CA CA - Sierra Lamar, 15, Morgan Hill, 16 March 2012 Timeline & Media Thread

Timeline


Saturday, March 17, 2012:

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/local/santa-clara-sheriffs-dept-searching-missing-teen/nLWgf/

March 17 More @ link

"We've flown most of these fields, as far as the eye can see in this direction, all the way up to the foothills on the west side as well," said San Jose Sheriff Sgt. Brett Moore.

Working off her scent, police dogs have traced Sierra's half mile long walk to her bus stop, but the trail goes cold beyond her driveway, suggesting she was picked up.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/morgan-hill-deputies-search-santa-clara-co-for/vGZ6t/

March 17 From video @ link:


Marlene Lamar: I talked to her, said goodbye, and gave her a hug. and things were- were good. And I told her I loved her.

Marlene Lamar: I can't believe that she would not contact her friends and let them know that she's okay and- and do this. She would never want us to go through all this pain.

Steve Lamar: Come home, baby. Please come home. You're not in trouble. Everyone-everyone wants to see you.


Sunday, March 18, 2012

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/investigators-find-cell-phone-missing-morgan-hill-/nLXFk/

March 18 more @ link

The ground and air search is finished in Morgan Hill for now, unless new leads develop.

Detectives said they are turning their attention to interviews with Sierra's friends.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/...Search-for-Missing-Morgan-Hill-Girl/143284416

March 18 From video @ link:

Marlene: It's really hard.

We gave each other a big hug goodbye and said we loved each other. And she's been in a great mood.

Reporter: Lamar says she didn't suspect anything was wrong until 6 o'clock Friday night about 12 hours after Sierra left. Staff at Sobrato High school emailed her to tell her Sierra hadn't been to any of her classes.

Marlene: I wasn't happy when I was notified that late.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/fremont-search-expands-to-missing-teens-former/vGbDr/

March 18 From video @ link:

Danielle Lamar: Sierra has a lot of friends down there that she still keeps in contact with.

Danielle Lamar: She's always in contact with family, friends, and she wouldn't leave everyone out of the loop.

Friend of Sierra: Like, I hung out with her last week. She was happy and she celebrated my birthday with me and we were all-she's full of energy, yeah.

Marlene Lamar: We don't understand what is going on. It doesn't make sense.

Marlene Lamar: We're hoping, you know. We're hoping that- that she's alive and that's the most important thing right now.

Monday, March 19, 2012

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/loca...nters-Third-Day-in-Morgan-Hill-143104226.html

March 19 more @ link


The Santa Clara Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help in locating a missing Morgan Hill teenager who was last seen leaving for school Friday morning.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Sierra-Lamars-Cell-Phone-Found-Cops-143347556.html

March 19 From video @ Link:

Q: There is no way she could have run away?

Marlene: I don't think so. I don't think so. Even though, I wish it was. Um, and I would, you know, I'd- come back home, I love you very much, you're not in trouble.

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_20202246/search-continues-missing-morgan-hill-girl

March 19

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8587464

March 19 From video @ link:

Danielle Lamar: I don't know. It's just not like her. Doing this for this long..

Marlene Lamar: When I gave her a hug goodbye that morning she was happy and excited about writing an English paper that she was doing research on the night before and she was telling her sister about it and everything so- her mood was positive.

Danielle Lamar: I just have a hard time believing that she wouldn't tell me anything if she was planning something.


http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8587192

March 19 From video @ link:


Marlene Lamar: I'm just worried. I'm worried for her and she has- she has asthma and she-she doesn't have her inhaler and I just want her to be safe.

Danielle Lamar: I just can't imagine Sierra would be gone for this long unless it was against her will.

Marlene Lamar: I love you so much Sierra and your family and your friends are really worried about you.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?se...h_bay&id=8586615#&cmp=twi-kgo-article-8586615

March 19 more @ link

Investigators in Santa Clara County are going door-to-door of sexual predators looking for a missing girl.

15-year-old Sierra LaMar left her Morgan Hill home last Friday morning and didn't show up for school. There are 55 registered sex offenders in the Morgan Hill zip code alone under Megan's Law. The sexual assault unit is talking to those people as well as others in South San Jose to make sure that no one on that list is a possible suspect in Sierra's disappearance.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_a324e816-722a-11e1-be6a-001a4bcf6878.html

March 19 From video @ link:

Deborah Padilla, Sobrato Principal: Well, I brought this out because I wanted to make sure we could get a picture of her on camera in case you didn't have it. And um, what I'd like to say is that our school community is working very hard to locate Sierra. We want to find her safe and bring her back home. Some of our students and our community members were out yesterday helping with the search, and we're continuing to post flyers, and work with our community to help to bring her back safe and sound.

Q: As an administrator, what does this- what kind of toll does this take on you personally?

Deborah Padilla: It is devastating for me any time we have any type of student in any type of dangerous situation. And, whenever a student is missing it's obviously extremely dangerous. It makes my heart sink and I just want her to be brought back safe.

Q: Have students come to you or anyone in the office or counselors "we found out about this-we heard this, we heard that"- any information coming from the students?

Deborah Padilla: We've actually been working with the Sheriffs department all weekend and they have been working with our families and with the family of Sierra to try to get as much information as possible from friends and acquaintances. We're continuing that today. We have encouraged all of our students- if they have any information, even if they don't think it might be very important, to come up and let us know so then we can follow up on any lead that we might have.

Q: (INAUDIBLE)

Deborah Padilla: In Morgan Hill, we have two systems to notify parents. Our parents have whats called a home access center where they have real time access to attendance so they can see whether or not their child is in school that day. We also have a phone dialer that goes out in the evening as another way to notify parents.

Q: Is that how her mother found out that she didn't go to school or?

Deborah Padilla: I have not talked to the family. Sorry, I'm not sure about that.

~~

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Because we didn't receive any new information since her disappearance, what we are concentrating on today is interviewing- uh,
re interviewing family, school personnel, as well as students here at the school. Our investigators are out here this morning actually talking and conducting some of those interviews. The updated information that we do have at this time is that there was a cellphone that was located about a half mile away from Sierra's house Saturday evening, about 7pm. We have confirmed that that cell phone does belong to Sierra. So, we're doing some forensics on that cell phone, trying to get any information that we can off of that cell phone as well as her laptop. We do have her laptop that we are doing some forensics on as well. She does have a Facebook account and a twitter account, unfortunately there has been no activity on any of those social network accounts since her disappearance.

Uh, so again, this is a missing persons case. So we'll just rely on information as it comes in, and uh, directing our resources toward that.

Q: Since she is a minor, why wouldn't an Amber Alert be issued?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Uh, because we don't have anything suspicious to confirm that there was a crime. Usually an Amber Alert is um, when we have an abduction, or, you know, we can confirm that there was a crime on top of the actual missing- you know, disappearance. We don't have that at this time. So, it's-you know- we don't want to- we need more information before we can lean in that direction.

Q: Can you talk a little bit about the Fremont connection and her previous life- peer groups, etc?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: We can. That information that we do know- she was new to Sobrato high. Uh, I believe in October. October of last year, 2011, is when she transferred over to Sobrato. Prior to that she was a student at Washington High school, in the city of Fremont. We are working with the Fremont officials, specifically at Washington High school, for any information. At this time we can't confirm if she may be in that area or not.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2012/03/19/still-no-sign-of-missing-morgan-hill-high-schooler/

March 19 From video @ link:

Marlene Lamar: We have to be. There is no other way to be right now, you know, just keep our faith and keep praying.

Marlene Lamar: I was more worried when I heard that because she's attached to the cell phone. That cell phone is attached to her hip. So- I got even more worried.

Danielle Lamar: Me and my sister, we're really close. And so, it's definitely hard. And like, each day it's harder because it makes it more real.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2012/03/19/still-no-sign-of-missing-morgan-hill-high-schooler/

March 19 more @ link

Cardoza said that while investigators have found no signs of foul play, they have also not seen signs that are common in a runaway situation.

According to Cardoza, there have been no fights at home or any sign that Lamar was unhappy.

“Everything was status quo at home,” he said.

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-co...-cell-phone-found-half?source=rss&cid=dlvr.it

March 19 more @ link

The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office, which led the weekend search efforts for 15-year-old Sierra Lamar, on Monday morning confirmed the girl's cell found was discovered Saturday shortly before 7 p.m. about three-quarters of a mile from her house at Dougherty and Palm avenues, according to Sgt. Jose Cardoza.

Sierra's phone was located at the northeast corner of Scheller Avenue and Santa Teresa Boulevard.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/03/1...l-last-seen-on-way-to-school/?test=latestnews

March 19 From video @ link:

Friend of Sierra: Now that all these days have gone by, we're getting really worried. Like, we know that she didn't run away because she's just not the kind of person to do that.

Marlene Lamar: She was in an optimistic mood. She was very cheerful. She wished me a good day at work and I told her I loved her before she left for school.

Friend of Sierra: I know she's going to come home. I know it. I don't want to think of anything else.

Marlene Lamar: I appreciate all the efforts. God bless everybody that is trying to help. Even the people that don't know her, I hear that they are chipping in and they are trying to help and I appreciate everything. God bless you all.


http://www.kron4.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=3457

March 19 From video @ link:

Marlene Lamar: I felt that she was in a good state of mind and that everything was going fine that morning.

Danielle Lamar: It's just weird that none of us have any idea or like, can't think of like, anything that she's recently told us that, you know, that we can put together that maybe she did run away. There is just nothing any of us that are really close to her can think of.

Friend of Sierra: It finally hit me that this is actually happening and that something that I thought could never really happen to anybody that I knew happened to like, one of my best friends. And like, it like almost broke my heart. And I just, I didn't know what to think. And I didn't know what to do and it made me feel helpless.

She wanted to stay with me instead of moving and continue going to Washington but her mom wanted her to move to Morgan Hill with her so- she really didn't want to go. But she comes to Fremont as much as she can because she really misses us.

If anything- she wouldn't run away. If she were to ever like, run away from Morgan Hill, she would come to Fremont because she knows this place. She knows everyone here. She wouldn't run away to some place she wouldn't know. She wouldn't feel safe.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/fremont-investigators-interview-former-classmates/vGbms/

March 19 From video @ link:

Friend of Sierra: She would never run away. She wouldn't feel safe being alone. She loves being with friends and being with a lot of people.


Tuesday, March 20, 2012

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/morgan-hill-investigators-ramp-up-search-for/vGcSg/

March 20 video @ link

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law/candlelight-vigil-planned-missing-morgan-hill-teen/nLYSt/

March 20 more @ link

According to the same registry, Sierra's father, Steve Lamar, who lives in Fremont, is himself a registered sex offender who was convicted of charges of lewd acts with a child under 14 years old.

Sheriff's officials have said, however, that Steve Lamar was not considered a suspect in the case.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Sierra-Lamars-Friends-Focus-of-Police-143507446.html

March 20 more @ link

The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department said it will search the Morgan Hill home of a missing teenager Tuesday.

Investigators listed the search as a new detail in their search for Sierra Lamar, who has not been seen since leaving for school last Friday.

Sheriff's investigators said they will also conduct more interviews with Sierra's friends. They said the interviews on Monday did not reveal any useful information.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8588876

March 20 From video @ Link:


Marlene: Somebody might have seen something that normally drives on this road around that time period. And that- you know, they might have seen something out of the ordinary.

