Los Angeles Soccer Coach Arrested for the Murder of Teen Boy
The remains of 13-year-old Oscar ‘Omar’ Hernandez were discovered in Ventura County on April 2.
The victim, Oscar “Omar” Hernandez, had taken a train to Lancaster on March 28 to spend time with his coach, Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino, 43. After that date, he was reported missing.
Oscar’s family filed a missing person report two days later. According to Hochman, the boy’s remains were located on April 2 by sheriff’s deputies along a road close to Leo Carrillo State Beach in Ventura County, roughly 60 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
Garcia-Aquino faces one count of murder with a special circumstance of committing murder during the commission or attempted commission of lewd acts with a child. This special circumstance renders him eligible for the death penalty, as stated by Hochman.
An arraignment was scheduled for Tuesday at the Lancaster Courthouse.
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“We will be assessing whether the death penalty is suitable for this particular case,” Hochman confirmed.
Garcia-Aquino has also been charged with felony assault for allegedly sexually assaulting a 16-year-old boy in Palmdale on February 22, 2024, as noted by Hochman.
According to Sheriff Robert Luna, who accompanied Hochman at the press conference, Garcia-Aquino has no previous criminal record and was a youth travel soccer coach affiliated with the Hurricane Valley Boys Soccer Club in Sylmar.
In a separate reported incident last year, the coach had developed a friendship with a Sylmar family, which allowed their child to stay with him at his residence in Palmdale, Luna explained.
Subsequently, the family submitted a criminal report to the sheriff’s office in Palmdale, alleging sexual abuse of their son.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman speaks during a news conference in Los Angeles, California on March 10, 2025. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images
Investigators had not charged Garcia-Aquino in the earlier incident a year prior to Hernandez’s murder, according to the district attorney.
“The process of gathering evidence takes time and cannot be rushed,” Hochman stated. “Regrettably, by the time we secured the arrest warrant, he had already committed this grave act.”
The defendant could face a maximum of six years in state prison for the charge of sexual assault.
Local law enforcement officials urged anyone who suspects they may have been victimized by Garcia-Aquino to come forward.
Luna emphasized that potential victims should not be apprehensive about reporting tips, regardless of their immigration status.
During the investigation, detectives discovered another unrelated child sexual abuse case being processed by the Los Angeles Police Department’s Foothills division involving the same suspect.
“Given the nature of these offenses, we believe additional victims may exist,” Luna said. “Please do not hesitate to come forward, although it may be difficult.”
The sheriff also assured the victims of their protection.
“If anyone has concerns about coming forward due to undocumented status, we won’t inquire about that,” he promised.
“We will support you. We will do everything we can to ensure you receive the necessary services.”
