California soccer coach charged with 13-year-old's murder appears in court
Soccer coach accused of murder, sexual assault
Mario Garcia-Aquino has been charged with murdering 13-year-old Oscar Hernandez while trying to sexually assault him. He's also been accused of sexually assaulting other teen boys over the last few years.
LOS ANGELES - California youth soccer coach Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino appeared in court Tuesday and was ordered to be held without bail on a murder charge in the death of 13-year-old Oscar "Omar" Hernandez.
What we know:
Garcia-Aquino, 43, is facing a murder charge for the death of Hernandez, whose body was found last week in Oxnard.
The murder charge includes a special circumstance of murder during the commission of a lewd act on a child.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Oscar Omar Hernandez death: California 13-year-old's soccer coach arrested after teen's body found in Oxnard
Garcia-Aquino is also charged with assaulting two other teenagers over the last few years — one in Palmdale in February 2022, and one in Sylmar in December 2022. He has been in custody since his arrest on April 2.
He was scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday, but the court postponed his arraignment until April 30. Garcia-Aquino is being held without bail.
Timeline:
Hernandez traveled to Lancaster on March 28 to see Garcia-Aquino and help him with a soccer event, authorities said. He was reported missing two days later.
His body was discovered on the side of a road in Oxnard last Wednesday, April 2, about five days after Garcia-Aquino allegedly murdered the teen.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Boy found dead in Oxnard was with soccer coach before going missing, family says
Garcia-Aquino was arrested the same day, and the murder charge was announced at a news conference on Monday.
The backstory:
Garcia-Aquino was a youth travel soccer coach with the Hurricane Valley Boys Soccer Club in Sylmar. He had no reported criminal history prior to these charges.
Hochman claims Garcia-Aquino killed Hernandez on March 28, which is days before Hernandez's body was found near a beach in Oxnard.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Missing 13-year-old boy found dead in Oxnard
The teen's death prompted investigators to speak with Garcia-Aquino, who coached Hernandez's soccer team.
On Tuesday, Hochman announced more allegations against Garcia-Aquino. In December 2022, Garcia-Aquino is accused of having sexually assaulted a teenager at his home in Sylmar.
What we don't know:
Now, the LA County DA's office and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department are worried Garcia-Aquino may have targeted other potential victims. Anyone with information on Hernandez's death or Garcia-Aquino is asked to call law enforcement.
Officials did not specify how Hernandez died.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Body matching missing teen's description found near beach in Oxnard
The LA County DA's office did not say how authorities found the body.
What's next:
In the wake of Hernandez's death and Garcia-Aquino's charges, Hochman said the death penalty is on the table.
Garcia-Aquino is in the country illegally, law enforcement told FOX News. Investigators believe he may have been targeting boys from undocumented families so that they would be less likely to report to police.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about Garcia-Aquino or other potential victims to contact the LAPD or Sheriff's Special Victims Bureau.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Youth soccer coach accused of killing 13-year-old
They emphasize that immigration status will not be questioned for those coming forward with information.
The Source: Information for this story is from a press conference held by the LA County DA on April 7, 2025, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, and previous FOX 11 reports.