50 in Anne Arundel County. It was confirmed this week to be the lacking teen.
Investigators then discovered surveillance footage exhibiting Thompson approaching a black SUV round 3 a.m. the night time she went lacking after which hopping in after chatting with the driving force, cops mentioned.
“For causes nonetheless below investigation, it seems that Dacara willfully entered a automobile being pushed” by the suspect, Prince George’s County Police Chief George Nader advised a press convention.
The automobile went to a home in Bowie, the place a search warrant confirmed the teenager “had been murdered in a bed room,” cops mentioned.
“The suspect has entry to the black SUV and lives within the bed room the place the homicide occurred,” the division mentioned in a press release.
“We consider all the pieces transpired within the bed room,” Nader mentioned. “What’s surrounding the 2 coming collectively, that’s what we’re nonetheless investigating.”
Cops say the suspected killer then dumped Thompson’s physique within the grassy area about 7 miles from the homicide scene, based on WTOP.
Authorities are nonetheless investigating precisely how she died.
Thompson, a current graduate of St. Charles Excessive College in Waldorf, Maryland, was dwelling at dwelling whereas working at a nonprofit as a part of a Service Yr program for current graduates, based on Braveboy, the county government.
“This can be a younger girl who devoted a part of her younger life to serving others, to serving others, and I need that to deliver dwelling to all of you that this can be a good, good, good younger girl who needed to do good for her neighborhood, and now her neighborhood will stand behind her household as we search justice for her,“ Braveboy mentioned.
