Washington, D.C. – A Prince George’s County man has been indicted in connection with the death of DaCara Thompson, authorities announced Tuesday.
Hugo Hernandez-Mendez, 35, faces charges of common law murder, tampering with physical evidence, and improperly burying or disposing of a body, according to Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Tara Jackson.
“Today’s indictment marks a critical step in the criminal justice process,” Jackson said in a statement, thanking law enforcement partners and prosecutors for their work on the case.
Hernandez-Mendez was arrested on September 5 in Bowie after investigators alleged that he killed Thompson inside his bedroom. The Maryland State Police launched a death investigation after a woman’s body was discovered in a grassy area off Route 50 in Anne Arundel County on a Sunday.
However, officials later determined that the murder likely occurred about 20 miles away from where Thompson’s body was found.
According to police, surveillance footage from August 23, the day Thompson was reported missing, shows her entering a black SUV believed to belong to Hernandez-Mendez. Authorities said it remains unclear whether the two knew each other prior to that day or what their relationship may have been.
Thompson, a Lanham resident, was reported missing from Hyattsville on August 23, leaving her family and community deeply concerned.
As of now, no date has been set for Hernandez-Mendez’s next court appearance, officials said.
