Sierra Lamar -- Missing 3/16/12 #2

Sheriff: Fingerprint Connects Suspect to Sierra LaMar

By Josh Koehn on Sep 05, 2012


Sierra LaMar, 16, disappeared on her way to school in Morgan Hill in March. While she has still not been found, Sheriff Laurie Smith said Tuesday that a fingerprint on the suspect's car helped crack the case.

During an interview Tuesday, Sheriff Laurie Smith—whose office is pushing for control of the San Jose Police Department’s $4.1 million fingerprint program—revealed new details about the case involving the suspected kidnapping and murder of 16-year-old Sierra LaMar.

Smith said the most notable achievement of the Sheriff’s Office fingerprint division came earlier this year, when her team matched a fingerprint from LaMar to a print found on the car of her suspected kidnapper and killer, Antolin Garcia-Torres.

Read more:

http://www.sanjose.com/news/2012/09/05/sheriff_fingerprint_sierra_lamar

South Bay Congresswoman Lends Support To Family Of Sierra LaMar

September 5, 2012 3:38 PM


Sierra Lamar (CBS)

MORGAN HILL (KCBS) – San Jose Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren is offering to support the family of missing Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar with a new school notification law that could help with search efforts for missing children.

Visiting the search headquarters in Morgan Hill on Wednesday, Lofgren shook hands and posed for pictures with the 30 or so hardcore searchers who have continued looking for Sierra LaMar since she disappeared in mid-March.

Read more:

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2012/09/05/south-bay-congresswoman-lends-support-to-family-of-sierra-lamar/

Santa Clara County SO controlling finger prints?

Lol.
Doesn't quite sound like the way to about reform...

SC County has been busted for fixing evidence before.
IMO they don't enjoy the 'it's true because I said so' status.

I bet Smith is sensitive about this investgation.
I don't believe a word they comes out of her mouth.

Poor Sierra.

Interesting time to 'make' a statement about this case.

I sure hope Smith has more than a fingerprint from Sierra on AGT'S car...good grief it just doesn't give me a good feeling!

Lash wrote:I sure hope Smith has more than a fingerprint from Sierra on AGT'S car...good grief it just doesn't give me a good feeling!

Really.

Lash wrote:I sure hope Smith has more than a fingerprint from Sierra on AGT'S car...good grief it just doesn't give me a good feeling!

When Antolin Garcia's arrest was announced by the Sheriff, Laurie Smith, she said that Sierra's DNA was found inside Antolin's car and that his DNA was found on Sierra's clothes; the clothes that were found inside the handbag that was discarded near her house.

http://www.timesherald.com/article/20120523/NEWS04/120529790/sheriff-suspect-linked-by-dna-to-missing-ca-teen

Alessandra_Deux wrote:

Lash wrote:I sure hope Smith has more than a fingerprint from Sierra on AGT'S car...good grief it just doesn't give me a good feeling!

When Antolin Garcia's arrest was announced by the Sheriff, Laurie Smith, she said that Sierra's DNA was found inside Antolin's car and that his DNA was found on Sierra's clothes; the clothes that were found inside the handbag that was discarded near her house.

http://www.timesherald.com/article/20120523/NEWS04/120529790/sheriff-suspect-linked-by-dna-to-missing-ca-teen

Very odd timing! makes me nervous!

Sierra LaMar Vigil Keeps Hope Alive

The teen went missing in May 2012.By George Kiriyama | Thursday, Sep 6, 2012 | Updated 8:53 AM PDT

View more videos at: http://nbcbayarea.com.

Though the missing teen is presumed dead, the community in Morgan Hill held a special service for Sierra LaMar on Wednesday night, hoping for her return. U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren was just one high-profile person to attend. George Kiriyama reports.

The words "give up" and "quit" are not in their vocabulary.

For almost six months, the family and friends of missing Morgan Hill teenager Sierra Lamar have dedicated their lives to finding her.

On Wednesday night, in front of the Morgan Hill library, they sent a clear message: Our job is not done. We will find Sierra and we will bring her home to her family.

