Illegal Alien Charged with More Child Rape After Allegedly Murdering 13-Year-Old Boy

Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino faces additional charges for sexually assaulting two other teenage boys in California.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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An illegal alien from El Salvador, Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino, has been charged with raping and murdering 13-year-old Oscar Hernandez last year in California. Garcia-Aquino is now facing nine additional child sexual abuse charges, including eight counts of sodomy of a person under 16 and one count of oral copulation of a person under 16, related to the sexual assault of two other teenage boys.

Why it matters

This case highlights the dangers of failed border policies that allow criminal illegal aliens to enter the country and prey on children. It also raises concerns about the need for stronger enforcement of immigration laws and tougher penalties for those who commit such heinous crimes.

The details

According to authorities, Garcia-Aquino was a youth soccer coach who lured Hernandez to visit him in Lancaster, California, where he allegedly raped and murdered the 13-year-old boy, leaving his body on the side of a road. Garcia-Aquino had previously been charged with sexually assaulting a teenage boy in December 2022 and another in February 2024.

  • On March 28, Hernandez was reported missing by his family after taking a train to visit Garcia-Aquino.
  • In 2022, Garcia-Aquino was charged with sexually assaulting a teenage boy.
  • In 2024, Garcia-Aquino was charged again for sexually assaulting another teenage boy.

The players

Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino

A 44-year-old illegal alien from El Salvador who is accused of raping and murdering 13-year-old Oscar Hernandez, as well as sexually assaulting two other teenage boys.

Oscar Hernandez

A 13-year-old boy who was allegedly raped and murdered by Garcia-Aquino.

Bill Essayli

The United States Attorney who stated that Hernandez would still be alive if not for "failed border policies".

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What they’re saying

“This was an avoidable crime and the result of failed border policies. We cannot and will not tolerate illegal aliens who flout our nation's immigration laws to then prey on children. Federal law enforcement will continue to be very aggressive in locating, apprehending, and prosecuting criminal illegal aliens.”

— Bill Essayli, United States Attorney (NBC Los Angeles)

What’s next

Garcia-Aquino remains held in jail without bail pending trial.

The takeaway

This case highlights the urgent need for stronger border security and immigration enforcement to prevent dangerous criminals from entering the country and harming innocent children. It also underscores the importance of holding those who commit such heinous crimes fully accountable under the law.