Soccer coach of 13-year-old boy found dead in Oxnard charged with murder

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — A man identified by family members as the teen’s soccer coach was charged with murder in connection to the death of a 13-year-old boy in Oxnard.

Mario Garcia Aquino, 43, was arrested Wednesday in an unrelated sexual assault case that was investigated last year by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Eyewitness News learned. According to reports, the coach was questioned about the disappearance of Oscar Omar Hernandez.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman is expected to hold a press conference at 4 p.m. in regards to the murder case along with Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell and Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, Eyewitness News has learned.

Family searches for answers after missing teen found dead
Investigators found the boy’s body in Ventura County last Wednesday. The Los Angeles Police Department said Hernandez was reported missing Sunday by his family.

The teen boarded a Metrolink train to Palmdale to help a soccer coach at a complex there, his family told Eyewitness News. When he didn’t return home that night, the family worried and started looking for him. They reported him missing that day.

His body was found on the side of the road in Oxnard. The LAPD was assisted by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI during the investigation.

Police have not revealed what evidence led them to find his body more than 60 miles away in the remote area.

The teen’s mother is devastated over her son’s death. Gladys Bautista said she wants help finding the person responsible for what happened to her son.

Bautista described her son as a happy kid who loved soccer and was excited that he was about to receive his visa so he could return to visit relatives in Honduras.

Last Thursday, family and friends held a vigil where the teen’s body was found.

He didn’t need to be treated like an animal. That was my son,” Bautista cried out in Spanish.

One of his friends there described him as the “nicest person.”

“He was just trying to have his own money and accomplish his goals in life,” another friend said.

That evening, friends and relatives paid tribute to the teen with a memorial outside his home in North Hollywood.

“He was always kindhearted. He had such a great personality, he was funny,” 12-year-old Melanie Samayoa said. “He would always bring out a smile to us, and like one of my friend’s said he’s such a great dancer, too.”

Detectives are still investigating. A cause of death is unknown.