LA-area soccer coach charged with murder of 13-year-old boy
A Los Angeles-area youth soccer coach was charged with the murder of a 13-year-old boy, as well as the assault of two other teenagers, during a court hearing Tuesday.
Prosecutors accused Mario Edgardo Garcia Aquino, 43, of killing Oscar Omar Hernandez, whose body was found by the side of the road in Ventura county. Garcia Aquino was charged with murder with special circumstances during the commission or attempted commission of lewd acts with a child.
The charge comes with a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, or the death penalty. The Los Angeles county district attorney's office will decide whether to seek the death penalty at a later date.
The district attorney's office also charged Garcia Aquino with a sexual offense or lewd act upon a child involving a teenager around 14 or 15 years old in 2022 and assault with the intent to commit a sexual offense involving a 16-year-old in February 2024.
'No parent should ever have to endure the unimaginable pain and sorrow of learning their child has been murdered,' the district attorney, Nathan J Hochman, said in a statement. 'Oscar simply boarded a train and little did he or his family know that he would never return. Sexual predators who target victims for their own gratification will be held accountable and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.'
Garcia Aquino coached youth soccer with the Hurricane Valley boys soccer club, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing local authorities.
Hernandez's family reported Oscar missing on 30 March after he had boarded a train to help Garcia Aquino make soccer jerseys in Lancaster on 28 March.
Last week, family and friends gathered for a vigil and press conference at the location Oscar's body had been found. 'He didn't need to be treated like an animal. That was my son,' his mother, Gladys Bautista, cried out in Spanish, ABC News' Los Angeles station KABC reported.
Hernandez's family, who are from Honduras, told KCAL News they wondered whether Garcia Aquino had targeted families who did not have legal status in the United States.
Sign up to Headlines US
Get the most important US headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning
after newsletter promotion
The Los Angeles county sheriff, Robert Luna, said his office is looking to speak with others who may have been assaulted by Garcia Aquino. He encouraged victims to come forward regardless of their immigration status.
'I'm here today specifically seeking additional victims on a child sexual abuse case involving ... Mario Garcia Aquino from the Palmdale area,' he said at a Monday news conference.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
3 hours ago
- Metro
Man killed in four-storey blaze with 40 people evacuated from their homes
A man has died and an eight-year-old girl has been left injured after a four-storey building caught on fire. The fire broke out in the early hours of Saturday morning on Scott Street, with a man pronounced dead at the scene. An eight-year-old girl and a 27-year-old man were also taken to hospital. Two firefighters also sustained minor injuries and other blocks of flats nearby were evacuated. Deputy Assistant Chief Officer Andy Girrity of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: 'On arrival, firefighters found the roof of a four-storey residential building well alight. 'Initially, three appliances were mobilised, but due to the severity of the blaze and structural collapses, a total of twelve appliances were involved at the height of the incident. 'Five casualties, including one firefighter injured by falling masonry, were passed into the care of the Scottish Ambulance Service. 'The incident has now been scaled back, and two appliances and one height vehicle remain on scene to dampen down hot spots.' Police Scotland Chief Superintendent Nicola Russel said: 'Our thoughts are with all those affected by this incident. 'Investigations are at a very early stage to establish the full circumstances of what has happened. 'We are conducting a joint investigation with Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.' More Trending John Swinney, First Minister of Scotland and MSP to Perthshire North, said: 'Terribly sorry to hear of the death of a man in the fire in Scott Street, Perth. 'I express my sympathy to his family. Concerned also for the condition of those who are receiving hospital treatment. 'This is a major incident and I am thankful to the emergency services.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Man arrested after Scottish gangsters shot dead in Spanish bar MORE: Hundreds line streets to pay tribute to 'hero' firefighter killed in Bicester blaze MORE: Couple found dead after going camping 'were poisoned by carbon monoxide'
The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
From San Fran to Mar-a-Lago: Anger with Trump leads thousands to march for ‘No Kings' as cops descend on marches
