A nearly two week-long search for 19-year-old Da’Cara Thompson of Lanham ended — but not the way family and community members hoped. A fundraiser to support search efforts has now turned into one to cover funeral expenses.

Prince George’s County Police on Friday said a 35-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with Thompson’s death. Hugo Hernandez-Mendez of Bowie faces first- and second-degree murder charges, officials said.

The Lanham woman was last seen Aug. 22, and her family reported her missing Aug. 23. On Sunday, Maryland State Police found a woman’s body just off Route 50 in Anne Arundel County and opened a investigation. Officials later identified the deceased woman as Thompson.

Prince George’s County Police said they reviewed surveillance footage that showed Thompson getting into a car that Hernandez-Mendez allegedly had access to. Police said they tracked the car’s movements to a home in the 1200 block of Kembridge Avenue in Bowie, where Hernandez-Mendez apparently lived.

Prince George’s County Police Chief George Nader said at a news conference that officers issued a search warrant on Thursday. They believe Thompson was killed in the room where Hernandez-Mendez lives and was then brought to the location where police found her over a week after she went missing, Nader said.

Thompson’s cause of death has not been determined, but police said the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is expected to rule the death a homicide.

Online court documents show Hernandez-Mendez is being held without bond. He did not have an attorney listed at the time of publication. He has a bail review hearing scheduled for Monday.

During the news conference, officials said that Hernandez-Mendez had been arrested in April by the United States Park Police on a DUI charge but released pending trial.

Officials said they “believe” an immigration detainer from Immigration and Customs Enforcement was issued Thursday. Park Police, ICE and the Department of Homeland Security have not responded to a request for comment.

A ‘bright light’

Throughout the search for Thompson, Nader said, government officials, including Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy, were kept abreast of their investigation.

“It is tough that we’re at this point where the search is over and justice begins,” Braveboy said at the news conference.

Braveboy said Thompson was a graduate of St. Charles High School in Waldorf and worked at Nonprofit Prince George’s County through Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s Maryland Service Year Option. Service Year Option pairs people with full-time, paid service jobs at organizations focused on a variety of issues, including education and public safety, for at least nine months.

In a statement shared via email, St. Charles High School Principal Tammika Little said Thompson was a “shining example of the very best of our Spartan community.” Little said Thompson was a dedicated student, athlete and member of the Marine Corps JROTC program while enrolled.

“She exemplified leadership, discipline, and a spirit of service that inspired her peers and mentors alike,” Little said. “Da’Cara touched the lives of many with her kindness, determination and genuine heart. She will be remembered not only for her accomplishments, but for the joy she brought to her classmates, teachers and community.”

Moore issued a statement Friday calling Thompson a “bright light in our state.”

“She yearned to be part of our mission to solve big problems with bold solutions through her passion for the arts,” Moore said in a statement. “We will use every tool at our disposal to ensure those responsible for this crime are held accountable and honor Da’Cara’s legacy of service through our unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of all Marylanders.”

The Prince George’s County state’s attorney is reviewing the evidence and will decide how to move forward, officials said.

“This is a good, good, good young woman who wanted to do good for her community,” Braveboy said, “and now her community will stand behind her family as we seek justice for her.”

This is a developing story.