Read more:

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Sierra-LaMar-Vigil-Keeps-Hope-Alive-168764846.html

Alessandra_Deux wrote:

Lash wrote:I sure hope Smith has more than a fingerprint from Sierra on AGT'S car...good grief it just doesn't give me a good feeling!

When Antolin Garcia's arrest was announced by the Sheriff, Laurie Smith, she said that Sierra's DNA was found inside Antolin's car and that his DNA was found on Sierra's clothes; the clothes that were found inside the handbag that was discarded near her house.

http://www.timesherald.com/article/20120523/NEWS04/120529790/sheriff-suspect-linked-by-dna-to-missing-ca-teen

Sorry Alessandra, I wasn't specific in my post. I was referring to what LE found that related only to Sierra. I hope there is more evidence left from Sierra besides just a fingerprint.

This might be an odd question. Can a fingerprint be considered DNA? Can you pull DNA from a print?

Hi Lash,

Finger print= skin fragment = possible DNA

Remember our posts a while back about the DNA ?
Not sure how long ago...

Check mine, I posted an article(s) about it.

justanopinion wrote:

Alessandra_Deux wrote:

When Antolin Garcia's arrest was announced by the Sheriff, Laurie Smith, she said that Sierra's DNA was found inside Antolin's car and that his DNA was found on Sierra's clothes; the clothes that were found inside the handbag that was discarded near her house.

http://www.timesherald.com/article/20120523/NEWS04/120529790/sheriff-suspect-linked-by-dna-to-missing-ca-teen

Very odd timing! makes me nervous!

I don't think the timing of this has anything to do with the Lamar case, so I really think very little of it -- it has everything to do with propaganda for her newest efforts regarding control over the fingerprint program. Surely the defense already has this information as part of discover, so I'm sure it's nothing they didn't already know or was anything that could jeopardize the investigation at this point.

Just don't know why they couldn't have been more specific about this sooner. The timing is self-serving. Something completely common to law enforcement agencies. Nothing new here...

Lash wrote:

Alessandra_Deux wrote:

When Antolin Garcia's arrest was announced by the Sheriff, Laurie Smith, she said that Sierra's DNA was found inside Antolin's car and that his DNA was found on Sierra's clothes; the clothes that were found inside the handbag that was discarded near her house.

http://www.timesherald.com/article/20120523/NEWS04/120529790/sheriff-suspect-linked-by-dna-to-missing-ca-teen

Sorry Alessandra, I wasn't specific in my post. I was referring to what LE found that related only to Sierra. I hope there is more evidence left from Sierra besides just a fingerprint.

This might be an odd question. Can a fingerprint be considered DNA? Can you pull DNA from a print?

DNA can be extracted from a fingerprint. But, I don't believe that they charged Antolin Garcia with the murder of Sierra LaMar because they found a single fingerprint that connects Sierra to his car. The Sheriff didn't say that's the only piece of evidence that they have against him.

--------------
“We hit a fingerprint on the Sierra LaMar case,” Smith said, “and because I’m just so sensitive about that case I came down and I said, ‘Are you sure?’ And they looked at me like I was crazy. You know, yes, it’s an identification.”

That evidence has not previously been revealed in documents or released to the media as Garcia-Torres awaits trial. LaMar has still not been found.

http://www.sanjose.com/news/2012/09/05/sheriff_fingerprint_sierra_lamar

Stolat wrote:

justanopinion wrote:

Very odd timing! makes me nervous!

I don't think the timing of this has anything to do with the Lamar case, so I really think very little of it -- it has everything to do with propaganda for her newest efforts regarding control over the fingerprint program. Surely the defense already has this information as part of discover, so I'm sure it's nothing they didn't already know or was anything that could jeopardize the investigation at this point.

Just don't know why they couldn't have been more specific about this sooner. The timing is self-serving. Something completely common to law enforcement agencies. Nothing new here...

I totally agree.

So if he did it, why not offer a plea deal provided suspect tells them the details and leads them to Sierra?

Stolat wrote:

justanopinion wrote:

Very odd timing! makes me nervous!

