Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino, a youth soccer coach, has been charged with the murder of 13-year-old Oscar “Omar” Hernandez and faces additional charges of sexual assault involving two other teenage boys. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced these charges on Tuesday. Garcia-Aquino, 43, is an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador, according to law enforcement sources. He was charged with murder with a special circumstance of committing lewd acts with a child, making him eligible for the death penalty, as reported by CNN.
Hernandez was reported missing by his family on March 30 after he traveled to Lancaster to visit Garcia-Aquino. His body was discovered on April 2 in Oxnard, about 60 miles from where he was last seen. The murder charge against Garcia-Aquino includes allegations of a lewd act with a child, according to ABC7.
In addition to the murder charge, Garcia-Aquino is accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy in Sylmar in December 2022 and a 16-year-old boy in Palmdale in February 2024. He faces a potential maximum sentence of six years in prison for the sexual assault charges. Police have asked that any additional victims or anyone with information call the LAPD’s Juvenile Division, Abused Child Unit at 818-374-5415, or the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Special Victims Bureau at 877-710-5273. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org. They are emphasizing that immigration status will not be questioned for those coming forward with information.
Garcia-Aquino’s arraignment has been postponed to April 30. If convicted, he faces life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty. The case has sparked discussions about immigration policies, as highlighted by statements from federal authorities. Oscar’s family and friends have held vigils to honor his memory, describing him as a kind-hearted and ambitious young boy.
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