Reporter: Sierra's father told ABC news his daughter was looking forward to a visit with him in Fremont this coming weekend.

Steve Lamar: She wanted me to make her a hair appointment. Um, she wanted to get her hair dyed so, she was all excited about doing that.

Reporter: ABC news discovered after this interview that Steve Lamar is an RSO. He says he is innocent of any crime and pled guilty based on bad legal advice. Authorities say Steve Lamar is not a suspect. Family and close friends are frustrated by the distraction.

Family friend: He's not a suspect. He loves his daughter. He wants her to come home. So, lets just focus on Sierra and just, you know, keep our attention on where it should be. Bringing her home.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8587864
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8588337


March 20 From video @ link:

(mother is handing out flyers at bus stop intersection)

Man in car: And it just seemed odd, um, cause he was just-

Marlene: Please report it to the police department. Because that- that's the biggest thing I've heard so far.

Marlene: They might have seen something out of the ordinary and I was just trying to tell 'em to kind of remember what happened when were driving through on March 16th on Friday.

Reporter: Now we are getting word that Sierra's father, Steve Lamar, was convicted in 2007 of lewd or lascivious acts with a girl under the age of 14. He spent 8 months in Alameda County jail. Last night, before reporters learned of his record, he spoke with ABC news about his last conversation with Sierra.

Steve: Thursday night, she sounded really good, you know. She was excited about a paper she was writing and she was telling me about that. And, uh, her other sister.

Reporter: Mr.Lamar says he only pleaded guilty to child molestation at the advice of an attorney. He says he is innocent, but is still officially a sex offender....
...We asked Mrs. Lamar about her ex-husbands criminal record.

Marlene: No, I don't want to talk about that because that has nothing to do with my daughter right now. We're searching for her and that's the focus right now. Okay? Thank you.


http://www.kron4.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=3472

March 20 From video @ link:

Q: What are you asking the drivers, ma'am?

Marlene: I'm asking if they saw anything during this time period because this is the time period that she usually catches the bus. She's the only one at this particular bus stop. So I'm hoping that they remember something suspicious or out of the ordinary and if they frequently come through this area to go to work then maybe they'll remember. And I've been trying to tell them about the day of week that it's occurring.

Reporter: She is stopped everybody that she possibly can. You have tears in your eyes. What are they telling you, ma'am?

Marlene: They are telling me that they've seen her at the bus stop a lot. Um, you know, and um, that tells me that you know, as far as, you know, they said something about the scent stopping at the driveway, well, that tells me that um, you know, she did walk to the bus stop. You know?

Reporter: Can you give us her routine? There is speculation that she walks in the dark.

Marlene: She doesn't, no no no, she gets up at 6 o clock but she isn't leaving the house until 7:15. And she's here around this time.

Q: And she is here, by herself, catching the bus?

Marlene: Yes. Yes. At 7:25, usually it comes here, but I don't think it came here today because the bus driver is aware of what happened.

Q: About 3/4ths of a mile away from this location is where they found her cell phone. Any reason why she would be at the intersection?

Marlene: I have no idea. I have no idea.

Q: Any idea of how she disappeared? You absolutely think she was abducted? This is not a runaway.

Marlene: It's looking like that to me. It really is. Um, I- I just have to try everything. Get the word out and hopefully somebody has seen something.

Q: She was last seen at 6am- that is not the time-?

Marlene: No, no no. That's not absolutely true. That's the time she wakes up in the house to start getting ready for school.

Q: But she would leave the house just like this- this condition?

Marlene: Around this time. 7:15 she would leave the house.

Q: Okay, so she is never in the dark by herself?

Marlene: No, not in the dark.

Q: And she does walk?

Marlene: Yes, that's right.


http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-co...s-father-is-registered-sex?source=most_viewed

March 20 more @ link


"She's always been a happy person who wears her emotions on her sleeve," said J*****, 17. "If she was upset, she would cry. So, she wouldn't want to run away and just be by herself. If she just wanted to run away from Morgan Hill, she would have come here to Fremont and told her friends here or contacted her dad."

http://www.gilroydispatch.com/artic...cle_20321de4-4efb-578d-ba42-ac2439b75ec7.html

March 20 more @ link

“(Steve LaMar) has been very cooperative and forthcoming with any and all information requested from him,” Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Lt. Troy Smith said. “We are still looking into the case at this time and there has not yet been any indication that a crime has occurred.”

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1203/20/ng.01.html

March 20 Nancy Grace transcript (guest host Rita Cosby) much more @ link

SHERIFF LAURIE SMITH, SANTA CLARA COUNTY (via telephone): Our investigation is continuing. Our mission is to return Sierra home safely. There`s a lot of investigation going on. She has Twitter accounts. We have her cell phone. We are releasing information as we get it, so whatever you have is everything that we can release. We need the public`s help.

COSBY: Sheriff, give us a sense of the timeframe. We just heard from Henry Lee. Give us the sense of what you know. Mom last sees her what time, any eyewitnesses?

SMITH: Mother sees her about 6:00 o`clock in the morning on Friday. We know that she was at her computer at 6:30, which is pretty standard because she generally goes to her bus stop about 7:10. After 6:30, when we know she`s on her computer, we have nothing else after that. We were contacted by the parents when she didn`t return home that night and hadn`t been in school.

COSBY: And Sheriff, my understanding -- the mother sees her that morning, correct, so the mother is the last one to see her?

SMITH: That`s correct.

COSBY: And was there anything unusual that the mother said, anything, you know, about her behavior, anything interesting in the neighborhood? Did the mother see anything that just seemed out of the norm?

SMITH: No, nothing at all. It was interesting from the beginning because we had a report of a missing person, and there was no evidence of foul play, but also, there was no information suggesting that she would run away. So we treated it very seriously from the beginning and allocated a lot of resources to the investigation.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8589198

March 20 From video @ link:

Marlene: Because I'm always worried about where she is and, if you can hear me, just realize how much I love you and I want you back. I want you back.

Steve: Sierra, we love you and we can't wait for you to come home.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/news/local/Search-For-Sierra/143606086

March 20 From video @ link:

Marlene: If you can hear me, just realize how much I love you and I want you back. I want you back. I love you and I just want you back.
It's like, right now I have this emptiness inside of me, and I know if I keep my faith I can go on, it's just hard. I feel like- it's hard for me to eat, I just feel guilty about doing anything.

Danielle: We're not going to give up until she comes home. I just- things just aren't the same without her.

Steve: And you have to get home before Saturday because you have a hair appointment. So, we can't wait for you to come home, Sierra. We love you.

Marlene: I just really appreciate all your efforts. Cause I don't-I mean, I have wonderful family and friends, but I realize the circle is large and it's growing and it's keeping me stronger. And I appreciate everybody's efforts. God bless you.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/20...rs-probed-in-morgan-hill-teens-disappearance/

March 20 video @ link

Community members held a candlelight vigil for missing Morgan Hill teen Sierra Lamar Tuesday night as authorities continued to search for her.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_165570aa-7314-11e1-911a-001a4bcf6878.html

March 20 Pictures from vigil @ link

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/morgan-hill-hundreds-hold-tearful-vigil-for/vGcXM/

March 20 More video coverage of prayer vigil @ link


Wednesday, March 21, 2012

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/46798098#.T2vHqtn7mOd

March 21 Today Show

Marlene: I love you so much.

Marlene: She goes, "Mom, I love you too. You have a good day at work." That was the routine every morning.

Marlene: I want my daughter back.

Friend of Sierra: Anyone that meets her, like, you can't not be friends with her.

Sierra always has her phone. She's always on her phone. She's addicted to phone, whether it's twitter, facebook..

Marlene: Sierra, if you are out there, please hang in there and be strong because I know you have it in you to be strong.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/search-efforts-friends-authorities-missing-teen-ra/nLZMW/

March 21 more @ link

At Friday's vigil, friends of Sierra plan to wear the same kind of red Converse shoes the missing teen was known for wearing.

*advertiser censored***** said students have not given up hope of finding Sierra, but that they were growing more concerned now that she has been missing for so long.

"We really believe she got taken, *advertiser censored***** said. And as hard as it is to say and as hard as it is to admit, I feel like that's the reality of it."

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/fremont-friends-and-family-try-to-keep-hope-alive/vGddR/

March 21 From video @ link

Marlene: As each day comes it's like longer and longer, it's become more real. It's like, more real. I just want her back.

*dance video of Sierra as a child*

Childhood friend of Sierra: I just..it's sad. I hope she's okay and nothing bad happened to her.

Mitsi Sanchez, kidnap survivor: Sierra honey, if you are watching this, we want you to know that you can come home. You just be strong girl. I did it. You can do it.

Marlene: I know my daughter. She's strong and, hearing her (Mitsi) story does give me- give me hope. And, Mitsi shared that she was praying, so, Sierra, pray, pray, the lord will hear your prayers.

Reporter: Tonight, Sierra's mother asked land owners in Morgan Hill with large lots to search their property and look for any clues that might provide answers.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8589864

March 21 more @ link

The Polly Klaas Foundation is now joining the family to help find 15-year-old Sierra LaMar of Morgan Hill, who disappeared last Friday. It's a loss being felt by the entire community.

Sierra's mother has requested the help of Marc Klaas, whose 12-year-old daughter Polly was kidnapped and killed in Petaluma in 1994. He now heads the KlaasKids Foundation.

"We are prepared to offer everything, from support and counseling to full pledged search recovery efforts," said Klaas. "We will be sending our search director to Morgan Hill to establish a physical presence, a search center."

http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.town...-11e1-94ac-001a4bcf6878/4f6a17886a3ff.pdf.pdf

March 21 Press release from Steve Lamar

My name is Steve LaMar. My daughter Sierra has been missing since last Friday, March 16th. I am releasing this statement to address a recent report that I am a registered sex offender. This report is true. I anticipated that this unfortunate piece of my background might surface in the media. I immediately disclosed this history to the police on the very first day of the investigation into my daughter’s disappearance, in the interests of openness, truthfulness, and cooperation.

I understand the stigma associated with this in my background, and I assure everyone it is not connected in any way to my daughter’s disappearance. I ask that you please not shift the focus away from the investigation and from finding Sierra. I also ask that you please not let my past shape your opinion of Sierra or anyone in our family.
Please understand, I am a dad, and I want nothing more than to find my missing daughter.

My family is working closely as a team with law enforcement, and we will do so until we can conclude the investigation.

We want to thank law enforcement, the media, and the community for all of the help and support they have given so far.

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-co...morgan-hill-girl-asks-public-focus?source=rss

March 21 more @ link. Plenty of pictures @ link

Sierra's sister, Danielle LaMar, 21, said despite her father's conviction and her parents' divorce, the family of four remains tight-knit. "I've always been really close with my dad," she said.

The night before Sierra disappeared, Danielle LaMar left Sacramento State for spring break and joined her father at his Fremont townhouse. On their way back from dinner, Sierra, a 5-foot-2-inch brunette, called. They put her on speakerphone.

"She was talking about how she wanted to get her hair done the next time she went to Fremont. She wanted to add some blond streaks," Danielle LaMar said. "She was very excited about one of her school assignments, telling me about her research paper. Bringing up her grades made her happy."

