A soccer coach believed to be an illegal immigrant has been arrested in Los Angeles County and charged with killing a 13-year-old boy found last week and the 2024 sexual assault of a 16-year-old boy.
The soccer coach, Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino, 43, is an illegal immigrant from El Salvado, several law enforcement sources told the Los Angeles Times.
Oscar Hernandez, 13, was found dead last week on the side of the road in Oxnard, California.
He was first reported missing on March 30 after, his parents said, he boarded a train to Lancaster, California, to visit his coach, Mr. Garcia-Aquino.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said Mr. Garcia-Aquino killed the boy on March 28 and then dumped his body in Oxnard.
Mr. Hochman did not specify how Oscar was killed.
Mr. Garcia-Aquino was charged with one count of murder and a special circumstance allegation that he killed Oscar during the commission or attempted commission of lewd acts with a child. Because of the “lewd acts” allegation, if found guilty, Mr. Garcia-Aquino would be eligible for the death penalty.
The coach is also accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old boy whom he coached. The sexual assault allegedly occurred in February 2024.
Mr. Garcia-Aquino coached multiple age cohorts in the Sylmar area of Los Angeles. He is accused of getting close enough to his victim’s family that they allowed the 16-year-old to stay with him at a residence in Palmdale, California.
The family filed a report to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office in Palmdale claiming their son had been sexually assaulted by Mr. Garcia-Aquino.
Mr. Garcia-Aquino was charged with assault with the intent to commit a sexual offense, and if found guilty, faces up to six years in prison on that count.
Authorities have asked any other possible victims of Mr. Garcia-Aquino to come forward.
“If 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,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said at the press conference.