I don't think the timing of this has anything to do with the Lamar case, so I really think very little of it -- it has everything to do with propaganda for her newest efforts regarding control over the fingerprint program. Surely the defense already has this information as part of discover, so I'm sure it's nothing they didn't already know or was anything that could jeopardize the investigation at this point.

Just don't know why they couldn't have been more specific about this sooner. The timing is self-serving. Something completely common to law enforcement agencies. Nothing new here...

I agree completely!

Freckles wrote:So if he did it, why not offer a plea deal provided suspect tells them the details and leads them to Sierra?

If he did it why not plead 'not guilty' like many guilty criminal defendants do?

I still think the defense may move to dismiss.

I am not getting the thoughts on the fingerprints, Why would it not be good?
Sierra didn't know him, so why would her prints be in his car?
I thought the fingerprint was a good sign, along with the DNA they said they found on her clothes that belong to her killer.
I don't get why it is not a big thing but I can be dense sometimes.

snowbird wrote:I am not getting the thoughts on the fingerprints, Why would it not be good?
Sierra didn't know him, so why would her prints be in his car?
I thought the fingerprint was a good sign, along with the DNA they said they found on her clothes that belong to her killer.
I don't get why it is not a big thing but I can be dense sometimes.

I can't speak for others but my impression from the comment would be that if in fact that's all the evidence they had to show a connection between Sierra and Torres -- then they likely already lost the fight.

The fingerprint was on the outside of the car. On that alone, an avg joe-schmoe defense lawyer can easily make the claim that the possibility exists that Torres's car was coincidentally in the same parking lot where Sierra shopped and she brushed by his car or touched it -- that in no way proves she was ever IN the car or that Torres ever took her against her will and committed a crime.

That's my take anyway. But there were several statements saying unspecified evidence (other than to say skin fragments) were found *inside* Torres's car belonging to Sierra. So I hope to God they've got more on this case than one single fingerprint outside the car.

Yes, the fingerprint likely shows Sierra was in contact with a car she otherwise would never had contact with and yes, that likely points to Torres having something to do with her disappearance -- in logical layman terms -- but it's not enough to satisfy the conditions of a unanimous jury looking to get beyond reasonable doubt.

Update: you are right -- i forgot about the skin fragments on her clothes related to Torres -- so they do have more...

Tamta wrote:

Freckles wrote:So if he did it, why not offer a plea deal provided suspect tells them the details and leads them to Sierra?

If he did it why not plead 'not guilty' like many guilty criminal defendants do?

I still think the defense may move to dismiss.

I'm sure they will -- I've seen few high profile cases that haven't so far... Zimmerman, Peterson, etc.

The belief LE holds that Sierra is deceased is based on what? The only thing we know is the repeated statements by LE that Sierra has no independent means of support, no contact with others including social media. IIRC her blood was not found in AGT's car. That was put to rest quickly. LE said they have DNA that can put Sierra within his car. Now we know they have a fingerprint from Sierra, is the print the DNA LE is referring to? That is where my thinking is going with the print. Is this the only DNA they have of Sierra's? Is the no contact/no SM/no money the only evidence LE has in their claim that Sierra is deceased?

I understand Sierra's prints should not be within or on AGT's car. His DNA was also found on her clothing. My concern is the defense may use the strategy that the two knew each other. This could explain the prints and DNA. The defense could claim the two met up that morning and Sierra went missing after they met. Statements have been made that the two did not know each other. If IIRC these statements came from AGT's mother, not AGT.

I don't hold the belief Sierra and AGT knew each other. Especially since we know about the Safeway attacks linked to AGT. However, he has not yet been charged in these attacks. I don't know that they could be used in Sierra's murder case. I am concerned with the evidence LE has in this case. I personally believe LE may have been relying heavily on AGT talking and he has said absolutely nothing!


