Soccer Coach Charged With Murdering 13-Year-Old And Sexually Assaulting Another Boy

LOS ANGELES, CA — A youth soccer coach was charged Monday with murdering a 13-year-old Los Angeles boy whose body was discovered in an Oxnard ditch last week.

The murder charge against Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino, 43, includes the special circumstance allegation of murder during the commission or attempted commission of lewd acts with a child, making Garcia-Aguino eligible for a potential death sentence, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced Monday.

Multiple Southern California law enforcement agencies joined the search for Oscar "Omar" Hernandez, who had taken a train from the San Fernando Valley to Lancaster on March 28 to visit Garcia-Aguino, a friend of the family. Oscar's family immediately became suspicious when Garcia-Aquino refused to put the boy on the phone, offering vague excuses for the child's inability to come to the phone.

His family reported him missing March 30th, and the search for the boy ended in tragedy Wednesday when authorities confirmed that Oscar was the boy found in the ditch.

“No parent should ever have to endure the unimaginable pain and sorrow of learning their child has been murdered,” Hochman said. “Oscar simply boarded a train and little did he or his family know that he would never return. Sexual predators who target victims for their own gratification will be held accountable and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell offered the department's condolences to Oscar's family.

“While we all hoped for a different outcome, the tireless work of multiple law enforcement agencies has ensured that this dangerous individual is off the streets and is no longer a threat to our children and our communities," he said. "While this may do little to ease the family’s pain, please know that we are fully committed to pursuing justice for their son.”

Investigators used cell-phone and other tracking systems to determine that Garcia-Aquino had visited the Oxnard area near McGrath State Beach and the Santa Clara River shortly after the boy disappeared, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Garcia Aquino was already facing charges for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old boy in Palmdale more than a year ago when he allegedly killed Oscar, according to the district attorney's office.

According to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, Garcia Aquino was a youth travel soccer coach with the Hurricane Valley boys soccer club in Sylmar area, when he was accused of attacking a teen in February of last year. He had worked with players in varying age groups.

“There is no excuse for these type of crimes,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna. “We will continue to pursue justice and work tirelessly to ensure we bring closure to the victims and their families, while ensuring that such individuals face the full extent of the law.”

Garcia-Aguino, who remains in jail, could not be reached for comment. He is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday.

Anyone with information about Garcia-Aquino or any alleged other victims are urged to call the Los Angeles Police Department's Juvenile Division, Abused Child Unit at 818-374-5415, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Special Victims Bureau at 877-710-5273. Anonymous tips can be called into the Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers hotline at 800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.