Police have arrested a suspect in the case of a missing teen whose body was found on the side of a Maryland highway after she texted her father 'be back soon.'
Dacara Thompson, 19, vanished after she left her family home around 10pm on August 22 and stopped at a gas station, reported Fox 5.
Her father, Daniel Thompson, told WJZ she had texted him just before midnight: 'I got gas and I'm out. I should be back soon. I love you too. Goodnight.'
However, she never it made it home and her parents reported her missing the next day, according to the Prince George's County Police Department.
Nearly a week later, her body was found in a grassy area off of Route 50 in Anne Arundel County on August 31.
Police launched their investigation and announced on Friday they charged 35-year-old Hugo Hernandez-Mendez with her murder.
Detectives said they found additional surveillance video that showed Thompson approaching a black SUV in the early morning hours of August 23.
The video showed the teen talking to the driver, then entering the car, according to police.
'For reasons still under investigation, it appears that Dacara willfully entered a vehicle being driven by the suspect,' Police Chief George Nader said at a news conference reported by NBC 4.
Dacara Thompson, 19, vanished after leaving her Lanham home on August 22. Her body was found nine days later on the side of Route 50 in Anne Arundel County
Hugo Rene Hernandez-Mendez, 35, has been charged with first- and second-degree murder in Thompson's death and is being held without bond
The car was then tracked down to a home in Bowie, about 20 miles outside of Washington, DC.
Police obtained a search warrant and said they uncovered evidence suggesting Thompson was murdered inside Hernandez-Mendez's bedroom at the residence before her body was dumped along Route 50.
Her official cause of death has not yet been determined, but investigators said the medical examiner is expected to rule it a homicide based on the evidence.
Hernandez-Mendez has been charged with first- and second-degree murder and is being held without bond at the Department of Corrections.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore released a statement condemning the killing, calling it 'an act of senseless violence.'
'Our entire state mourns the horrible loss of Dacara Thompson, who was taken from us by an act of senseless violence,' he said. 'Dawn and I join all Marylanders in praying for Dacara and her family in the wake of this tragedy.'
Moore noted that Thompson had joined the Maryland Service Year Option program after graduating high school - a statewide initiative that places young adults in public service roles.
'She yearned to be part of our mission to solve big problems with bold solutions through her passion for the arts,' he added. 'She was a bright light in our state. We will use every tool at our disposal to ensure those responsible for this crime are held accountable and honor Dacara's legacy of service.'
Investigators said the SUV Thompson entered around 3 am on August 23 was linked to a property on Kembridge Drive in Bowie. Detectives searched the house on Thursday, where they discovered evidence she had been killed inside before her body was moved.
Thompson texted her father around midnight saying she had gotten gas and would be 'back soon' - but she never made it home.
Neighbors told NBC 4 they were stunned to learn what police say happened behind closed doors in their quiet, family-oriented neighborhood.
'To hear about what happened to that poor girl, I'm really sorry for the family and I really keep them in my prayers,' one woman said.
Authorities also confirmed that Hernandez-Mendez, originally from Guatemala, was in the US illegally. He had a prior arrest in April, when US Park Police charged him with DUI, but federal authorities released him while he awaited trial.
On Thursday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) filed a detainer request against him and criticized Prince George's County corrections officials as 'historically uncooperative.'
'Hugo Rene Hernandez-Mendez is a criminal alien from Guatemala charged with first-degree murder in Prince George's County, Maryland,' an ICE spokesperson said. 'Local officials endanger the safety of residents by refusing to honor detainers and releasing criminal illegal aliens back into the community to reoffend.'
Prince George's County State's Attorney Aisha Braveboy pushed back, pointing out that federal authorities had previously had Hernandez-Mendez in custody.
'This was someone who was in their custody, and they made the decision to release him,' she said.
Before Thompson's body was found, her parents spent days combing wooded areas and searching for clues. Her abandoned car had been discovered near a fire station with her purse - containing credit cards and cash - still inside, but her phone and key fob missing.
Police say surveillance footage shows Thompson speaking to the driver of a black SUV around 3 a.m. on August 23 before getting into the vehicle
At one point, her mother Carmen stumbled upon what looked like a chained metal trap door and shouted into the darkness: 'Hello? Hello?'
'I'm exhausting any resource, anything I can think of,' she told reporters. Daniel Thompson added: 'I'm scared but still hopeful.'
Hernandez-Mendez was arrested Thursday along the Baltimore-Washington Parkway near Route 450. He is scheduled to appear in court Monday in Upper Marlboro.
The investigation remains ongoing as police continue to examine how Thompson came into contact with her accused killer.