Santa Clara County Statement of Facts - May 24, 2012 -
http://ftpcontent.worldnow.com/kion/statement_of_fact.pdf

Mother of suspect Antolin Garcia-Torres talks about son's arrest -
http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/sierra-lamar-case-mother-of-suspect-antolin-garcia/vHP2S/

Snipped for context-

Stolat wrote:The fingerprint was on the outside of the car. On that alone, an avg joe-schmoe defense lawyer can easily make the claim that the possibility exists that Torres's car was coincidentally in the same parking lot where Sierra shopped and she brushed by his car or touched it -- that in no way proves she was ever IN the car or that Torres ever took her against her will and committed a crime.

Hi Stolat! Good to see you!

BBM - I haven't seen this statement. Smith said 'on the car' in the recent article. I wasn't sure whether Sheriff Smith was referring to the print being found outside or inside of the car? The Statement of Facts reads Sierra's DNA was found 'within' in the car. If Smith was stating outside the car and SOF reads within in the car...maybe this could be taken as a hint. Maybe Sierra's DNA was found inside and outside of the car? Sheriff Smith also could have been more specific. Am I making sense?

Lash wrote:Snipped for context-

Stolat wrote:The fingerprint was on the outside of the car. On that alone, an avg joe-schmoe defense lawyer can easily make the claim that the possibility exists that Torres's car was coincidentally in the same parking lot where Sierra shopped and she brushed by his car or touched it -- that in no way proves she was ever IN the car or that Torres ever took her against her will and committed a crime.

Hi Stolat! Good to see you!

BBM - I haven't seen this statement. Smith said 'on the car' in the recent article. I wasn't sure whether Sheriff Smith was referring to the print being found outside or inside of the car? The Statement of Facts reads Sierra's DNA was found 'within' in the car. If Smith was stating outside the car and SOF reads within in the car...maybe this could be taken as a hint. Maybe Sierra's DNA was found inside and outside of the car? Sheriff Smith also could have been more specific. Am I making sense?

'in' vs. 'on'

I don't know, IMO seems like standard Laurie Smith for this case.


We will see..

Lash wrote:
(snipped)
I understand Sierra's prints should not be within or on AGT's car. His DNA was also found on her clothing. My concern is the defense may use the strategy that the two knew each other. This could explain the prints and DNA. The defense could claim the two met up that morning and Sierra went missing after they met. Statements have been made that the two did not know each other. If IIRC these statements came from AGT's mother, not AGT.

Santa Clara County Statement of Facts - May 24, 2012 -
http://ftpcontent.worldnow.com/kion/statement_of_fact.pdf

Mother of suspect Antolin Garcia-Torres talks about son's arrest -
http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/sierra-lamar-case-mother-of-suspect-antolin-garcia/vHP2S/

I agree that likely they did not know each other, and fortunately if the defense is going to take that tactic, then they're going to have to have far more evidence than one fingerprint to prove it. They're going to have to show phone records, social media records

Just as one fingerprint on the car does not alone prove that he killed her -- by the same token it also does not prove that he knew her previously. So he better have something else to back it up: photos, communication, messages, letters, witnesses, surveillance video, ....something.

I don't think they have it. So I'm not so worried they will get to far if they try to insinuate that.

Tamta wrote:

Lash wrote:Snipped for context-


Hi Stolat! Good to see you!

BBM - I haven't seen this statement. Smith said 'on the car' in the recent article. I wasn't sure whether Sheriff Smith was referring to the print being found outside or inside of the car? The Statement of Facts reads Sierra's DNA was found 'within' in the car. If Smith was stating outside the car and SOF reads within in the car...maybe this could be taken as a hint. Maybe Sierra's DNA was found inside and outside of the car? Sheriff Smith also could have been more specific. Am I making sense?

'in' vs. 'on'

I don't know, IMO seems like standard Laurie Smith for this case.


We will see..

Agreed -- I didn't initially think of the possibility that "on" could still mean the same as "in" the car. If it were left on the door handle inside the car, that's still considered "on the car" itself. So, Okay ....I get that now. But i'm in your camp that Smith is a piss-poor communicator of such word play. Takes me back to the old days of her saying "we're looking for information on the car" instead of saying "we already have the damned car, people!"

Stolat wrote:

Tamta wrote:

'in' vs. 'on'

I don't know, IMO seems like standard Laurie Smith for this case.


We will see..

