An illegal immigrant youth soccer coach in Southern California is facing the possibility of the death penalty for the alleged rape and murder of one of his own players. Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino, a 44-year-old illegal immigrant from El Salvador, has been accused of raping and murdering 13-year-old Oscar “Omar” Hernandez, whose body was found on the side of the road in March 2025.
The Los Angeles District Attorney has filed nine new charges against Garcia-Aquino, separate from the murder case, involving sex-related crimes with two other teenage boys. These charges stem from incidents in December 2022 and February 2024. The new charges include eight counts of sodomy of a person under the age of 16 and one count of oral copulation of a minor under 16.
Garcia-Aquino has pleaded not guilty to the new charges through his attorney. He was working as a youth traveling soccer coach in the Sylmar area of the San Fernando Valley, where he had contact with young boys in different age divisions. Hernandez was last seen alive on March 28, 2025, after leaving his home to meet his coach, Garcia-Aquino, but never returned.
Hernandez’s family reported him missing two days later when he failed to return home and stopped answering calls. His body was discovered days later on a remote road. The Department of Homeland Security described Garcia-Aquino as a “depraved illegal alien” who exploited and killed an innocent child.
The DHS emphasized the need to crack down on child predators, pedophiles, and murderers under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Noem. Garcia-Aquino remains in custody without bail, awaiting a hearing to determine if the case will proceed to trial. The hearing is scheduled to begin on March 27th.
