Image Credit: Prince George's County Police Dept. 
An illegal alien from Guatemala has been charged in the murder of 19-year-old Maryland woman who disappeared two weeks ago, authorities say.
On Aug. 23, Dacara Thompson was reported missing a day after she departed her father’s residence in Lanham, a community in the sanctuary jurisdiction of Prince George’s County, MD.
Thompson said she was going to put gas in her car at the time but never returned home, NBC Washington reports.
Surveillance footage reviewed by law enforcement indicates Thompson approached an SUV at around 3 a.m. on Aug. 23 and appeared to “willfully” enter the vehicle.
The SUV was then driven to a residence in the nearby city of Bowie where investigators believe Thompson was killed in a bedroom belonging to Hugo Hernandez-Mendez, 35.
Hernandez-Mendez allegedly dumped Thompson’s body off Route 50 in Anne Arundel County, roughly 30 miles away.
Thompson’s vehicle was located with her purse inside on Aug. 24, but her body was not found until Sept. 3.
Hernandez-Mendez was arrested this week and charged with first-degree murder.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has confirmed Hernandez-Mendez is an illegal alien who entered the U.S. at an unknown location and date.
“Hugo Rene Hernandez-Mendez is a criminal alien from Guatemala charged with first-degree murder in Prince George’s County, Maryland. On Sept. 4, ICE Baltimore lodged an immigration detainer against Hernandez with the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections, who is historically uncooperative,” ICE told Border Hawk on Friday.
“Local officials, like Prince George’s County endanger the safety of its residents by refusing to honor ICE detainers and releasing criminal illegal aliens back into the community to reoffend. We can only hope that’s not the case with Hernandez-Mendez.”
Hernandez-Mendez was reportedly arrested by the U.S. Park Police in April for driving under the influence, but was released for reasons that remain unclear.
An investigation is ongoing.