Agreed -- I didn't initially think of the possibility that "on" could still mean the same as "in" the car. If it were left on the door handle inside the car, that's still considered "on the car" itself. So, Okay ....I get that now. But i'm in your camp that Smith is a piss-poor communicator of such word play. Takes me back to the old days of her saying "we're looking for information on the car" instead of saying "we already have the damned car, people!"

Exactly!!

Stolat wrote:
Agreed -- I didn't initially think of the possibility that "on" could still mean the same as "in" the car. If it were left on the door handle inside the car, that's still considered "on the car" itself. So, Okay ....I get that now. But i'm in your camp that Smith is a piss-poor communicator of such word play. Takes me back to the old days of her saying "we're looking for information on the car" instead of saying "we already have the damned car, people!"

Word! ( Thanks Tamta, now I can't get it out of my head!)

The link to the fingerprint article is no longer working?

Here is a cached version, courtesy of Kimi_SFC -

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache%3AtphE4uW__7MJ%3Awww.sanjose.com%2Fnews%2F2012%2F09%2F05%2Fsheriff_fingerprint_sierra_lamar+fingerprint+in+antolin+car&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=safari

Lash wrote:The link to the fingerprint article is no longer working?

Here is a cached version, courtesy of Kimi_SFC -

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache%3AtphE4uW__7MJ%3Awww.sanjose.com%2Fnews%2F2012%2F09%2F05%2Fsheriff_fingerprint_sierra_lamar+fingerprint+in+antolin+car&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=safari

Okay -- now THAT's weird! I was skeptical and tried all my google tricks and even some html recovery tricks -- and that page is just plain BLANK! not even a header tag within the html. Looks like a complete elimination of the article! Hmm... wonder if Smith caught flack for using details of the case to do self-promotion.

Stolat wrote:

Lash wrote:The link to the fingerprint article is no longer working?

Here is a cached version, courtesy of Kimi_SFC -

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache%3AtphE4uW__7MJ%3Awww.sanjose.com%2Fnews%2F2012%2F09%2F05%2Fsheriff_fingerprint_sierra_lamar+fingerprint+in+antolin+car&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=safari

Okay -- now THAT's weird! I was skeptical and tried all my google tricks and even some html recovery tricks -- and that page is just plain BLANK! not even a header tag within the html. Looks like a complete elimination of the article! Hmm... wonder if Smith caught flack for using details of the case to do self-promotion.

Wow.

Stolat wrote:

Lash wrote:The link to the fingerprint article is no longer working?

Here is a cached version, courtesy of Kimi_SFC -

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache%3AtphE4uW__7MJ%3Awww.sanjose.com%2Fnews%2F2012%2F09%2F05%2Fsheriff_fingerprint_sierra_lamar+fingerprint+in+antolin+car&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=safari

Okay -- now THAT's weird! I was skeptical and tried all my google tricks and even some html recovery tricks -- and that page is just plain BLANK! not even a header tag within the html. Looks like a complete elimination of the article! Hmm... wonder if Smith caught flack for using details of the case to do self-promotion.

Totally agree...I think it is possible some people may have felt Sheriff Smith talked too soon! Then again, maybe it is just a site problem. Sometimes we can over think...lol.

www.sanjoseinside.com/.../9_5_12_sheriff_san_jose_police_fingerprint_crime_sierra_lamar

I think this article from another local outlet in San Jose shed FAR more light on the matter. Smith is after $$$$$$$$$$

Also -- note the clarification in Smith's quote -- she makes NO reference in her direct quote as to *where* the print was found. I think the other San Jose media had to make a redaction because they may have misquoted her or taken too great of liberty making their own inferences.

Who knows...

Stolat - good find!

Interesting...

Stolat wrote:www.sanjoseinside.com/.../9_5_12_sheriff_san_jose_police_fingerprint_crime_sierra_lamar

I think this article from another local outlet in San Jose shed FAR more light on the matter. Smith is after $$$$$$$$$$

Also -- note the clarification in Smith's quote -- she makes NO reference in her direct quote as to *where* the print was found. I think the other San Jose media had to make a redaction because they may have misquoted her or taken too great of liberty making their own inferences.

