Youth Soccer Coach Faces Capital Charges in Murder of 13-Year-Old Player

Los Angeles County prosecutors have formally charged youth soccer coach Mario Edgardo Garcia Aquino, 43, with the murder of 13-year-old Oscar Omar Hernandez and the sexual assault of a 16-year-old player, as authorities warn of potential additional victims in a widening investigation.

The charges, announced during an April 7 press conference attended by Hernandez’s family, allege Garcia Aquino killed the teen on March 28 during the "commission of lewd acts," a special-circumstance designation making him eligible for the death penalty under California law.

Hernandez was last seen boarding a Metrolink train to Lancaster on March 28 to visit Garcia Aquino, his coach at the Hurricane Valley Boys Soccer Club.

When the boy failed to return, his family reported him missing on March 30. Investigators traced Garcia Aquino’s movements using cell tower data and discovered Hernandez’s body in a remote Oxnard ditch on April 2, approximately 93 miles from Lancaster.

Garcia Aquino was arrested April 2 on a 2024 felony charge of assault with intent to commit a lewd act against a 16-year-old player from Sylmar, whom he allegedly assaulted at his Palmdale residence. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna revealed the suspect befriended the victim’s family, exploiting their trust to facilitate the abuse.

Law enforcement sources indicate Garcia Aquino, an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador, was previously investigated for a 2022 sexual assault allegation, but the case collapsed when the victim declined to testify.

Authorities now suspect Garcia Aquino may have targeted other players during his tenure coaching multiple age groups across Southern California.

“There’s always a fear there are more victims,” Luna stated, urging families to come forward regardless of immigration status. LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell emphasized protections for whistleblowers, stating: “No obstacles will be placed in their way”.

District Attorney Nathan Hochman, who reinstated capital eligibility last month, confirmed Garcia Aquino faces life imprisonment without parole as a minimum sentence if convicted of murder, plus six years for the 2024 assault charge. However, California’s moratorium on executions under Gov. Gavin Newsom makes a death sentence largely symbolic.

Hernandez’s mother, Gladys Bautista, condemned the killing during the press conference: “My son did not deserve to be treated like an animal. He was my son”. The family’s GoFundMe page describes Oscar as a devoted soccer player who trusted Garcia Aquino, his coach of two years.

The case has exposed gaps in youth sports oversight, with Garcia Aquino continuing to coach despite the 2024 allegations. Prosecutors faced scrutiny for delaying charges in the earlier assault case, which remained unresolved when Hernandez disappeared.

The LAPD and FBI are now auditing Garcia Aquino’s coaching history across multiple clubs, including the San Fernando Valley Hurricanes.

As forensic teams work to determine Hernandez’s cause of death, the tragedy has reignited debates about background checks for youth coaches and protocols for reporting abuse in amateur sports leagues.