A Prince George’s County judge has shut down a defense bid to move the murder case of 19-year-old Dacara Thompson, keeping the high-profile prosecution in the county where investigators say the killing began. The defendant, 35-year-old Hugo Hernandez-Mendez, was arrested in September 2025 and later indicted on multiple charges, and court documents list a trial start in September 2026. The decision means pretrial hearings and motions will unfold locally while the community waits for more answers about Thompson’s death.
At a hearing this week, the court rejected the defense motion to transfer the trial out of Prince George’s County, a result Thompson’s family had pushed for, according to DC News Now. The same outlet reported that the judge kept the trial date set for September 2026 and heard arguments over whether pretrial publicity in the county would make it harder to find an impartial jury.
Charges And Timeline
Prosecutors announced an indictment on Oct. 8, 2025 that charged Hernandez-Mendez with common-law murder, tampering with physical evidence, and burying or disposing of a body in an unauthorized place, according to the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office. That indictment formalized allegations that emerged after Thompson was reported missing in late August and a body was recovered in Anne Arundel County.
What Police Say Happened
Investigators say Thompson was last seen on Aug. 23 outside a Hyattsville gas station, where surveillance video captured her getting into a car driven by Hernandez-Mendez. Her body was later recovered on Aug. 31 along Route 50 in Anne Arundel County, according to The Washington Post. Authorities allege she was killed at Hernandez-Mendez’s Bowie residence within hours of that final sighting and that her body was then moved. Court documents describe skull and facial fractures that they say are consistent with severe trauma.
Immigration And Detainer Questions
The case has reignited criticism of federal immigration practices after officials said Hernandez-Mendez had been arrested earlier in 2025 on a federal DUI charge but was released rather than kept in custody. Rep. Glenn Ivey said in a press release that Immigration and Customs Enforcement “failed to request a detainer or take action” while Hernandez-Mendez was in custody, and local reporting has noted an April stop by U.S. Park Police that did not lead to prolonged federal detention. See Rep. Glenn Ivey and WTOP for more on that timeline and the questions it raised.
Family And Prosecutors React
Thompson’s family has pressed for the case to stay in Prince George’s County and has asked the public to treat the investigation with care. Prosecutors say they intend to keep pushing the case forward, according to local coverage and the State’s Attorney’s Office. Tara Jackson, the county’s interim state’s attorney, called the indictment a “critical step” and thanked investigators in a news release. Thompson’s mother, Carmen Thompson, told reporters she wants accountability and urged the community not to spread rumors online, according to NBC Washington…