Dacara Thompson: 19-Year-Old Missing Maryland Teen Found Dead; Man Arrested
Dacara Rose Thompson was a vibrant young woman with dreams of serving in the Air Force. Thompson, reported missing on August 23, 2025, was last seen on August 22, 2025, after leaving her father’s home in Lanham to get gas.
Her disappearance, which has sent the Prince George’s County community reeling after the tragic conclusion to the disappearance, sparked a widespread search effort, community vigils, and a collaborative investigation between Prince George’s County Police and Maryland State Police. On September 5, 2025, authorities confirmed the grim discovery of her remains and announced the arrest of a suspect in connection with her murder.
Dacara Thompson, described by her family as a “loving and vibrant” young woman, left her father’s home in Lanham on the evening of August 22, 2025, telling him she was heading to a nearby Shell gas station in the Eastgate Shopping Center to refuel her 2013 pearl white Ford Edge. Surveillance footage captured her exiting her vehicle at the gas station.
Later that night, at 11:50 p.m., she texted her father, Daniel Thompson, saying, “I got gas & I’m out. I should be back soon. I love you too. Goodnight <3.” When she failed to return home, her father attempted to contact her but received no response.
The following morning, Dacara’s mother, Carmen Thompson, used an iPhone tracking app to locate her daughter’s vehicle, which was found abandoned in Hyattsville, approximately nine miles from her father’s home.
The car was parked incorrectly in front of a fire hydrant on Jasmine Terrace, near Riggs Road, across from the Chillum-Adelphi Volunteer Fire Station. Inside the vehicle, police found her purse containing $60 in cash, her ID, house keys, and credit cards, but her phone and car key fob were missing. Surveillance footage from the area showed a figure, believed to be Dacara, parking the car around 1:30 a.m. on August 23 and walking toward Riggs Road before vanishing.
Her family, alarmed by her uncharacteristic silence, immediately contacted the Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD). “For Dacara not to call or text us for a week is completely unlike her,” Carmen Thompson wrote on a GoFundMe page set up to support the search effort. “Her silence has left us fearing the worst.” The community rallied around the family, holding a prayer vigil on August 31 at the location where her car was found, with dozens of friends, family, and strangers canvassing the area for answers.
Discovery of Remains
On August 31, 2025, Maryland State Police responded to a report of a disabled vehicle along U.S. Route 50 in Anne Arundel County, near Annapolis. While investigating, troopers discovered the body of an unidentified woman in a grassy area off the highway.
Though the disabled vehicle was unrelated to the case, preliminary examinations revealed that the remains shared characteristics with Dacara Thompson, prompting a joint investigation with PGPD. Authorities emphasized that no definitive identification had been made at the time, pending autopsy results from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
The discovery sent shockwaves through the community, with Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy expressing solidarity with Thompson’s family. “Dacara is 19 years old, and even though she’s technically an adult, she’s someone’s child, someone’s baby,” Braveboy said during a September 3 press conference. “Our heart goes out to her entire family.”
Breakthrough in the Case
On September 5, 2025, PGPD announced a significant breakthrough in the investigation. The body found off Route 50 was confirmed to be Dacara Thompson, and 35-year-old Hugo Hernandez-Mendez of Bowie, Maryland, was arrested and charged with first- and second-degree murder in connection with her death.
Surveillance footage obtained by detectives showed Thompson approaching a black SUV in the early morning hours of August 23. A subsequent search of Hernandez-Mendez’s residence on Cambridge Drive revealed evidence indicating that Thompson was murdered in a bedroom inside the home before her body was moved to the location where it was later found.
Hernandez-Mendez, who had access to the black SUV seen in the footage, is being held without bond by the Department of Corrections. PGPD Interim Chief George Nader noted that detectives are still working to determine whether Thompson and the suspect knew each other prior to her disappearance. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has yet to release the official cause of death, but investigators expect the case to be ruled a homicide.
Community Impact and Calls for Justice
Dacara Thompson’s disappearance and death have left an indelible mark on Prince George’s County, particularly as her case coincided with the disappearances of two other women in the area, Erica Perry and Santia Desir, within a two-week period. While one woman was found safe, the cases of Perry and Desir remain open, fueling community concern about safety in the region.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore expressed deep sorrow over Thompson’s death, calling it “an act of senseless violence” and praising her commitment to public service through her participation in the Maryland Service Year Option program. “She yearned to be part of our mission to solve big problems with bold solutions through her passion for the arts,” Moore said.
Carmen Thompson, in a heartfelt plea during the search, described her daughter as “our daughter, our light.” The family’s GoFundMe campaign, initially created to fund private investigators, continues to support their efforts to seek justice. Community members, including Upper Marlboro resident Mimi Jones, showed solidarity by placing flowers at the site where Thompson’s car was found. “It’s just a sad situation that a girl that young is missing in the community,” Jones said.
Ongoing InvestigationWhile Hernandez-Mendez’s arrest marks a significant development, the investigation remains active. PGPD and Maryland State Police continue to collaborate, urging anyone with information to come forward. Tips can be submitted to Prince George’s County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477), online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com, or via the P3 Tips app. Anonymous tips are welcomed, and authorities emphasize that even minor details could help bring closure to Thompson’s family.
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