Who knows...

Snipped from comment section:

Hey Sheriff Smith, your agency cant staff your VTA contract deputies 24/7 and relies on SJPD to handle your contract duties between 11pm and 630AM. You are supposed to pay SJPD for the cost of doing the work YOUR agency contracts for but hasn’t paid a cent. Last we heard you added 2 more midnight deputies to handle VTA issues but your midnight supervisors say not true.  What is ths story? Can the sheriff’s office do what it advertises or are your deputies just a bunch of posers?


Sep 7, 2012 - 12:28 pm
Can I get someone to sleep at Tamien light Rail Station???
We’ve had 30 car burrglaries this month alone.

---------

The SO building renovations in the Torres perp walk looked wonderful though.
Lol.

Update: Body found in Aromas; sheriff's have few details

Sheriff's: Premature to speculate if it's a missing person like Sierra LaMar

Posted: Friday, September 7, 2012 3:45 pm | Updated: 4:51 pm, Fri Sep 7, 2012

Authorities discovered a body Friday morning near Aromas, but have yet to confirm details about the victim.

While authorities do not appear to have much confirmed at this point, Santa Clara County Sgt. Jose Cardoza said it is premature to speculate about the possibility it could be a missing person such as Sierra LaMar, the 15-year-old Morgan Hill teen who went missing March 16.

Witnesses passing by in the area called 911 to report seeing what they believed was a body off Cannon Road. San Benito County sheriff’s deputies responded and immediately requested outside help, said Sgt. Jose Cardoza with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, which is assisting a short-staffed San Benito County department on the case with a crime scene investigation unit and media communication.

Read more:

http://www.gilroydispatch.com/news/crime_fire_courts/update-body-found-in-aromas-sheriff-s-have-few-details/article_43d8defc-f93f-11e1-aa21-0019bb30f31a.html

-Snips

Sgt. Jose Cardoza of the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office said the passerby had parked a car off the shoulder of Canon Road just south of Chateau Drive about 9:30 a.m. and found the body about 100 feet off the pavement on rolling landscape clustered with eucalyptus trees and poison oak.

The body was found a short distance off of Highway 101 in a section of country roads that threads between miles of eucalyptus forests where no buildings or homes are visible.

http://www.register-pajaronian.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=13103&page=72

Authorities say body found in California not that of Sierra LaMar

September 7, 2012
By: Cindy Adams

http://www.examiner.com/article/authorities-say-body-found-california-not-that-of-sierra-lamar

Body is not Sierra LaMar

by Chelsea Hoffman

September 08, 2012 05:10 AM EDT

snipped:

It was earlier believed that the body of Sierra LaMar was found in Aromas, California. However, it's now been released that the body does not belong to the missing Morgan Hill teen.

snipped:

Initially, the gender of the remains couldn't be identified due to the state of decomposition they were in, but they are confirmed as being female and the woman was definitely murdered. Now authorities need to figure out who this woman is, and who murdered her!

Read more:
http://news.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474981616939

snowbird wrote:I am not getting the thoughts on the fingerprints, Why would it not be good?
Sierra didn't know him, so why would her prints be in his car?
I thought the fingerprint was a good sign, along with the DNA they said they found on her clothes that belong to her killer.
I don't get why it is not a big thing but I can be dense sometimes.

I am trying to recall Sierra's comments from her SM and just at a loss here.

RE the POA/ arrested suspect:
Has there been any attempt to link this individual or the vehicle to the person Sierra wrote about on her SM as bugging her at the bus stop on prior occasions?
Does the car match the description ?

(IF it does match, then it could play out in several ways which is why I am curious. He could say she had touched his car at some time; she had taken rides from him before, etc.. Playing devil's advocate here. )

Up to 60 volunteers show up every search day to help look for Sierra. The search headquarters are at Burnett Elementary School in Morgan Hill.



http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8803909

Julie wrote:Body is not Sierra LaMar

by Chelsea Hoffman

September 08, 2012 05:10 AM EDT

snipped:

It was earlier believed that the body of Sierra LaMar was found in Aromas, California. However, it's now been released that the body does not belong to the missing Morgan Hill teen.

snipped:

Initially, the gender of the remains couldn't be identified due to the state of decomposition they were in, but they are confirmed as being female and the woman was definitely murdered. Now authorities need to figure out who this woman is, and who murdered her!