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_24e9d436-73b3-11e1-a05f-001a4bcf6878.html

March 21 more @ link.

LaMar’s mother Marlene and her boyfriend Rick Gardiner, as well as the teen’s father Steve LaMar have all been ruled out as suspects, according to Smith.

“The entire family has fully cooperated with our agency,” Smith said. “All of the family (mother, father, Gardiner) have alibis and can be accounted for at the time Sierra went missing.”

http://bcove.me/g2yqwpab
http://bcove.me/g2yqwpab

March 21 short videos of search

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlin...sing-calif-teen-sierra-lamar-yields-no-leads/

March 21 more @ link

Marlene LaMar became worried after her daughter didn’t return home from school Friday.

“I was worried when I came home and she wasn’t here,” Marlene LaMar told ABC News. ”That’s when my adrenaline, that fear kicked in. That’s when a mother has that instinct that something isn’t quite right here.”

They reached out to the teen’s friends, but they grew more concerned when one friend said Sierra wasn’t in class earlier that day. They decided to contact authorities around 5 p.m. Friday, after her high school sent them an e-mail saying she didn’t show up for school at all that day.
 
Thursday, March 22, 2012

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/03/21/BAFV1NO67U.DTL#ixzz1ppOFZiWS

March 22 more @ link

Court documents show that LaMar was originally charged with 12 felony counts of committing lewd or lascivious acts with three children under 14 in March 2009. He pleaded guilty to one count and was sentenced in September 2009 to a year in county jail.
None of the three children was his daughter, documents show.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8591214

March 22 Press Conference

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Good morning everyone. This morning, the Sheriffs office has reached out to our volunteer search and rescue team. They are out here helping out this morning with the search for Sierra Lamar. The purpose of today's search is a more extensive, more thorough search. We're going to concentrate within a three mile radius of Sierra's mom's home looking for any evidence of a crime. Uh, clothing, weapons, tire tracks. Anything suspicious, any information that could help out in the investigation. The search and rescue teams will expand that three mile radius to search specific areas such as waterways and gulleys, as well. Some new information that has developed over the past few days, was that there was a bag, specifically a Juicy purse, a Juicy bag belonging to Sierra Lamar, that was found Sunday about 1pm. Members of the Sheriffs office search and rescue team found this Juicy bag belonging to Sierra. Inside the bag was some of Sierra's clothing. A pair of pants, and a T shirt, neatly folded, neatly put inside this bag. This bag was located on Santa Teresa Blvd, and Laguna, which is within a couple of miles of Sierra's mother's house. The reason the information wasn't immediately made available to the public was because we had to confirm that the clothes did belong to Sierra, and we had to do some further investigative follow up on that. Through confirmation from Sierra's family, and through some of the investigative efforts, we have now confirmed that those clothes, and the bag did belong to Sierra. I'll now take questions. Those are the updated information we had right now, but I'll now take some questions from everybody.

Q: How close was this bag to where the cell phone was found?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: The bag was found at Laguna and Santa Teresa, the cell phone was found at Scheller and Santa Teresa. A couple blocks away. All within a couple of miles of Sierra's mom's house.

Q: Were the clothes that were folded the ones that she was wearing when she left the house?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: We cannot confirm that, that she was wearing that when she was last seen. Because nobody saw Sierra leave the house, we don't know for a fact if those were the clothes she was wearing, or if for whatever reason those were extra clothes that she had inside her bag at the time.

Q: You made a point to say neatly folded, does that imply that she was going someplace, possibly running away, does that mean anything to you?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: It's information that the detectives still cannot determine as to why these clothes were neatly folded inside the bag, but that is specifically how the clothes were found. Neatly folded inside the bag.

Q: In the last few days have you found anything, prints on that bag, anything at all?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Unfortunately, no information through forensics or any other trace evidence on the bag or on the clothing leading to a person of interest or a suspect at this time.

Q: Was it on the side of the road, or the middle of a field, or?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Near the side of the road, near the intersection of Laguna and Santa Teresa.

Q: It could have been thrown from a passing car, dropped from a car?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Uh, possibilities, but we obviously aren't sure how the bag you know, was found, uh, came about to be there.

Q:*inaudible* or near the street?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Near the intersection of Laguna and Santa Teresa. Not on the roadway, but near the intersection.

Q: *inaudible* there might have been urine on the clothes?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: You know, the specific details as far as the condition of the clothing, if they were wet or if there was any urine on them, we are holding that information, that specific detail uh, confidential right now because of the investigation. So, we can't confirm that detail right now.

Q: The phone, was that on the side of the road on Scheller and Santa Teresa?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: The phone was about 20 to 30 feet off the roadway at Scheller and Santa Teresa. Correct.

Q: So it is possible that someone was driving down Santa Teresa, they threw the phone out of the right side of the window, and this bag was also found the right side of the window?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: That's a possibility, but again, we have no witnesses and no other evidence to confirm if it was thrown..

Q: *inaudible*

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: The bag of clothing, we can't specify exactly what side of the intersection it was located, but..

Q: Why are you waiting until today to go forward with the thorough search of the area immediately surrounding the house?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: The weekend searches were more of a general type search for a missing person or an injured person. Today's search is more extensive, it's specific to not only uh, an injured person, but also to evidence of a crime or any other information that could help in the investigation. So, today's search is a little bit more extensive, a little bit more thorough, a little bit more specific.

Q: *inaudible, another question was asked over this one*

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: No other evidence of foul play at this time and unfortunately we still do not have a person of interest.

Q: Can you confirm the last call on the phone?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: There was a text message that was sent out a little after 7am on Friday morning, from Sierra's cell phone.

Q: To whom?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: It's- we're withholding that information right now.

Q: We've been told that the FBI is assisting you guys. Can you tell us what the nature of that assistance is?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: I can confirm that the FBI is assisting in the case. Unfortunately, in what way- or, in- we can't go into how they are assisting us. But the FBI is assisting us right now. For investigative purposes, we just can't comment on the role that they are playing.

Q: Did the family tell you that she often carries extra clothes, like, I don't know, can you itemize them- a couple of pairs of jeans, a pair of flip flops or?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: That's a good question. That is something that again, we can't comment on at this time. We can't comment on if she would normally carry extra clothes with her in the bag or if that was something new that she would do, so um.

Q: Did she have any plans for after school that day?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Not that we know of.

Q: What type of dog is this? Is it search or is it a recovery dog?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: The K9 dogs are both human remain dogs and specific detection dogs.

Q: Talking to RSO's, how is that coming along?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: We're still in the process of doing that. We have contacted all the sex registered offenders within a 10 mile radius of Sierra's mom's home. Now the concentration and now the efforts are reaching out beyond that 10 mile radius to contact all the RSO's in the South County area, from Morgan Hill to Gilroy.

Q: You're escalating the search now because of what you found, you found this on Sunday, why didn't you escalate the search then and worry about getting confirmation later?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: You know, there was some investigative efforts, some steps that needed to take place from- between Sunday and now. Primarily to confirm that there was Sierra's clothing, to see if there was any evidence that would be able to be gathered on any of those clothings, which at this point there hasn't been any evidence or any trace information leading us to somebody else, but again, some investigative steps had to take place before we could confirm that and make this information public.

Q: Are you leaning still toward a possible runaway or leaning toward abduction?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: We're still a missing person case. We've yet to have any confirmation on an abduction or a volunteer runaway case. It unfortunately is still a missing person case until we get some concrete evidence or a good tip or lead on the case.

Q: Could the FBI take over if you confirm it was an abduction?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: That's something- I can't answer that for the FBI, if they would or not. But, uh, that's something they would have to comment on if we start going in that direction or if new evidence or information comes out.

Q: *inaudible*

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: We're cooperating with Sierra's family, members of the community, and likewise-vice versa, they are cooperating with us 100%, and that is something I'm sure if any organization, any outside organization would come in, of course we'll cooperate with them as well.

Q: *inaudible*

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: No, they're continuing their search efforts today with the K9 dogs, but there has been no new evidence or leads other than the clothing that was found on Sunday afternoon.

Q: *inaudible*..planning on searching today?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: No one else outside of our agency that's helping out with the search. At least for today.

Q: Any specific locations today or just the three mile radius?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Just the three mile radius. Uh, private property, you know, yards, backyards of the residential homes, open fields, waterways, thoroughfares, cul de sacs, and like I said, they will expand the three mile search specifically for nearby reservoirs and waterways as well.

Q: *inaudible, something about scent dogs*

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: They have. The dogs have been trained. They have Sierra's scent from her clothing. We have 5 k9 search dogs assisting today with the search.

Q: And the distance again between the cell phone and the bag, you say it was a couple blocks, or a mile?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Both the cell phone and the clothing are both within two miles of Sierra's mom's house. I don't know the exact location though, between the cell phone and the clothing.

Q: They are in the opposite direction of the way she would have gone to the school bus?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: The cell phone is in the opposite direction. Laguna and Santa Teresa- I'm not sure if it's in the opposite direction of the bus stop.

Q: How concerned are you that it's been almost a week and you don't really have much to go on?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: We're really concerned. We're still, obviously, still out here, you know, with a lot of concentrated efforts. With a lot of our personnel. Search and rescue, detectives, I mean we've been working this case 24/7 since Friday evening when we were notified of the case. So, we're very much concerned, it's still a priority, you know, for our agency, for our department right now, and we're hoping to get some information or some leads to help not only track down or help get this in the right direction, but to help establish; is this a runaway case, or is it an abduction?

Q: Interviews of sex offenders, are you widening that process?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: We're sticking to the South county area sex offenders right now. We've contacted all the sex offenders within a ten mile radius of Sierra's mom's home, and now we are reaching out to the rest of the sex offender registrants in the South county area.

Q: Have anything you have heard led you to believe that she may have run away?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: No, no information leading to or leading us in that direction. She had a very good relationship with the mom, the moms boyfriend and her biological father. Uh, the mom, the sister, everyone in Sierra's family has been cooperative. We have no information that would lead us to believe otherwise that there was any problems at home, or that there would be any indication for her leaving.

Q: *inaudible*

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Unfortunately not. The forensic testing on the computer and cell phone didn't reveal any- any persons of interest.

Q: Can you tell us if the text after 7am was a distressed text?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: It was not. It was not a distressed text. It was a normal text that she would send out to her friend.

Q: Where was the text located from?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: It was-it was to her friend.

Q: But where was it sent from?

Q: Was it from her laptop, or?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: It was from her cell phone.

Q: ..the location?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: At her home. It was from her cell phone at home.

Q: And it was on Friday?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: It was on Friday morning, a couple of minutes after 7 in the morning.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8591051

March 22 more @ link, videos @ link

Sheriff Laurie Smith says her office is working with several known facts about Sierra's sudden disappearance Friday morning. The 15-year-old sent out a tweet from her home computer at 6:29 that morning. It was learned Thursday that she sent a text from her cell phone to a friend at 7:11 a.m. "She usually leaves for school between 7:10 and 7:15, so we don't know where her physical location was at the time. She texted a friend, a friend answered, and no further," Smith said.

http://www.kionrightnow.com/story/1...eens-purse-clothes-found?clienttype=printable

March 22 more @ link

"It was her clothing. It was things that she would have kept with her and it was school books. We believe she was on her way to school. It shouldn't have been where it was. It definitely elevates our concerns," said Sheriff Laurie Smith of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department.
~~
They said she was in good spirits and don't believe she would have ran away.

