LOS ANGELES — A youth soccer coach charged with murder in connection with the death of a 13-year-old boy found in Oxnard and also facing charges of assaulting two other teenage boys was ordered Tuesday to be held without bail.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Theresa R. McGonigle ordered Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino, 43, to return to the downtown Los Angeles courtroom April 30 for arraignment in connection with the killing of Oscar "Omar" Hernandez.
The murder charge includes the special circumstance allegation of murder during the commission or attempted commission of a lewd act with a child, with the District Attorney's Office expected to subsequently determine "whether or not the death penalty is appropriate for this particular case," District Attorney Nathan Hochman said Monday.
The teenager — who had traveled March 28 to Lancaster to see his soccer coach — was reported missing two days later and found dead last Wednesday, according to Hochman.
Hernandez's body was discovered by the side of a road in Oxnard, but authorities have not announced how the boy was killed.
Hochman said "certain investigative techniques" were used to find the teen's body and determine his alleged killer, adding that the information will be detailed in court at the appropriate time.
An amended criminal complaint filed Tuesday in the murder case added one count each of assault with the intent to commit a sexual offense and lewd act on a child 14 or 15 years old. Those charges involve a different teenage boy who was allegedly sexually assaulted Dec. 10, 2022, at a home in Sylmar where the defendant was living at the time, according to the District Attorney's Office.
Garcia-Aquino was charged last week in a separate case with a felony count of assault with the intent to commit a lewd act involving a 16-year-old boy in Palmdale on Feb. 22, 2024, Hochman said. That case was filed in Lancaster, but subsequently sent to the downtown courthouse.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna — who also attended Monday's news conference along with LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell — noted that Garcia-Aquino was a youth travel soccer coach with the Hurricane Valley Boys Soccer Club, working with different age divisions in the Sylmar area, and had no reported criminal history.
The assault charge involves a teen whose family was "befriended" by Garcia-Aquino and allowed their son to stay with him at his Palmdale residence, according to Luna.
The family subsequently notified the Palmdale Sheriff's Station about the alleged abuse, Luna said.
In a statement Tuesday on the social media site X, Homeland Security posted, "13-year-old Oscar `Omar' Hernandez was an innocent child who was exploited and killed by this depraved illegal alien who should have never been in this country."
McDonnell called it a "deeply tragic case," and said he wanted to acknowledge the "profound loss" by Hernandez's family.
"While no words can lessen their grief, please know that we're fully committed to pursuing justice for their son," the LAPD chief said.
Garcia-Aquino has remained behind bars since his arrest last Wednesday by Los Angeles police.
Authorities are asking anyone with information about Garcia-Aquino or any alleged other victims to call the LAPD's Juvenile Division, Abused Child Unit at 818-374-5415 or the Sheriff's Special Victims Bureau at 877-710-5273.
Information also may be provided anonymously by phone to the Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers hotline at 800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.
"There's always a fear that there's more victims and we want to make sure that we account for everybody that's out there," Luna said. "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."
