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Man charged with murder of missing woman is illegal immigrant out on bail after previous DWI arrest: report

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Man charged with murder of missing woman is illegal immigrant out on bail after previous DWI arrest: report

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A man reportedly in the U.S. illegally was charged with killing a 19-year-old Maryland woman whose body was discovered off a highway earlier this week.

Hugo Hernandez-Mendez, 35, of Bowie, Maryland, was arrested Thursday in the killing of Dacara Thompson, the Prince George’s County Police Department said.

Hernandez-Mendez is an illegal immigrant and had a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer issued on Thursday, according to WJLA-TV.

Prince George’s County Police Department told Fox News Digital the department was not releasing the immigration status of Hernandez-Mendez. ICE did not immediately respond when Fox News Digital reached out.

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MARYLAND MOTHER KILLED WHEN 4 TEENS IN STOLEN CAR SLAM INTO HER AND HER CHILD

Hugo Hernandez-Mendez, 35, was charged with first- and second-degree murder in Thompson’s death. (Prince George’s County Police Department)

The news outlet also reported that U.S. Park Police arrested Hernandez-Mendez for a DWI in April, but he was subsequently released pending a court appearance. Fox News Digital reached out to the Park Police but did not immediately hear back.

Thompson’s family reported her missing on Aug. 23. On Sunday, her body was discovered dumped in a grassy area near Route 50 in Anne Arundel County.

Dacara Thompson, 19, was found dead on Sunday, over a week after her family reported her missing. Police said they believe she was murdered. (Prince George’s County Police Department)

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Investigators combed through security footage that showed Thompson had approached a black SUV in the early hours of Aug. 23. She was seen speaking to the driver, according to police, before entering the vehicle. The driver then drove to a home in Bowie.

Detectives executed a search warrant on the home Thursday and uncovered evidence that suggested Thompson had been killed in the bedroom of the home, police said.

Hernandez-Mendez lived at the home in the bedroom where authorities say the killing happened. Police said he also has access to the black SUV that Thompson was seen entering.

MULTIPLE FATAL CRASHES LINKED TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS SPARK ARRESTS ACROSS US IN RECENT DAYS

Hernandez-Mendez was charged with first- and second-degree murder in Thompson’s death.

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Maryland Gov. Wes Moore released a statement on the death investigation Friday, calling Thompson a “bright light” who was “committed to public service.”

“Our entire state mourns the horrible loss of Da’Cara Thompson, who was taken from us by an act of senseless violence,” the governor said in the statement, vowing to use “every tool at our disposal” to hold those responsible for her death accountable.

The 19-year-old’s cause of death has yet to be determined, though police said it may be ruled a homicide based on the evidence collected.

As the investigation remains active, police said detectives are working to determine whether Hernandez-Mendez and Thompson knew each other before the day she went missing.

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Hernandez-Mendez is being held without bond by the Maryland Department of Corrections.

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Pittsburg, PA

The 10 best Pittsburgh concerts of 2025

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Connecticut

Connecticut agrees to settlement with Hyundai, Kia to stop vehicles from being stolen

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Connecticut agrees to settlement with Hyundai, Kia to stop vehicles from being stolen


CONNECTICUT (WTNH) — Connecticut officials and officials from 35 other states have agreed to a settlement with automakers Hyundai and Kia to come up with a plan to help prevent vehicles from being stolen. 

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong (D) and 35 other states call the settlement, which has been several years in the making, a matter of public safety. The issue concerns the number of Hyundai and Kia vehicles that have been reported stolen and crashes related to these thefts.

The settlement provides up to $4.5 million in restitution for customers whose cars had been stolen.

“This settlement points us back in the right direction to help address some of the underlining issues that have made it easier to steal vehicles,” Meriden Police Chief Roberto Rosado said.

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Tong said that groups of young people known as “Kia Boys” were aware that Kia and Hyundai vehicles did not possess modern anti-theft technology, making those brands of vehicles more vulnerable to theft.

One such example is a 2023 incident in which a group of teens reportedly stole and crashed a Hyundai in Waterbury, resulting in the death of a 14-year-old girl. 

“Connecticut State Police have been saying for some time that they needed some assistance, that they needed help in reducing the opportunity for these vehicles to be stolen,” Connecticut Department of Emergency Services Commissioner Ronnell Higgins said.

Several states have attempted to get Hyundai and Kia to alter the way their vehicles are built in the United States, finally coming to an agreement with the two automakers to provide an anti-theft device to protect the vehicles. 

“At some point, they started offering excuses,” Tong said. “You can do just a software update, that will fix it. That didn’t work. We advocated for a recall, they refused. This settlement requires that, for all future vehicles sold in the United States, Hyundai and Kia will install, as part of their standard package, industry engine immobilizer anti-theft technology.”

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The technology is linked to the key fob, which means that the car will not start if the smart key is not present.

Connecticut is requiring Kia and Hyundai to provide customers with a free zinc-reinforced engine cylinder protector for vehicles already on the road that are not equipped with the anti-theft technology.



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Maine

Family in Maine host food pantry for deer | Hand Off

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Family in Maine host food pantry for deer | Hand Off




Family in Maine host food pantry for deer | Hand Off – CBS Chicago

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It’s called Brownville’s Food Pantry for Deer. The McMahon family has been feeding hungry deer in Central Maine for 16 years.

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