Read more:
http://news.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474981616939

Interesting... this location is south of Morgan Hill- south of Gilroy, exact opposite of San Jose and very desolate looking. I wonder now when this woman was killed. If it were before Sierra disappeared or after Torres was apprehended. Obviously they are looking for those links. I wonder if more searching has been done in this area.

Freckles wrote:

snowbird wrote:I am not getting the thoughts on the fingerprints, Why would it not be good?
Sierra didn't know him, so why would her prints be in his car?
I thought the fingerprint was a good sign, along with the DNA they said they found on her clothes that belong to her killer.
I don't get why it is not a big thing but I can be dense sometimes.

I am trying to recall Sierra's comments from her SM and just at a loss here.

RE the POA/ arrested suspect:
Has there been any attempt to link this individual or the vehicle to the person Sierra wrote about on her SM as bugging her at the bus stop on prior occasions?
Does the car match the description ?

(IF it does match, then it could play out in several ways which is why I am curious. He could say she had touched his car at some time; she had taken rides from him before, etc.. Playing devil's advocate here. )

Freckles, Sierra wrote specifically of a red car as it relates to the car she claimed was pestering her. I'm sure this is what cops are using to help connect Torres to Sierra. It doesn't mean she knew him or even spoke to him. But if it's his car, then it shows premeditation on his part in stalking her. Could she have touched his car as he drove by and left her print on the car? Possibly.

But keep in mind that Torres told his family repeatedly - and they in turn reported to the media - that he did NOT know Sierra nor had he ever come in contact with her. So he himself, through his own statements, made it clearly unusual for Sierra's prints to be anywhere on his belongings and vice versa.

So he dug his grave there and won't be able to turn around in court and say he DID know her afterall.

Lash wrote:The belief LE holds that Sierra is deceased is based on what? The only thing we know is the repeated statements by LE that Sierra has no independent means of support, no contact with others including social media. IIRC her blood was not found in AGT's car. That was put to rest quickly. LE said they have DNA that can put Sierra within his car. Now we know they have a fingerprint from Sierra, is the print the DNA LE is referring to? That is where my thinking is going with the print. Is this the only DNA they have of Sierra's? Is the no contact/no SM/no money the only evidence LE has in their claim that Sierra is deceased?

I understand Sierra's prints should not be within or on AGT's car. His DNA was also found on her clothing. My concern is the defense may use the strategy that the two knew each other. This could explain the prints and DNA. The defense could claim the two met up that morning and Sierra went missing after they met. Statements have been made that the two did not know each other. If IIRC these statements came from AGT's mother, not AGT.

I don't hold the belief Sierra and AGT knew each other. Especially since we know about the Safeway attacks linked to AGT. However, he has not yet been charged in these attacks. I don't know that they could be used in Sierra's murder case. I am concerned with the evidence LE has in this case. I personally believe LE may have been relying heavily on AGT talking and he has said absolutely nothing!


Santa Clara County Statement of Facts - May 24, 2012 -
http://ftpcontent.worldnow.com/kion/statement_of_fact.pdf

Mother of suspect Antolin Garcia-Torres talks about son's arrest -
http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/sierra-lamar-case-mother-of-suspect-antolin-garcia/vHP2S/

The belief that Sierra was MURDERED, not simply deceased, is based on what?

This is a murder case and the DA won't say why they believe that she is murdered.
The charges against him ALL hinge upon MURDER.

So far the case they claim to have sounds more like Routine Activities Theory (Criminology 101 and the Crime Triangle) to me, than a specific case against this particular guy.