In cities and small towns across the United States, tens of thousands of people marched to send President Donald Trump a message: They don't tolerate 'kings, tyrants or dictators.' 'No Kings' demonstrations spanned 2,000 locations across the country, marking the largest demonstrations against the Trump administration since the start of his second term. The protests were organized in defiance of Trump's military parade for the Army's 250th anniversary which, coincidentally, marked the president's 79th birthday. Some 1,000 protesters marched toward Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in West Palm Beach with 'No Kings' banners, while Los Angeles saw more than 20,000 demonstrators march on the city following a week of unrest over the Trump administration's anti-immigration agenda. Protests were largely peaceful with few arrests nationwide and rallies were winding down by late afternoon, but there were reported clashes with police in pockets of the country and several acts of violence apparently targeting demonstrators. In San Francisco, a driver struck four protesters in what police are investigating as 'a possible act of intent.' Another driver in Culpeper, Virginia 'intentionally' drove into a crowd of protesters, according to police. Law enforcement officials in Texas evacuated the state capitol in Austin after 'credible threat' to lawmakers who planned to attend today's protests. The protests followed early morning news of what officials are calling a 'politically motivated assassination' in Minnesota, where police have launched a manhunt for Vance Boelter, who is suspected of gunning down state Senator Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. Florida More than 1,000 people marched towards Mar-a-Lago estate in West Palm Beach but were blocked off by police with riot shields. Protesters were stopped roughly 300 yards from Trump's Florida home and met by dozens of state and local police who formed a line to block the group from getting too close to the property. A 'handful' of Trump supporters were also there but the march was reportedly peaceful. Protesters turned back to West Palm Beach after being stopped by police. In Ocala, three people were arrested after a dispute broke out between a protester and a counter-protester. In DeKalb County, Georgia, at least eight people were arrested as officers fired tear gas on demonstrators at a nearby protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Police in riot gear were seen using tear gas on anti-ICE protesters who ran away and climbed over shrubs to escape. DeKalb County Police reportedly gave the crowd 15 minutes to disperse. Protest organizers urged people back onto the sidewalk. At least eight people were taken into custody. 'The right to protest is fundamental and respected in DeKalb County,' the county's CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson said in a statement. 'But when a protest shifts from peaceful and law-abiding to one that threatens public safety and disregards lawful orders, I trust our officers to respond appropriately. Our duty is to protect both the rights of individuals and the wellbeing of the broader community.' Philadelphia At the 'No Kings' flagship protest, the Philadelphia Police Department police said 80,000 people descended on the city. There were no arrests. Marchers shouted 'Whose streets? Our streets!' as they approached the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where they listened to speakers on the steps made famous in the movie Rocky. 'So what do you say, Philly?' Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland shouted to the crowd. 'Are you ready to fight back? Do you want a gangster state or do you want free speech in America?' The whole crowd joined in a chant of 'No hate. No fear. Immigrants are welcome here' in response to speaker Lorella Praeli, co-president of the Community Change organization. Raskin addressed Trump and said: 'You are not our king and we are not your subjects.' Martin Luther King Jr's eldest son also spoke at the rally. 'We still believe in a nation without kings, without tyrants, without rulers who place themselves above the law,' Martin Luther King III told the crowd. 'We are here to say this land belongs to the people, not to the monarchs, not to the autocrats, not to strong men, but to the people. You.' Los Angeles & San Francisco There were worrying scenes in San Francisco when a motorist reportedly hit four protesters and fled, law enforcement officials told The Independent. The driver was detained and police are investigating the incident 'as a possible intentional act,' law enforcement sources told NBC News. One man was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. 'It's unfortunate that it happened. We definitely put a lot of safety methods for our marches in place,' said Andy Sheehan of Indivisible SF. 'We're very happy that the person is OK and that the law is talking to the person driving.' And after a week of unrest in LA following last weekend's protests against ICE raids and ramped-up immigration arrests, Mayor Karen Bass urged protesters to keep the peace at Saturday's demo. More than 20,000 people marched through the city, where demonstrators deployed a giant Constitution. New York New Yorkers showed up by the tens of thousands despite persistent drizzle, packing Fifth Avenue from 42nd Street to Madison Square Park, and then spilling into side streets and neighboring Broadway. Organizers estimated 75,000 were in attendance. A diverse crowd ranged in age from children in strollers to seniors, and the mood was upbeat. Signs, placards and even costumes covered a multitude of frustrations, complaints and anger toward the Trump administration, including furious denouncements of ICE, the president's parade in Washington, D.C., and the work of the Department of Government Efficiency. Others focused on the trampling of checks and balances in government, fears over a rise of authoritarianism, and — the central focus of the day — that America was founded through a revolution against the rule of a king. Police stood back along the route, many sheltering from the rain in doorways and storefronts. Volunteers marshaled demonstrators off Fifth Avenue at 26th Street, the official end of the march, and small groups assembled nearby to continue the protest, waving wet placards and flags and chanting: 'Donald Trump must go!'