"We really don't believe so. She's a good kid," Smith said. "She's probably your typical 15-year-old, but there's no indication that this was a runaway. You don't take your school books."

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Clue-Found-in-Sierra-Lamar-Disappearance-143815416.html

March 22 article RE: clothing found. Raw interview w/Marc Klass @ link

http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area...rvivor-midsi-sanchez-hero-family-missing-teen

March 22 more @ link

Midsi Sanchez, 19, is a kidnap survivor.
In August 2000, when she was 8, she was abducted by Curtis Dean Anderson on her way home from school in Vallejo. Anderson was the same deviant who kidnapped and killed 7-year-old Xiana Fairchild, also of Vallejo.
~~
At the first vigil, she introduced herself to the LaMars, told them to stay strong, and asked permission to tell her story to the crowd that had gathered at a Morgan Hill church.
Sierra's mother, Marlene LaMar, thanked her: "You made me feel so much better."

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-co...onging-missing-morgan-hill?source=most_viewed

March 22 more @ link

Also Thursday, students at Sierra's Ann Sobrato High School set up a reward fund for information leading to her discovery, said Superintendent Wesley Smith. The schools in the Morgan Hill Unified School District will post donation boxes at their front offices, with the money being collected Thursday.

Checks, which can be dropped off or mailed to the schools, should be made payable to Ann Sobrato High School ASB. If Sierra is found before next week, officials will donate the money to charities that assist in finding missing people.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...11e1-b2b5-001a4bcf6878.html#user-comment-area

March 22 more @ link

Some of the content on the accounts contains profanity, references to marijuana and alcohol use and carnally suggestive photos and comments. Cardoza said her parents “knew she was an avid ‘Facebooker’ and ‘tweeter’,” but did not specify whether or not they closely monitored the accounts.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_...onging-missing-morgan-hill?source=most_viewed

March 22 more @ link

The case is now receiving national attention, with more than 150 tips called in to the Sheriff's Office, dozens of students and possible associates interviewed and thousands of people following the case's every update through social media. Even the FBI is assisting. In the past few days, about 30 detectives have followed up on more than a half-dozen reports of suspicious vehicles in the Morgan Hill area. Women, including teenagers, have reported men slowing down and asking them if they wanted to get in their cars -- but none so far has proved to be related to Sierra's case.


http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_6739b022-7485-11e1-93a8-001a4bcf6878.html

March 22 much more @ link, including a timeline of events

V****** Yanez of Gilroy High School, K*** Redmond of Santa Teresa High School and M***** Ross of Oak Grove High School have cheered with LaMar since September. They attended the Tuesday night vigil wearing T-shirts with pictures of LaMar printed on the front with “MISSING” in bold lettering.

LaMar joined the team in September and was connected to the squad by a friend of hers just before she moved to Morgan Hill. A cheerleader at Washington High School before transferring to Sobrato, she is a “flier,” or the teammate at the top of a stunt who is lifted or thrown in the air, on the Black Diamond team, the teens said.

Aside from being talented at cheer, Ross said the team knows LaMar as a happy teenager, and Yanez said she is “always singing.”

“She would sing anything that was on the radio – anything that would make her happy and smile,” Yanez said.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/FBI-Activity-Surrounds-LaMar-House-143933026.html

March 22 more @ link

Search and rescue dogs were brought in as the FBI combed through neighbors' yards. They seemed focused on one yard adjacent to the LaMar home.

Authorities spent about an hour and a half inside but gave no indication if anything related to the case was found.

http://www.kionrightnow.com/story/1...fies-for-missing-15-year-old-morgan-hill-girl

March 22 more @ link

They spent hours searching neighbors backyards, even bringing in canines to sniff for clues. They spent most of the night searching a large property right next door to the missing 15-year-old girl's home.
~~
The cul-de-sac isn't the only area, investigators targeted. Less than a quarter mile away on Scheller Avenue, they also targeted a vacant foreclosed home. Detectives even hauled away an evidence kit from the home.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/sierra-lamar/nLbDR/

March 22 more @ link, video @ link

KTVU spotted numerous FBI agents in the neighborhood going to various properties near her home. There were dozens of sheriff's cars in the neighborhood and just before 7 p.m. as officers and FBI agents started going into the backyards of homes.

Others went into her home. some carrying black cases which appeared to be evidence kits.
 
Friday, March 23, 2012

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/46832643#46832643
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/46832709#46832709

March 23 Today Show videos 1 and 2 @ link

Reporter: Her mother has prayed for any sign of 15 year old Sierra Lamar, but when word came searchers found Sierra's bag..

Marlene: My gut sank. It was- it was terrifying. It really was and I don't know what to think.

Marlene: You know, just let me-let me be able to hug her again and tell her I love her. I just want her back.

~~

Reporter: Sierra Lamar's parents, Marlene and Steve, and her sister Danielle are now joining us along with Laurie Smith, the Santa Clara County Sheriff.
I know that as hard as it is to be on our television this morning, you are here because you want to do everything possible to help find Sierra. So, Marlene, you know, knowing your daughter, knowing these new details that the police are now releasing, what does your get tell you about what happened to Sierra?

Marlene: Well, as every-as each day goes on, I just have this gut feeling that she's not willfully-willfully choosing to be away. Um, she loves her family and she-she loves her friends. I just know that she wouldn't- wouldn't intentionally be away. As each day goes on, my heart aches for her. I know-I know she's out there. You know, I keep praying and I have faith that she's going to find her way back to us and we're all going to embrace her. We love her so much. Rick and Ashley, too. They're praying for you, honey. We just want you back. We want you back- can't wait to see you again.

Reporter: I know a lot of people listening are hoping you get that wish come true Marlene. Can either you or Steve explain why she was carrying a bag of clothing to school? Have you ruled out in your mind that she might have been thinking about running away?

Marlene: No, but I haven't thought of that. I know that frequently she would borrow clothes from her friends, and they would - she would bring things to her friends to, you know, wear, and she would borrow - and borrow things that she really liked that they were wearing. You know, she's done that in the past quite a few times.

Reporter: Steve , you also - go ahead, Steve.

Steve: I was just going to say, there's no reason why we would think she would have a bag - pack a bag of clothes like that. it's just baffling.

Reporter: You released a statement, Steve , on Wednesday to address the fact that you are a registered sex offender , and you were trying to remind people, you said, that police say that, you know, that you are not a person of interest in this case. Yet, you raise concerns about whether or not your history could shape public opinion about Sierra- could distract people from the case. What do you want to say about that this morning?

Steve: Yeah. The only thing I'm going to say, as I stated, you know, I want the focus to be on Sierra. We've got to find Sierra. I'm not a suspect or a person of interest so I just want that, you know, removed. We've been cooperating, you know, with authorities, and I - they've stated that also, and I just want that out of the way so that we can focus on Sierra, finding Sierra.

Reporter: Sheriff Smith, last night you brought in, the FBI brought in actually search dogs and equipment into the house where Sierra lived. Why did that happen? Do you know what they were looking for?

Smith: What we know is Sierra probably didn't leave the court. No one sees her that morning. We did actually consensual searches on all the houses in the cul-de-sac. We wanted to rule out that any of the people here had anything to do with her disappearance.

Reporter: I see. How- so what will the focus then be on today, and in the coming days, as the clock as you know well is ticking?

Smith: We're going to be continuing our investigation. We're doing hundreds of interviews. We're continuing to talk to kids. Today, since it is the one-week anniversary, we're going to be doing roadblocks this morning, actually talking with all the cars that go past, see if that's their normal place to be on Friday. But we have a tremendous number of people assigned to it doing many different things today.

Reporter: Marlene , since you said at the beginning of this interview that you are increasingly concerned that Sierra 's being held against her will, what - do you have a message this morning to anyone who may be preventing her from coming home ?

Marlene: Please, please find it in your heart to release her. We love her so much and we ache for her and we're anxious to see her again. Please find it in your heart to let her go. If you could see, the public is concerned about her, and we all are, as each day - as each day comes, it just gets more difficult. Sierra , if you're out there, please, be strong. I know you could survive this. I know you can. You're a strong individual and you're going to - you're going to make it back to us.

Reporter: I know a lot of people are praying for your family. Marlene, Steve and Danielle, I know you're there to support your parents. Thank you so much, all of you. And also Sheriff Smith, thank you. We wish you every luck in finding Sierra If you have any information on Sierra's disappearance you should call the Santa Clara County Sheriff's office. The number is 408-299-2311.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/missing-cheerleader-sierra-la-mar-police-find-clothes-15984984

March 23 GMA video @ link

Reporter: Do you feel that she is in danger?

Marlene: Yeah. I do.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law/disturbing-discovery-sierra-lamars-discarded-bag/nLbSn/

March 23 more @ link

A San Jose Sharks jersey similar to the one a missing Morgan Hill teen was wearing the morning she disappeared was among the items in a bag found discarded in field near her home, authorities confirmed on Friday.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/20...-hill-teen-may-have-worn-shirt-in-tossed-bag/

March 23 more @ link

Officials said Friday that the 15-year-old appears to be wearing the jersey in a photo she tweeted on the morning she disappeared. But they say the photo doesn’t show enough of the shirt to be sure it’s the one in the purse.

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-co...ill-sheriffs-deputies-and-fbi-continue-search

March 23 more @ link

But because Sierra's tweet only captured a small portion of the shirt, investigators can't be sure it was the same shirt located inside Sierra's Juicy-brand bag found at 1 p.m. Sunday, according to Sgt. Jose Cardoza.
"Whether it's the same we don't know, but it's similar," Cardoza said.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/news/local/Sierra-Lamars-Parents-Interview/143967166

March 23 interview with parents

Reporter: Can you tell us what your reaction is to the latest announcement of the discovery of your daughters clothes?

Marlene: Well, this is, you know, it's been real, you know, up to this point, but- just, very convicting that there is- there's something not right about this whole situation. You know, as far as her being gone this long and finding the items- it's terrifying. You know? I try not to think bad things and, just- you know, please, you know- keep your strength, baby. I know you have it in you to survive this.

Reporter: Would it be out of character for her to pack some clothes in a bag?

Marlene: I've seen her bring things and put it her purse and try to- you know, give it to her friend. That, you know, they borrow each others clothes. I've seen her do that quite a few times. But, to leave- to, you know- to leave it somewhere, I just can't imagine. It's not normal. You know, to find something like that in that type of area, um.

Reporter: You've had a week, obviously, to have to deal with this. I'd imagine you've been wracking your brain for details that maybe before would seem innocuous. Is there anything now you think back on and go "Wow, maybe this is significant"? Anything along those lines?

Marlene: I've been wracking my brain 24 hours, I've been having a hard time sleeping because I keep thinking I'm going to remember something that's going to be a clue. The Sheriff's department has been informing me and updating me, and um, as much as possible, and I just- you know, people ask me things, and you know- I just keep jogging my memory- you know, hoping that I'll think of something and I'm reaching out to the public and the community. You know, if you think you remember seeing something odd, you know, nothing is insignificant. Um, every little bit of information is going to help lead the Sheriff's department to my daughter. Just, you know, don't hold any information back.

