Illegal Alien’s Freedom Ends In Teen Girl’s Murder (Video)

Police tape with flashing lights in the background — Teen Girl Murdered

A 19-year-old Maryland woman’s murder by an illegal alien previously released after a DWI arrest exposes the deadly consequences of failed immigration enforcement policies that prioritize catch-and-release over American lives. See the video below.

Story Highlights

Hugo Hernandez-Mendez, 35, a Guatemalan illegal alien, was charged with murdering 19-year-old Dacara Thompson.
The suspect was previously arrested for DWI by the U.S. Park Police in April 2025 but was released pending court proceedings.
Thompson’s body was found a week after she went missing, with surveillance footage showing her entering a suspect’s vehicle.
ICE issued a detainer only after the murder arrest, highlighting system failures in preventing preventable tragedies.

Another Preventable Death

Dacara Thompson should be alive today. The 19-year-old Prince George’s County resident became another victim of America’s broken immigration system when Hugo Hernandez-Mendez, a 35-year-old Guatemalan national illegally in the United States, allegedly murdered her in late August. Thompson left her Lanham home around 10 p.m. on August 22 to get gas and never returned home. Her family reported her missing the next day after losing contact with her.

Surveillance footage would later reveal Thompson entering Hernandez-Mendez’s black SUV around 3 a.m. on August 23 after leaving her car at a Hyattsville nightclub. The footage shows her willingly getting into the vehicle, though investigators have not determined how the two met or what motivated this tragic encounter. Police believe she was killed at Hernandez-Mendez’s residence before her body was dumped in Anne Arundel County.

System Failure Enabled Murder

The most infuriating aspect of this case is its preventability. Hernandez-Mendez had already encountered law enforcement just four months earlier when U.S. Park Police arrested him for driving while intoxicated in April 2025. Despite being an illegal alien with no legal right to remain in America, he was released pending court proceedings rather than being detained for immigration violations.

This catch-and-release mentality that plagued the Biden administration created a deadly gap in our immigration enforcement system. Had proper protocols been followed and ICE been notified of his initial arrest, Hernandez-Mendez could have been detained and deported before he had the opportunity to take an innocent young woman’s life. Instead, he remained free to work for a Baltimore landscaping company while awaiting his court date.

Investigation Reveals Disturbing Timeline

Thompson’s body was discovered on August 31 in a grassy area off Route 50 in Anne Arundel County, more than a week after she disappeared. The cross-county investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies, with Maryland State Police locating the remains while Prince George’s County Police led the murder investigation. The extensive search could have been avoided entirely with proper immigration enforcement.

Police searched Hernandez-Mendez’s home on September 4, uncovering evidence linking him to Thompson’s murder. He was arrested the following day and charged with first and second-degree murder. Only then did ICE issue a detainer, ensuring he would remain in custody regardless of any potential bail decisions. The suspect is currently being held without bail as the investigation continues.

Family Devastated by Preventable Loss

Thompson’s family actively participated in the search efforts, desperately hoping for her safe return. Maryland Governor Wes Moore and County Executive Aisha Braveboy expressed condolences to the grieving family, but official sympathy cannot restore a life lost to failed policies. The motive for the killing remains under investigation, though the randomness of the encounter makes it even more tragic.

This case represents everything wrong with our previous immigration enforcement approach. A young woman with her whole life ahead of her is dead because an illegal alien who should have been deported months earlier was instead walking free in American communities. The landscaping industry and others that frequently employ undocumented workers must also face scrutiny for enabling this underground economy that allows dangerous individuals to blend into society.