Sierra LaMar Searches Scaled Back

Searches will continue on weekends and volunteers are always both needed and welcome

By Lori Preuitt | Wednesday, Sep 12, 2012 | Updated 5:27 PM PDT

If you have any information about Sierra LaMar please call 408-808-4500 after hours 408-299-2311 or the anonymous tip line at 408-808-4431. Text messages can be sent to 408-421-6760. Email tips to: tips@sheriff.sccgov.org.

Sierra LaMar search organizers have announced they are going to scale back weekly searches for the missing teenager from Morgan Hill to one search a week.

They are suspending the Wednesday volunteer searches as of today, according to The KlaasKids Foundation's Marc Klass.

Read more:

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Sierra-LaMar-Searches-Scaled-Back-169556016.html

Search outings for Sierra LaMar scaled back

Wednesday, September 12, 2012 | Karina Rusk

MORGAN HILL, Calif. (KGO) -- This weekend marks six months since Morgan Hill teenager Sierra LaMar disappeared. On Wednesday, the search center conducted its last Wednesday search, although the Saturday searches will continue.

181 days after Sierra disappeared, the streets of Morgan Hill are still lined with pink ribbons, and a mother's heart aches for the little girl who was becoming a young woman.

"There were a few times she rushed to the bus stop because she didn't want to keep the bus driver waiting," said Sierra's mother, Marlene LaMar. "And that just shows me how just demonstrated respect for adults no matter who they were, you know, and that just gives me peace that she was like that."

Though, those moments of peace are hard to find. And the pain for Sierra's parents is hard to describe, "Crying harder than I've ever cried, you know, like where you can't catch your breath," said Sierra's father, Steve LaMar.

Video @ link - http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news%2Flocal%2Fsouth_bay&id=8808599

9/16 – 6-month Anniversary Balloon Release for Sierra
September 13, 2012 Author: STEVELAMAR

Date: Sunday, September 16, 2012
Time:   6:30 P.M.
Place: Sierra Search Center, 85 Tilton Ave., Morgan Hill, CA

Please show your support for Sierra LaMar and join family and friends at the Search Center for a balloon release and prayer.

http://findsierralamar.com/newsevents/916-6-month-anniversary-balloon-release-for-sierra/

Interesting events during the weekend:

Yesterday and today the sheriff's office brought their boats to the Morgan Hill area. Yesterday, they were seen leaving the Morgan Hill Police station, and today, I saw them returning from the side of west San Martin. They said they'd stop doing water searches unless they had tips. Perhaps the phone records that were subpoenaed were leading them?

senseigurl wrote:Interesting events during the weekend:

Yesterday and today the sheriff's office brought their boats to the Morgan Hill area. Yesterday, they were seen leaving the Morgan Hill Police station, and today, I saw them returning from the side of west San Martin. They said they'd stop doing water searches unless they had tips. Perhaps the phone records that were subpoenaed were leading them?

I thought the phone records that were subpoenaed were done so by th defense? if so, then the subpoena wouldn't have uncovered anything that police didn't already have long ago. But I agree with you that it sounds like something new came in.

I stand corrected. It was the defense who requested the phone records.

Yesterday was the first time in a while I've seen them bring out the boats. I'm pretty sure they went to Uvas again since that's the major lake closest to that exit. The other pools of water on the map are too small to bring out the boat.

senseigurl wrote:I stand corrected. It was the defense who requested the phone records.

Yesterday was the first time in a while I've seen them bring out the boats. I'm pretty sure they went to Uvas again since that's the major lake closest to that exit. The other pools of water on the map are too small to bring out the boat.

They need to find Sierra's body.

I was thinking the other night while walking through a dark parking lot that in today's evil society it's almost come to the point where I'd voluntarily allow myself and my daughter to be microchipped so that we could be located (alive or dead) if either of us disappeared. That way we could either be saved, or at least have our assailant brought to justice without all this BS crap of circumstantial evidence. Frustrating.

Apparently FDA approved human implantation back in 2004. Huh.... who knew?

http://www.boston.com/community/moms/blogs/in_the_parenthood/2010/06/would_you_implant_a_microchip_in_your_child.html

http://www.fdfny.org/blog/2011/09/19/fda-approves-microchip-implantation-in-children-revelation-1318/