A youth soccer coach in Southern California has been charged with the murder of 13-year-old Oscar Omar Hernandez, whose remains were found along a roadside in Ventura County. The coach, Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino, aged 43, is also facing charges for allegedly sexually assaulting two other teenagers.
Hernandez was reported missing on March 30 after traveling from his Sun Valley, California, home by train to meet Garcia-Aquino in Lancaster, California, on March 28. The boy’s family indicated he was assisting the coach with soccer jersey production. Hernandez’s body was discovered several days later near McGrath State Beach in Oxnard, California, about 70 miles from his residence. Authorities claim Garcia-Aquino killed the boy during or following an attempt to commit lewd acts, which could result in the death penalty or life imprisonment without parole.
Besides the murder charge, Garcia-Aquino faces allegations of sexual offenses involving two other minors. One incident allegedly involved a 16-year-old boy in Palmdale, California, in February 2024, and another involved a teenager aged 14 or 15 in Sylmar, California, in December 2022. These charges surfaced after forensic evidence and interviews with victims were completed.
Garcia-Aquino coached at the Hurricane Valley Boys Soccer Club in Sylmar, California. Law enforcement is examining whether he held a valid license from Cal South, the California State Soccer Association. Authorities are also seeking additional potential victims and have distributed photos of Garcia-Aquino to encourage others to come forward.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna stressed that immigration status should not prevent potential victims from coming forward. “No matter what your documentation status is, we have a young man that was killed, murdered,” Luna stated. “That matters, and it should matter to everyone else out there.”
Originally from El Salvador, Garcia-Aquino is reportedly in the United States without legal authorization. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has issued a detainer on him, asking for notification prior to any potential release. However, California’s sanctuary laws typically restrict cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, except in cases involving specific violent crimes.
Oscar’s mother, Gladys Bautista, expressed her sorrow during a news conference, stating, “He didn’t need to be treated like an animal. That was my son.” The family, who emigrated from Honduras, has questioned whether their immigration status exposed them to greater risks.
Garcia-Aquino’s arraignment is set for April 30. He is currently detained without bail. The Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office, representing Garcia-Aquino, has indicated it will assess the evidence and challenge the charges.
Authorities are appealing to anyone with information about Garcia-Aquino or potential additional victims to contact the Los Angeles Police Department’s Juvenile Division at (818) 374-5415 or the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Special Victims Bureau at (877) 710-5273. Anonymous tips can be submitted to the Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers hotline at (800) 222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.