Reporter: What is the next step for you and the family in terms of trying to find her? I know the FBI was here yesterday. Law enforcement seems to be very heavily involved. Are there efforts to organize volunteer search parties?

Marlene: We're never going to give up. We're not going to give up, and um- go ahead.

Steve: I was going to talk about Marc Klass, yeah? We've got Marc Klass, Klass Kids coming in helping us. We've talked to him and so, that's been really helpful. They're going to- they're going to help us a lot. We're looking forward to that and a couple of other organizations. NCMEC has, you know, has got Sierra on the list so that's really helpful. We've got, um- that coming up, and we're setting up some- um, fundraising and um, you know, a place for donations and things like that. So, we've got that kind of thing in the works right now. And then we've also got, you know, we're probably trying to do our own search as soon as law enforcement allows us to.

Reporter: What gives you hope? What gives you optimism seven days out?

Marlene: My faith, and I believe the individual that she is, you know, she's strong. She's a survivor. And she loves her friends and her family. And I wish-I know you- if you could see the support you've been getting from the community, I know that's going to even give you even more strength to find your way back to us.

Reporter: This is still considered a missing persons case but do you think she was abducted?

Marlene: I think that- that that's uh, a strong possibility.

Steve: We don't know-

Marlene: -we don't know. We don't want to think that.

Steve: There really isn't-it's baffling, because there really isn't, uh- something that points strongly to either, uh- you know, runaway or an abduction, so. And that's baffling and frustrating, you know- both, for all of us.

Marlene: The longer we wait the more baffling it becomes. And, you know- I just want the media to continue posting her picture and the contact number. I really appreciate their efforts, and I know that you care too. That you have children as well. And I know that- I'm hoping that, you know, you think of her as your own child. You know, she's- she was such a loveable young lady.

Reporter: The fact that her clothing was folded up in her bag, does that say to you that she was preparing to go somewhere, maybe?

Marlene: I-I, I have no idea. You know, I haven't seen the item- I haven't seen the bag or the items. So, I can't really comment on that. You know, as far as the condition is was- to give you feedback about that.

Reporter: The sheriff said they think it was a Sharks jersey. Did she have-

Marlene: She took a picture of herself, right before she left. She frequently took pictures of herself because she was into her hair and makeup. And uh, that was common for her to do something like that. And she was wearing a Sharks sweatshirt in that picture.

Reporter: In the picture she took-

Marlene: On the computer.

Reporter:-last Friday morning?

Marlene: Yes, on the computer.

Reporter: Wearing that Sharks sweatshirt?

Marlene: That's correct.

Reporter: Then, would it be logical to assume she left the house in that?

Marlene: Yes. I would assume that since she took that on the computer right before she left for the bus stop.

Reporter: And that's what was found in the bag?

Marlene: Um, I-I think, I think so.

Reporter: If she were watching, what would you want to say to your daughter?

Marlene: Um, I'm just saying- you know, we love you so much and everybody loves you so much. And, you know, our hearts are really aching- aching for your return- safe return and we're all praying and we know that you are going to find your way back to us. And, and if somebody's holding her, please, please find it in your hearts to release her. I just want her back. That's the most important thing. I want her safely returned. I want her back in my arms. I want to hear her say "I love you" and "Have a great day" like we always did every morning. I want to be able to reciprocate that and give her and big hug and just not let her go.

Reporter: Marlene, I'm really sorry. Thank you so much.

Marlene: I really appreciate you guys keeping- you know, because it shows that you are supporting our efforts as well. I'd really like to thank the media for that.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8592973

March 23 more @ link

The FBI is now deeply involved in the search for the missing teen from Santa Clara County who disappeared one week ago Friday.

The FBI is retracing Sierra LaMar's every move before her disappearance. Agents set up a roadblock Friday morning at the exact intersection in Morgan Hill where the 15-year-old is believed to have vanished.

Agents also interviewed workers near where Sierra's purse and clothing were discovered Sunday, less than two miles from her rural Morgan Hill home.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8593028
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8593656

March 23 FBI activity videos @ links

http://www.kron4.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=3534

March 23 more @ link

The FBI has now wrapped up an initial search of the home where missing teenager Sierra Lamar lived with her mother.

KRON 4's J.R. Stone reports agents first took photos of the exterior of the family home. Later an FBI mobile crime lab pulled up to the home and investigators went inside to look for more evidence of what happened to Sierra. The focus on the house comes a week to the day after Sierra was last seen heading for her school bus stop.

http://www.kron4.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=3528

March 23 more @ link

Sierra's mother, Marlene Lamar, tells Will that she believes that the Sharks shirt found inside her daughter's purse was the one she wore that morning to go to school. Marlene also tells Will that her daughter snapped a photo of herself on her laptop that morning that strengthens her belief Sierra was wearing that shirt when she left home. Marlene says this information gives her a bit of hope.

"I still have hope, I'm still worried as each day progresses. The fact it was in a different location gives me some hope she's fighting still," Lamar said. "I get worried because it's freezing, freezing cold out and I get worried about her getting cold and I get worried about her as far as needing her inhalers."

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1203/23/ng.01.html

March 23 Nancy Grace transcript much more @ link

MARLENE LAMAR, SIERRA`S MOTHER (via telephone): Hello?

GRACE: I`m here, Ms. LaMar. Thank you for being with us.

LAMAR: Thank you for having me so we can get the word out and try to find my baby.

GRACE: Ms. LaMar, my mom would leave every morning before we went to school. We would wake up, she would have breakfast all laid out, and she expected us to eat and go to school. Everything was laid out for us.

You got up and you went to work that morning around 6:00 AM, is that correct?

LAMAR: That`s correct. And I heard something...

GRACE: What...

LAMAR: I was listening to stuff in the background about her walking at the bus stop before dawn. But actually, she started for the bus stop at 7:15, and it was bright out. I mean, it`s well lit, so I want to make sure...

GRACE: Good to know.

LAMAR: ... that`s (INAUDIBLE) clear.

GRACE: Good to know. You know what? That actually changes things, Ms. LaMar. The fact that it was broad daylight when she was outside changes the scenario of what may have happened.

Here`s my big question right there. Ms. LaMar, do you know what she was wearing that morning? Can you recall what she had on?

LAMAR: No, because she was still wearing her pajamas, you know, before I left for work.

GRACE: OK. Have police told you what the clothes were in her pocketbook?

LAMAR: No. No.

GRACE: OK. I`m just wondering if they were the clothes that she had on when she left that morning? Were they clothes she was going to change into after school?

LAMAR: I did not see what she was wearing before she left for school that morning.

http://www.kionrightnow.com/story/17243826/sierra-lamars-classmates-start-fund-sell-t-shirts

March 23 more @ link, video @ link
Today Washington and other students at Ann Sobrato High School started collecting donations and selling these T-shirts with Lamar's face on them.

Not only do the students not want attention to fade as the days pass, they also want to get a reward together for any information that would bring Lamar back home.


Saturday, March 24, 2012

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/sie...clues-explain-girls-disappearance-us-15992865

March 24 GMA video @ link

msnbc.com Video Player

March 24 Today Show video @ link

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/vi...issing-morgan-hill-teen-at-candlelight-vigil/

March 24 From video @ link. Vigil was night of March 23

Danielle: Um, like everyone else keeps saying, just don't give up hope. We're going to find her no matter what it takes.

Marlene: I know that God is watching over her and loves her and- unconditionally, just like all of you. You love her unconditionally. I know you miss her just like we do.

~~

Reporter: Although it's still a missing persons case, her mother Marlene has a message for her daughter, who she now fears is kidnapped.

Marlene: If you are seeing this on TV, please, please please- please take care of yourself, because, you know, it's important for you to take care of yourself even though you might not be in a good situation, you need to- you need to stay strong so you can survive this.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/news/local/Vigil-for-Sierra--FBI-Searches-Home/144070146

March 24 From video @ link. Vigil was night of March 23

Marlene: We really want you to come back home. We know that you are going to be okay and you're going to find your way to us.

Friend of Sierra: We're all just hoping that she comes home safe. Like, I know time is like, an issue, but I feel like- I have a feeling that she is going to come back.

Friend of Sierra: It looks like she was taken, but, the clothes in the bag, that makes it seem like she was packing to go somewhere, which I hope. I hope she was packing to go somewhere, but you never know.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8593930

March 24 From video @ link. Vigil was night of March 23

Friend of Sierra: It just hurts cause everyday it's just getting longer. We just want her home.

Reporter: Sierra's mother, Marlene, was touched by the huge outpouring of support.

Marlene: I am so moved by this. I wish-I know she- I know she is going to see this. I know she is going to see this. She is going to come back to us.

Steve: We love you, and hang in there. Don't give up cause we're coming for you. We're going to find you.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/video/6873943-raw-video-search-widens-for-missing-morgan-hill-teen/

March 24 Raw video of search, interview with Sgt Cardoza @ link. Interview starts at 7mins in

Q: Any news, any updates?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: No news. No new information or developments have come in the Sierra Lamar case. Today, what we are doing, this is our 4th search in this case since we were notified of the case last Friday. This is the 4th and largest search effort that we have done to date. We have 30 members of our Sheriff's office search and rescue, as well as members from Marin County search and rescue, Santa Cruz County search and rescue, Alameda County search and rescue, and San Mateo county search and rescue. Approximately 90, a little over 90 personnel from these agencies today are out here with canine search dogs looking for any more evidence or clues, or any other information that could help us out in the Sierra Lamar case.

Q: What is the radius?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: This is the largest, and we've expanded our search now, to a 12 mile radius outside of Sierra's mom's house. This search will take us up to the southern end of the county, and up north to the south end of San Jose.

Q: What kind of- you're using dogs, what kind of tools are you using *inaudible*

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Correct. So, uh, search and rescue personnel, Sheriff's deputies, search canines, and out helicopter will be out a little later helping out as well.

Q: How is it looking out there? Any new leads out there?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Not thus far, but they'll be out here until sunset, so we're hoping that we get something as a result of today's search.

Q: Um, is there agencies coming up from *inaudible* area, or?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Not at this time. All the agencies that are helping out are local county agencies.

Q: Do you know how many k9 units we have out there today?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: We have a minimum of 4. Um, I just don't know exactly how many canine- search canines the other agencies brought. But there is over 4 search canines out here today.

Q: And I know there is a lot of actual Sheriff's search and rescue and many other agencies, what about volunteers?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Community volunteers, I know there is some community volunteers out- that are helping out today and they have some kind efforts, um, this- today's search though is a combined- joint LE search and rescue effort.

Q: How is Marlene doing?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: I know investigators are keeping in touch with Sierra's mother. She's been, you know, since the beginning up until now, obviously very concerned. Very worried for her daughter. Her and her family are cooperating very much with our investigators at this time.

Q: Is her father out here today searching?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: I don't have any information about her father out here searching.

Q: I know you guys have had forensics teams searching through the computers, through the phones, still- still nothing has come of that?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Those were initial checks, um, in some searches that our CSI team did. The county crime lab now has- we've submitted Sierra's property, *inaudible* and cell phones to the county crime lab. The county crime lab from Santa Clara county will be doing more extensive forensic searches to see if anything-hopefully we can get something out of that.