Daily Record
5 hours ago
- Daily Record
Man arrested over alleged 'gangland' shooting in bar in Spain named
The 44-year-old man arrested has been named after Spanish authorities issued an international arrest warrant following the alleged killings of Ross Monaghan and Eddie Lyons Jnr. A man arrested after two senior figures from a Scottish organised crime group were murdered in a Spanish bar has been named. Ross Monaghan, 43, and Eddie Lyons Jnr, 46, were shot dead at Monaghan's Bar in Fuengirola in the Costa Del Sol on May 31. Michael Terrence Riley, 44, from Merseyside, was arrested in England on Friday evening in connection with the alleged shootings in the Costa del Sol on May 31, the Liverpool Echo reports. He is due to appear in court next week after an appearance at Westminster Magistrates' Court this morning, Saturday June 14. Riley faces extradition to Spain after an international arrest warrant was issued by Spanish authorities. Spanish police want to question Riley about the double killing at the Irish bar in Malaga. Monaghan, 43, and Lyons Jnr, 46, died after a masked gunman opened fire at around 11pm on May 31. Following the Spain shooting, Police Scotland issued a statement saying there was no intelligence to suggest the deaths were linked with a series of criminal acts by rival groups in Scotland. A spokesperson for Merseyside Police said today: "We can confirm yesterday evening, Friday 13 June, a man was arrested in connection with two fatal shootings in Spain on 31 May. "The 44-year-old man from Merseyside appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court this morning, Saturday 14 June, for the commencement of extradition proceedings to Spain. He has been remanded into custody to appear in court at a later date." Riley was detained on an international arrest warrant, which is a request issued by a judicial authority in one country to another to help locate someone for extradition. Any extradition would have to be approved by a UK court. Shocking footage captured the chilling moments after the incident as a passerby desperately tried to save fatally shot gangster Eddie Lyons. A witness recorded the footage, which was seen by the Record, after hearing the gunshots outside the Monaghan's pub in Fuengirola in the Costa Del Sol. It shows them arriving at the boozer where one female Good Samaritan is attempting CPR on stricken Lyons outside. The voice of a man crouching next to Lyons can be heard repeatedly saying 'help him' as the woman unsuccessfully tries to revive Eddie. It is understood the shootings are not linked to Scotland's ongoing gangland war which has been raging on with incidents across the central belt since March. Cops announced on Friday, June 13, that two more men have been arrested in connection with the gang violence in Edinburgh and Glasgow, bringing the total to 44. Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Ferry said: 'Our continued activity and arrests show our commitment to targeting organised crime and bringing those responsible to justice. 'We continue to investigate and follow a number of positive lines of enquiry. The support and response from the public has been excellent, and I am grateful for the assistance given to us and that continued support from local communities is crucial as we progress our enquiries. 'If you know anything that could assist our ongoing investigation, please do the right thing and speak to us." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
