California Youth Soccer Coach Charged with Murder of 13-Year-Old Player

The 13-year-old’s body was in a wooded area of Ventura County two days later — more than 70 miles from his family’s Lancaster home, according to Los Angeles police

Police in California are actively seeking additional victims who may have been sexually assaulted by a youth soccer coach recently charged with the murder of one of his 13-year-old players.

Mario Edgardo Garcia Aquino, 43, has been formally charged with the murder of Oscar Omar Hernandez, a 13-year-old boy who played on his soccer team. The charge includes a special circumstance allegation of murder committed during or in the attempt of committing lewd acts with a child. Garcia Aquino is scheduled to be arraigned in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

If convicted, Garcia Aquino faces the possibility of the death penalty or life in prison without parole.

Oscar Omar Hernandez (pictured here) went to see Garcia Aquino and boarded a Metrolink train to Palmdale, Calif., to help the soccer coach at a complex but never returned home

He was arrested by Los Angeles police on Wednesday, April 2, in connection with an earlier, unrelated warrant for the alleged sexual assault of a 16-year-old boy in Palmdale, California, on February 22, 2024. Following that arrest, the victim’s family filed a criminal complaint with the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station, alleging sexual abuse. The case was assigned to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Bureau North team, which investigates physical and sexual abuse involving children, including adult sexual assaults.

Authorities stated that detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department were informed of the sexual abuse allegations around the time Garcia Aquino became a suspect in the disappearance and eventual murder of Oscar Hernandez. On March 28, the young teen reportedly traveled via Metrolink train to Palmdale to assist Garcia Aquino with soccer-related activities. When Hernandez failed to return home that evening, his family began to search for him.

According to investigators, Garcia Aquino allegedly answered Hernandez’s phone when the teen’s brother, Jose, attempted to contact him on the day of his disappearance. Garcia Aquino reportedly claimed the boy was unavailable. He later told Hernandez’s father that he had dropped the boy off near the family’s home. Concerned, the family reported Oscar missing on March 30.

Mario Edgardo Garcia Aquino, 43, was charged with murder for the death of Oscar Omar Hernandez

On April 1, authorities discovered the boy’s body in a wooded area of Ventura County, more than 70 miles from his Lancaster home. The cause of death has not yet been determined.

Hernandez’s family and community members held a vigil at the site where his body was found. “He didn’t need to be treated like an animal. That was my son,” said his mother, Gladys Bautista.

In the wake of the murder of Hernandez and the sexual assault charge from 2024, police are now urging any other victims who Garcia Aquino may have targeted to come forward.

“There’s always a fear that there are more victims and we want to make sure we account for everybody out there,” according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna

“For some reason, anybody fears coming forward, even as a youth or a family, because you may be here undocumented, we’re not going to ask about that. Please, you need to come forward. We will assist you.”