Q: Is there federal agencies *inaudible*

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: FBI is out here helping us out, they've been out here for a few days
now helping us out in this case.

Q: *inaudible*

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: We will- I'll be out here for most of the day. If we get anything breaking, any more information that develops, I'll let everybody know.

Q: Any persons of interest or anything at this point that you guys have talked to or gotten any information from?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Unfortunately, no. No persons of interest at this time, or suspects in Sierra's case.

Q: It's been 8 days now, are concerns now even more than before, no sign of her yet- what are your thoughts on that?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: It's still a missing persons case, until we get any information or any evidence leading us towards an abduction/kidnapping or on the other end of the spectrum, which would be a voluntary kidnapping case. So, still a missing person case, until we can confirm otherwise.

Q: You've expanded the search to a 12 mile radius now?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: This is the largest search, most extensive search we've done. It's now 12 miles outside of Sierra's mom's house which would lead us to the south end of the county and up north to the south end of San Jose.

Q: 12 miles each direction, just to be clear?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Correct.

Q: And what made you guys expand the search? Was it the purse found, or?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: It was the result of the searches that we've done. This is our 4th search, so the last three searches, we haven't resulted- nothing has come other than the cell phone and the purse, we haven't gotten anything else so it was a decision made by our investigators and our administration to expand the search in hopes of getting- you know, finding evidence of a crime scene, or other items we could use in the case.

Q: Did anything come of when you stopped all those drivers through the stop point- anything come back?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: No. There has been no new information that developed from *inaudible* in the past.

Q: I know we've discovered purse and the other things, according to the family, was there anything else that she may have had on her that hasn't been found yet, or, at this point do we think, I mean- she's got no cell phone, no purse, no bag- like, is there anything else that may be out there?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: No. And again, something that we need to remember is that nobody actually saw Sierra leave her home, so we can't confirm what she had on, what she was wearing, or what time she actually left her house for that matter. So.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_2e3f46ea-75db-11e1-bb4d-0019bb30f31a.html

March 24 more @ link

The heightened search efforts will cover a 12-mile radius from Palm and Dougherty avenues in north Morgan Hill, the site of the school bus stop that LaMar usually walks to on her way to Sobrato High School. The search will include about 60 members of search and rescue teams from the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies, according to Sgt. Jose Cardoza of the sheriff’s office.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/loca...rra-LaMar-Intensifies-Saturday-144108536.html

March 24 more @ link

Dozens of law enforcement officials combed an area of Morgan Hill Saturday as the search for missing 15-year-old Sierra LaMar continues.

Santa Clara County Sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Jose Cardoza said with deputies from nearby counties called in to help, about 90 personnel and several search dogs combed a 12-mile radius of the community.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8594211

March 24 more @ link

Search teams and volunteers hit the streets Saturday in the largest effort to find missing teen Sierra LaMar.

Saturday's search is the largest so far. More than 90 professional search and rescue members from four counties looked for Sierra, within a 12-mile radius of her home. They checked urban and rural areas, looking for clues, evidence, anything that might help.

Sgt. Jose Cardoza of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office said: "We're still out here, anything can happen. We could get a lead overnight, in the next 24 hours, a good tip may change everything."
 
Sunday, March 25, 2012

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law/authorities-say-no-new-evidence-search-lamar/nLcS4/

March 25 more @ link

Law enforcement officials looking for evidence in the case of a missing Morgan Hill girl came up empty during a search Saturday.

Santa County sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Jose Cardoza says teams of Santa Clara County and deputies from nearby counties found no evidence or what he termed "items of interest" as the search for 15-year-old Sierra Lamar continues.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_8bb2103e-76c4-11e1-913e-001a4bcf6878.html

March 25 more @ link

The fourth and largest search involving 60 members of search and rescue teams and other law enforcement agencies concluded Saturday with no new evidence. The extended search covered a 12 mile radius from Palm and Dougherty avenues in north Morgan Hill and included four K-9 dogs. The FBI joined the search last week.

“It's a day to day operation,” said Cardoza.

Detectives worked inside the office today to catch up on documenting and updating interviews. Then, said Cardoza, they will come up with a game plan for the next steps of the investigation.

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=17251536

March 25 more @ link

On Sunday Santa Clara deputies took the day off from searching and instead sifted through evidence and past interviews for clues looking for 15 year old Sierra Lamar.

Meanwhile businesses all over town have signs plastered everywhere looking for Sierra. You can see them in just about every door you walk in. "As far as you know the town, I know we're doing everything we can," said Andrew Suarez.

Hundreds of fliers have been passed out by friends and family of Sierra. Hoping to bring her home. "We're all pretty tight, you know one big family. All of the businesses around here.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/KlaasKids-Joins-Search-for-Sierra-LaMar-144180515.html

March 25 more @ link

The KlaasKids Foundation will launch volunteer searches for missing Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar on Tuesday, the nonprofit announced today.

LaMar's mother, Marlene LaMar, has asked the organization, which is dedicated to assisting the families of missing children, to organize the community volunteer search, KlaasKids officials said.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8595080

March 25 more @ link

Community members gathered for another vigil for missing South Bay teen Sierra LaMar on Sunday.

The vigil at the Crossroad Christian Center was the fourth held in honor of Sierra since she disappeared. Organizers say the gatherings are important to maintain public awareness and keep the focus Sierra.

Friends made more than 500 pink and black ribbons to pass out at the vigil. Pink and black zebra stripe is one of Sierra's favorite things.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/vi...-to-join-search-for-missing-morgan-hill-teen/

March 25 video @ link

Reporter: At a vigil Sunday night, Sierra's mother thanked both LE and the community.

Marlene: It's just amazing how everybody is coming together and Sierra's going to be so- so, just, amazed at- you know, cause I'm saving all this stuff cause she's going to come back safely and I want her to see how- how much she's really loved. Thank you.

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_20254...vestigate-unconfirmed-sighting-missing-morgan

March 25 more @ link

Santa Cruz County deputies on Sunday investigated a possible sighting of Sierra LaMar, after a witness called 911 to report seeing a teen hitchhiking on Holohan Road that looked like the missing 15-year-old Morgan Hill girl, authorities said.

The witness reported that the girl had backpacks with her and was near the intersection of East Lake Avenue when she got into a black truck, sheriff's Lt. Bob Pursley said.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/websleuths/2012/03/26/websleuths-radio

March 25 Websleuths Radio w/ Marc Klass

Monday, March 26, 2012

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/46854793/#.T3LyRNn7mOc

March 26 Today show video @ link

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Sierra-LaMar-Searches-Come-Up-Empty-144265135.html

March 26 more @ link

On Saturday, about 90 people, along with search dogs, spent the day combing a 12-mile area of Morgan Hill near her mother's home. Investigators said they found nothing of substance.
~~
Her father Steve LaMar did his own physical search of canyons in Morgan Hill over the weekend, but found nothing. "I'm just desperate," Steve LaMar said.

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-co...uitless-investigators-consider-new?source=rss

March 26 more @ link

Saturday was the largest search effort since the former Fremont resident went missing more than a week ago. The search has included possible "crime scene areas" along Highway 152 on the approaches to Pacheco Pass and Hecker Pass.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/news/local/Steve-LaMar-Searches-On-His-Own-For-Daughter/144269495

March 26 video @ link

Reporter: Her parents split their time yesterday between vigils and prayer services and participating for the first time in their own search for their 15 year old daughter.

Marlene: It gets harder and harder but we're hanging in there, you know. We're-we're hopeful. We're not giving up.

Steve: I, you know, hearts racing, you know, and I have adrenaline, you know. I'm mentally exhausted but I'm going on adrenaline just because I want to anything, any clue. So-I can't-I can't- just sit back, you know, I have to get out there and try.

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_20257771/klaaskids-foundation-begin-searches-sierra-lamar

March 26 more @ link

Santa Clara County Sheriff Sgt. Jose Cardoza on Monday said there were no real updates to Sierra's case. But he did note investigators were aware of the many reported tips regarding other attempted abductions and possible sightings of Sierra around the Bay Area. So far, all of them have been unfounded, Cardoza said.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_d8067cc6-77a1-11e1-99fc-001a4bcf6878.html

March 26 more @ link

As of Monday, the sheriff’s office’s plan for the ongoing investigation is to “re-canvass” areas that have already been searched – including the neighborhoods and fields surrounding the LaMar home in north Morgan Hill – and to re-interview some of Sierra’s classmates and former classmates, according to sheriff’s Sgt. Jose Cardoza.

More than 40 local sheriff’s deputies have been assigned to the case – not including those assisting from the FBI and surrounding counties, Cardoza said.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_61998a9c-77a1-11e1-922a-001a4bcf6878.html

March 26 more @ link

The Polly Klaas Foundation is helping find the Morgan Hill teen by “inundating” the immediate area and the state with fliers and publicity efforts about the case, according to response department director Cindy Rudometkin.

After last weekend's heightened efforts to locate the 15-year-old yielded no significant leads, Sgt. Jose Cardoza with the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office said the extra help from the foundation is appreciated.

“They did advise us they’re going to be coordinating search efforts, which is good,” Cardoza said. “It’s an extra resource for our staff, it’s an extra set of eyes and ears.”

http://www.mercurynews.com/business...p-attempt-16-year-old-girl?source=most_viewed

March 26 more @ link

San Jose police are looking for stun gun-wielding man who attempted to kidnap a teenage girl Friday in broad daylight in the Willow Glen neighborhood.

Police said a 16-year-old girl was approached by a man who suddenly attacked her with a stun gun-type weapon and attempted to drag her into his car.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law/hundreds-volunteers-join-search-missing-teen/nLdmL/

March 27 more @ link

Hundreds of volunteers showed up in Morgan Hill Tuesday to lend a hand in the ongoing search for 15-year-old Sierra LaMar, who went missing a week and a half ago.

The KlaasKids Foundation, an organization that provides search-and-rescue services for families of missing people, was on hand at Burnett Elementary School to manage the search.

By 9 a.m., more than 200 people had registered to help look for Sierra and provide administrative support for the effort, KlaasKids founder Mark Klaas said.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Overwhelming-Turnout-in-Sierra-LaMar-Search-144394955.html

March 27 more @ link

Marc Klaas was expecting a few dozen people at most to turn out to help his Klaas Kids Foundation search for missing Morgan Hill teenager Sierra LaMar. By 9 a.m. Tuesday there were 300 people standing in line; ready to brave the wet weather to search for the 15-year-old who has been missing since Friday March 16.

Klaas, and all the organizers of a volunteer search effort were shocked by the turnout.

NBC Bay Area reporter Marianne Favro said by noon, 563 people were registered to help out in the search; many of them had to wait for hours in line.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/local/michelle-les-brother-joins-search-lamar/nLdKr/

March 27 more @ link

The family of Sierra LaMar, the teenager missing from her Morgan Hill home for more than a week, is getting some help from two people who know all too well what it's like to have a family member vanish.

Michael Le is part of the team. Last year a search volunteer found the body of his sister Michelle, a nursing student from Hayward.

"It feels like my sister is missing again, it feels like I frantically want to find Sierra," said Le.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law/detectives-say-morgan-hill-teen-was-likely-abducte/nLdxt/

March 27 more @ link

Detectives investigating the disappearance of 15-year-old Sierra LaMar now believe the Morgan Hill teenager was likely abducted, the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday afternoon.

