Ventura County, California — A youth soccer coach has been arrested and charged with the murder of a 13-year-old boy, whose body was recently discovered by the roadside in Ventura County. The coach, Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino, 43, an undocumented immigrant originally from El Salvador, also faces allegations in two separate cases involving sexual abuse, according to information provided by the district attorney on Tuesday.
Garcia-Aquino is accused under multiple counts, including a murder charge with a special circumstance allegation due to the murder occurring during or in an attempt to commit lewd acts with a child. This allegation has made him eligible for the death penalty, outlined by Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman.
The specific cause of death of the young victim has not been disclosed. Efforts are ongoing to confirm whether Garcia-Aquino has secured legal representation to defend against these charges.
The case took a sorrowful turn when the missing person’s report for Oscar “Omar” Hernandez was filed on March 30. Hernandez had left for Garcia-Aquino’s Lancaster home after embarking on a train journey to meet the coach and was never seen alive again. His body was found on April 2 in Oxnard, located some 60 miles from the initial meeting point. According to prosecutors, Garcia-Aquino then allegedly disposed of the boy’s body in Oxnard after committing the murder.
Garcia-Aquino was employed as a youth travel soccer coach at the Hurricane Valley Boys’ Soccer Club in Sylmar. He reportedly worked with multiple age divisions and had no prior criminal record, mentioned by Los Angeles Sheriff Robert Luna. Authorities are now calling for potential additional victims to step forward as they widen the investigation scope.
Changes were made to the complaint against Garcia-Aquino this Tuesday to include one felony count each of assault with the intention to commit a sexual offense and lewd act upon a child aged 14 or 15. The charges stemmed from incidents in December 2022 when Garcia-Aquino allegedly sexually assaulted a teenager at his residence in Sylmar.
A further accusation involves a 16-year-old boy assaulted on February 22, 2024, in Palmdale, presenting another complex layer to the ongoing cases against Garcia-Aquino. Hochman expressed deep sympathy for the victims and their families during his statement.
Federal agencies are supporting local authorities in conducting the investigation into these serious allegations. U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California attributed the occurrence of such crimes to what he described as flawed border policies, emphasizing a pledge by federal law enforcement to aggressively pursue and prosecute illegal immigrants involved in criminal activities.
The distressing scenario traces back to one Sylmar family’s placing of their juvenile son in Garcia-Aquino’s care, which allegedly led to his subsequent abuse. This allegation was promptly reported to the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station by the concerned family. Luna highlighted that detectives from the LASD Special Victims Bureau are intensively following up due to growing concerns that even more children could have been victimized.
As community members struggle to come to terms with the shocking developments, law enforcement officials emphasize their commitment to uncovering the full extent of Garcia-Aquino’s alleged crimes and ensuring justice for all affected.