After interviewing those who know her best, investigators believe it is highly unlikely that LaMar, who went missing a week and a half ago, ran away from home, sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Jose Cardoza said.

The sheriff's office was asking local residents to report any suspicious behavior they observe in co-workers, neighbors or other community members.

Such activity could include changing one's appearance, cleaning a vehicle in an extreme way, missing days of work, or showing an unusual interest in or avoidance of news reports on the case, Cardoza said.

http://gilroy.patch.com/articles/de...ucted-by-suspect-with-morgan-hill-connections

March 27 more @ link

Sheriff’s Investigators now believe it’s highly unlikely that Sierra LaMar ran away from home and will begin concentrating their investigative efforts on the possibility that the missing Morgan Hill teen was involuntary taken from her residence, Sgt. Jose Cardoza of the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday afternoon.

“That covers [ideas that] she was possibly abducted, possibly kidnapped, or she could of went to meet someone voluntarily and during the course was taken at that time,” he said.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/vi...-ramp-up-search-for-missing-morgan-hill-teen/

March 27 video @ link

Reporter: It's day 12, and detectives are confident Sierra LaMar is not a runaway, but is involuntarily missing.

Q: Is there some hesitation with using the word 'kidnapping' or 'abduction'?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Not that there is hesitation, but we don't have anything to prove that or to confirm that at this point.

Reporter: Investigators say call in if you notice anyone who has changed their appearance or acted strangely starting March 16th, the day Sierra disappeared. For example..

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Somebody who all of a sudden maybe had an exemplary work record, never called in sick, all of a sudden called in sick. Specifically the day Sierra went missing, and the days after that to follow.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/03/27/BATI1NR2VL.DTL

March 27 more @ link

"We feel the keys to the resolution in this case are in our community," the sheriff's office said.

Investigators said they ruled out the possibility that Sierra left on her own after interviews with her friends and family revealed that she had no history of running away and no family problems.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_57c8a378-7868-11e1-8260-0019bb30f31a.html

March 27 more @ link

After conducting a number of organized, exhaustive searches conducted by area search-and-rescue officers, interviewing hundreds of people associated with Sierra, and following up on scores of leads, the sheriff’s office declared Tuesday, 11 days after the teen was reported missing, that it is “highly unlikely she ran away,” according to a press release Cardoza.

“Sheriff's detectives are concentrating their investigative efforts on the possibility that Sierra LaMar was taken from the area of her residence and is an involuntary missing person,” Cardoza said.

For the first few days of the investigation, investigators left open the possibility that Sierra ran away, even though no obvious evidence or her background specifically indicated such a scenario. The detectives were led to this conclusion after interviewing Sierra’s relatives and friends and completing other investigative efforts, Cardoza said.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/news/local/Police-Say-Sierra-Lama/144538215

March 27 video @ link

Steve: I hope she's not..she's not far away, you know. As time goes by, if-if someone does have her, um, you know, the more time that goes by, more- the more urgent it gets.

Reporter: The sense of urgency has brought out several hundred people to search for her. Many are neighbors, volunteering their time to help reunite Sierra with her family.

Marlene: I just was truly taken by just, all these efforts, you know. And it's-it's definitely recognized. And, um, it's helping me and it's helping Sierra.

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=17271601

March 27 video @ link

Marlene: You hope that it's the other way, because you think the chances are increasing, but you know, um, but you know, I'm not giving up. I'm not giving up.

Reporter: Tonight, Sierra's mother Marlene said she knew in her heart Sierra never ran away after she disappeared 11 days ago. Holding back tears, she said, it's your support that's keeping her going. Sierra's father Steve admits, her disappearance is now taking its toll.

Steve: Lots of crying, you know. You wake up crying, go to sleep crying, that kind of thing. Worrying, wondering where she is, what's happening.

Marlene: God forbid that this happens to anybody else. I never want it to happen. But, at least they know there is a world out there that truly cares.


http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_20265290/hundreds-gather-morgan-hill-sierra-lamar-search

March 27 more @ link

Sierra's 21-year-old sister, Danielle LaMar, said she never believed Sierra ran away when she disappeared the morning of March 16.

"Obviously, I would rather have her run away," Danielle LaMar said Tuesday. "That would mean she's at least not being held against her will."

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/LaMar-Family-Announces-Sierra-LaMar-Fund-144481855.html

March 27 more @ link

The family of Sierra LaMar, the teenager who went missing on March 16, announced today they have opened a fund to help pay for search and rescue efforts.
 
Wednesday, March 28, 2012

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8597447

March 28 more @ link

Sierra's parents are trying to keep their minds from wandering to a dark place, especially now that investigators have re-classified the 15-year-old's case. Now they say, there's a chance, someone is holding her against her will.

"Could be she voluntarily left the home and then at some time soon after, contacted somebody and or came into contact with somebody that now has involuntarily kept her missing," said Santa Clara Sheriff's Sgt. Jose Cardoza.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8598336

March 28 video @ link

Steve: You know, more time, you wonder what's happening with her and where she is and, does someone have her?

Marlene: Because of this response and the community coming together I know- I know Sierra's chances of having a safe return is just increasing.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/20...y-acquaintance-possible-in-sierra-lamar-case/

March 28 more @ link

Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith said the most likely scenario is that Sierra was abducted by an acquaintance.

“An acquaintance could be anything. It cannot just be someone that she knows,” said Smith. “It can be someone that she’s comfortable seeing in the area that she knows would be there, someone that is really known to the area. But we don’t believe she ran away or left voluntarily.”

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_278e8016-793e-11e1-902c-001a4bcf6878.html

March 28 more @ link

The determination that the unknown suspect or suspects in the possible abduction is familiar and comfortable with Morgan Hill is based partially on the location of Sierra’s home, Cardoza said. Police think she was likely picked up or abducted close to her residence.

“She lives in a secluded area,” Cardoza said. “There’s not much of a chance that she’s going to have contact with transients or strangers” who are unfamiliar with the area.

Cardoza clarified that the official designation of Sierra as an “involuntary missing person” could mean she was abducted, kidnapped, or she voluntary ran away but ended up with someone who turned out to have malicious intent.

No specific evidence so far points more heavily toward any one of those options, he added.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/20...y-acquaintance-possible-in-sierra-lamar-case/

March 28 video @ link

Marlene: Just bring her back home to us safely. We want her back home and we want this to end.

~~

Reporter: Deputies spent a second day searching the waterways near Sierra's home. Dive teams were ready to jump in, but only if canines caught the scent of human remains.

Q:This is the first time that we are talking about human remains. Does this mean then that there is a chance Sierra LaMar might be dead?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: We can't confirm that. Whether she is alive or whether she's, you know, not alive at this point.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law/dive-teams-scour-waterways-human-remains-search-la/nLfq3/

March 28 more @ link

For the first time since her disappearance, sheriff's dive teams with specially trained rescue K-9s are taking to the area's waterways to search for human remains, he said.

Dive teams scoured waterways Wednesdays including Uvas Reservoir and Parkway Lakes, after searching the Calero and Chesbro reservoirs Tuesday, Cardoza said.

No actual diving was set to occur unless search and rescue K-9s detect possible human remains in the water, he said.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Sierra-LaMar-Search-Moves-to-Waterways-144670055.html

March 28 more @ link

The Santa Clara County Sheriff's office sent dive teams to Uvas Reservoir, Parkway Lake and Ogier perk pounds on Wednesday. Investigators said they will only send an actual diver into the water if a trained dog that specializes in water borne detection gets a hit for possible human remains.

The dogs and their handlers will be on boats with divers at the ready.

Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith told NBC Bay Area's Marianne Favro that Sierra's abduction was not a planned event. "We believe this was a situational crime," Smith said, meaning it was a crime of opportunity by a stranger. Smith also said she thinks the person who took Sierra knows the south county area very well and has strong ties there.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_e6dda6d0-7903-11e1-95f6-001a4bcf6878.html

March 28 more @ link

The sheriff’s office has spent more than 3,000 personnel hours on the search, and followed up on more than 500 tips received via phone calls and emails, Cardoza said. Law enforcement agencies from surrounding counties, as well as the FBI have also aided in the search efforts.

Today’s heightened search-and-rescue operations will also take place on the ground, focusing on the areas north of Palm Avenue and south of Bailey Road, including the Coyote Creek area, Anderson reservoir and Monterey Road west to the foothills, Cardoza said.

http://www.gilroydispatch.com/news/...cle_9923d6e0-eb7f-5733-9125-b080cb796ae2.html

March 28 more @ link

Residents of the Parkway Lakes RV Park, along with thousands of people all over South County, are eagerly awaiting closure to the case. Two of the RV park’s residents who were outside watching the deputies and divers enter the marshy area surrounding the percolation ponds said they heard a vehicle pull up outside the locked gate late in the night after Sierra was reported missing.

James Silver, 15, said he did not see the vehicle but he heard it pull up to the gate late Saturday night. He was inside his grandmother’s motorhome. He heard the car doors shut, and two men exit. He heard them talking briefly, and the vehicle left about 15 minutes later. One of Silver’s neighbors, Helen Robison, 47, said she heard the same thing but did not see the vehicle or the men associated with it.

Silver’s grandmother, Sandy Mullican, 68, said she was walking her dog a few hours after that, about 4 a.m. Sunday, and heard a loud screaming sound. But she and other residents indicated that the area is inhabited with mountain lions and bobcats, which sometimes make screaming sounds.

http://www.ktvu.com/ap/ap/crime/teens-disappearance-frustrates-unites-community/nLfbb/

March 28 Associated Press more @ link

Sierra and her mother have been living in Morgan Hill since October. Tonya Miller, a family friend, said Sierra appeared to have adjusted to the move, briefly joining a private cheerleading club and befriending the daughter of her mother's boyfriend.

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=17277501

March 28 video @ link

Steve: She has talked about doing dance, you know, maybe dance instructor, something like that. Um, she likes doing fashion design, she likes makeup, hair, all that stuff.

Marlene: You have so many people that love you, honey. We really want you back.

Steve: We love you Sierra.

Marlene: We want you safe, it's all about your safe return to us, that's all we want. We can't wait to give you a big hug.

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=17271601

March 28 video @ link

Marlene: Having the fear of being caught, or whatever, you're not going to be in trouble. We just want her to come back and be safe with us. So please, please, please hear this message.

Reporter: Marlene LaMar also pleaded with illegal immigrants who may know something to come forward. She claims the sheriff's office will not deport anyone who sends in a tip.

~~

Reporter: She is involved in all sorts of competitive dance, including hip hop and ballet. Sierra's parents said she loves music, too. Some of her favorites are Nicki Minaj and Drake. At school, English is her favorite subject.

Marlene: She was very expressive, you know. She- it was very hard to hide emotions, you know?

Reporter: They said Sierra is an emotional and passionate girl wanting to make a difference in the world.

Marlene: The campaign against KONY, she was actually going to ask- you know, she's goes, "Mom, can I put posters all over the school, you know, to increase the awareness of what is going on?"

http://www.news10.net/video/default.aspx?bctid=1535010925001

March 28 video @ link

Reporter: Danielle, why don't you tell us about what is going on with your mom and dad? This has got to be just one of the most testing times of their life.

Danielle: Yeah. I mean, you know, the best thing we can do in this kind of situation is just- you know, stay positive, not think about bad scenarios and, you know- we try to keep ourselves busy.

Reporter: Was your sister known to go missing or-

Danielle: No. No.

Reporter: -or not let Mom and Dad know about her whereabouts?

Danielle: No. Not at all.

Reporter: Tell us about Sierra. 15 years old, in high school, what do you guys think happened?

Danielle: Um, I mean, I'm really close with my sister and, you know, if there was anything suspicious, or like, weird that she started telling me, you know- I would know. And there was just none of that- no weird signs, or..

Reporter: New boys in her life or anything like that?

Danielle: No- nothing like, out of the ordinary. I mean, you know- a teenage girl always has crushes and but nothing like, you know- "I'm going to run off with this guy" or something like that.

Reporter: As far as you know, Sierra was on her way to school like any other day?

Danielle: Right.

Reporter: And just never made it.

Danielle: Yeah.

Reporter: You've got to feel helpless. You're 90 minutes away and- what can you do? What are you trying to do?

Danielle: I mean, well, this last week was actually my Spring break so, I was home- I was able to be home most of that time.

Reporter: Comfort your Mom and Dad.

Danielle: Yeah.

Reporter: Bree, you've got a first hand look. It's probably been very difficult for Danielle as well.

Bree, friend of Danielle: Oh, definitely. The best we've been trying to do as friends is just text her and say "We love you" and "We support you, hope you are doing good."

Reporter: What about the community response? We're hearing of searches, a lot of people coming together in the Bay area and also here in Sacramento. Tell us about what has been going on.

Danielle: Yeah, actually, the Klass foundation- the Klass Kids foundation is helping us organize search parties in the Morgan Hill area. Yesterday was the first official day they had the public- the public was actually able to help if they wanted to and there was like 600 something people so it was a huge turnout.

Reporter: And your sorority has got to be providing a lot of support for you as well.

Danielle: Oh yeah. Definitely.
Bree: The Sacramento community has been awesome. We actually started planning this fundraiser just this past weekend as soon as I could, and within days it was an amazing response. Hundreds of people.

Reporter: Tell us about what is happening tonight.

Bree: Tonight, as Sacramento State, in the University Union where all the major food places are and stuff, we're going to be having pasta, bread, salad and little candies and things like that. So, people can come out and buy- it's a $10 buy for the food, while supplies last because I'm not exactly sure how much it's going to feed.

Reporter: And what will this money go towards?

Bree: It's going to the Finding Sierra fund. So it'll go straight to that fund. It'll be entertainment, I have a good family friend who is a magician, so he is going to come and do a little bit of preforming and stuff. So we'll all just be gathered together. We'll sell flowers-magician-anything we can sell we're going to sell it.

http://www.mercurynews.com/educatio...appearance-raises-questions-about-how-schools

March 28 more @ link

The day Sierra LaMar failed to get on the school bus at 7:15 a.m., teachers logged her into their computers as absent, hour by hour, throughout the day.

But not until 6 p.m. -- nearly 11 hours later -- did Sobrato High School in Morgan Hill send an automated email and phone call to the mother of the teen who vanished almost two weeks ago.

The time lag cost critical search hours and frustrated Marlene LaMar, who drove to the high school that March 16 afternoon hoping her 15-year-old daughter missed the bus home. After more frantic calls to friends and family, she called police 27 minutes after receiving the 6 p.m. email that her daughter never showed up for school.

"They had no idea of the situation before they got that email," Sierra's older sister, Danielle LaMar, 21, said of her parents. "Especially in this case, time definitely matters."

http://www.kron4.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=3606

March 28 more @ link

KRON4 has learned that Lamar’s family has undergone polygraph tests conducted by the FBI. The results of those polygraph tests are not being released. However, the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s department does confirm to KRON4’s Rob Fladeboe that there are more polygraphs tests pending. Police have said her mother, her mother's boyfriend and her father are not suspects.

http://www.kron4.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=3606

March 28 video @ link

Sheriff Laurie Smith: From the time she was reported missing Friday, we treated this as a crime and while we were still looking at the runaway possibility, we haven't let up on that premise.

About 40 percent of the people that abduct children live within a mile of the victim, that's why we're so focused on searching houses- consensual searches of houses, and really hitting the neighborhood. Obviously you can see that we are searching much further out because we are not ruling that out.

We know that we have talked to every sex offender that is current in the system within a 2 mile radius. We have- I think we've exhausted all people who are on probation or parole or that will be done today and then we'll start hitting the people who- even if they are not on probation or parole- have criminal histories.

We are working as if she is alive. We want to return her home safely. That is our goal, that's our main mission, that is why we are moving so quickly and hitting the higher priority areas first; at the same time we're also doing the lower priorities. We're holding out hope. We want to get Sierra back safely.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Sheriff-LaMar-Disappearance-Crime-of-Opportunity-144881955.html

March 29 more @ link

Investigators said they have completed their search of all the major bodies of water near Morgan hill, with no new evidence collected.

This includes Anderson, Calero, Chesbro and Uvas Reservoirs along with local percolation ponds and parkway lakes. Investigators conducted the search via boats with a dog on board that can detect human remains underwater without actually having to dive in. The dogs never indicated a hit.
~~
The sheriff's office is working on the theory that this was a crime of opportunity -- that the perpetrator didn't plan this in advance.

Sheriff Smith points out that in many crimes like this "it's impulsive."

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/...Family-Gets-New-Hope-from-Community/145006225

March 29 video @ link

Steve: We're pleading, if there is someone out there that has her, we're just pleading for them to release her. All we care about is getting her home.

http://www.kron4.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=3611

March 29 video @ link. Interesting maps from LE on video.

Steve: It gets tough. We try to stay busy, is one way to cope. Talking to people that have- there's people out here that have gone through something like this. So, that's helpful, to talk to them. Marc Klass, Michael Le, and uh- so that helps to be able to talk to them. It's tough when you go home at night, you know, you're not busy, don't have lots of people around you, it's tough. Still having trouble sleeping and that kind of thing. Try not to stay alone, you know, I've got some support- with me, my family has been really good and my girlfriend stays with me so.


http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/ongoing-search-missing-teen-attracts-hundreds-volu/nLgY5/

March 29 more @ link

"Volunteer search members located an empty box that was labeled stainless steel handcuffs and five feet away a couple of used condoms," said Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department spokesman Jose Cardoza.

The area, the far west end of Palm Avenue, where the evidence was found is known to deputies as a place where underage people go to drink alcohol and party, Cardoza said.

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_20283168/sheriff-water-search-missing-15-year-old-sierra

March 29 more @ link

Thursday afternoon's find would potentially be a major breakthrough in the case that has stymied police over the past two weeks -- or it could be a simple coincidence and another dead-end, investigators said. The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office won't know until the crime lab tests the cardboard box and condoms for DNA and other clues.

"Other than the fact that it's pretty close to Sierra's mom's house, there's no indication at this time that it's related," said Sgt. Jose Cardoza. "But we're collecting it as possible evidence."

"This may be another significant piece of evidence, but it's hard to confirm that it's related at this time," he added.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_e461867c-79ff-11e1-913a-001a4bcf6878.html


March 29 more @ link

Used condoms and an empty handcuff box were found Thursday by a volunteer searcher at the west end of Palm Avenue, about a mile from missing teen Sierra LaMar’s bus stop in Morgan Hill, though Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith said Thursday night that “it’s possibly nothing.”

Smith said that because it was found where a lot of teens like to park and hang out. Palm Avenue is a dead-end, rural road.

“They found 150 things out there, condoms where kids like to park, beer cans,” she said. Smith said everything collected is considered evidence and will be fully examined.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/03/30/BANQ1NS93G.DTL

March 29 more @ link

At the same time he confirmed the finding, Sgt. Jose Cardoza of the sheriff's office cautioned that investigators already had conducted five searches of the area where Thursday's discovery occurred.

"This means one of two things: Either the items were not seen before, overlooked, or they just recently were left there," Cardoza said.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/blogs/pre...o-Help-Search-for-Sierra-LaMar-144683305.html

March 29 more @ link

Social media's impact on the search for 15-year-old Sierra LaMar is growing by day. Facebook users are helping get the word out about the Morgan Hill girl's disappearance.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_7d6bd4a8-7a00-11e1-8436-001a4bcf6878.html

March 29 a guide to facts behind Sierra's disappearance

Friday, March 30, 2012

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/loca...bing-Find-in-Sierra-LaMar-Case-145187065.html

March 30 more @ link

Santa Clara County Sheriff's investigators say it doesn't appear that the handcuff box had been there very long because there was no deterioration and the label is still readable. It is worth noting that it has rained on several of the days since Sierra disappeared.

The president of KlaasKids Marc Klaas says he has his doubts the find is connected to Sierra.

“I do have doubts sure. I think you have to be skeptical. We've been in this business an awful long time and you find things that seem hopeful all the time and they just prove not to be so," Klaas said.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/search-missing-teen-concentrate-creek-trail-road-a/nLjJW/

March 30 more @ link

Investigators will take the search for missing teen Sierra LaMar off road Saturday, Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office officials said.

The sheriff's off-road unit, mounted on ATVs, will search the South Coyote Creek Trail and the Cochrane Road to Bernal Road area Saturday, officials said.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/20...arch-hillside-for-clues-in-sierra-lamar-case/

March 30 more @ link

The search for missing teen Sierra LaMar took crime scene investigators to a barren hillside between San Jose and Morgan Hill on Friday.

Working under pop-up tents, investigators poured five-gallon buckets of soil through a sifter, to capture small pieces of potential evidence.

http://www.kron4.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=3624

March 30 video @ link

Marlene: It just tells me that- that you are not giving up on Sierra. It tells me that you're dedicated. I hear stories of people giving up two consecutive work days in the middle of the week. Those are huge sacrifices. Um, you know, I wasn't sure about the- you know, continuity with the weather and just being a work day but to see that number actually grew to that large a number is- I just want to thank, thank the community for not giving up on my Sierra.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Sierra-LaMar-Fundraiser-Goes-Viral-144997545.html

March 30 more @ link

Hundreds of people have given up their time to physically help in the search effort by volunteering with the KlaasKids Foundation.

There have also been cases of young children emptying the piggy banks and buying bottled water for the volunteers.

Now, money is beginning to pour in. Case in point is a $12,000 donation from the people who work for Intero Real Estate Services.

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=17291754

March 30 more @ link

"We have no intention of suspending the search. What's going to happen is Phase 1 will end this Sunday simply because people flew out and need to return to their families," Klaas said.

The next part of the search begins Monday.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_e6f02536-7ab5-11e1-9d25-0019bb30f31a.html

March 30 more @ link

Residents are invited to a community march through downtown Morgan Hill to raise awareness of missing teen Sierra LaMar in order to bring her home quickly and safely, according to organizer Dori Prado.

The march will start at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, at the Community and Cultural Center, 17000 Monterey Rd. and continue to Main Avenue where the marchers will take a u-turn and proceed back to the community center.

Saturday, March 31, 2012

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law/hundreds-volunteers-join-search-lamar/nL5j2/

March 31 more @ link

Volunteer organizers from the KlaasKids Foundation told KTVU they had search assignments for as many as 1,000 attendees Saturday after 750 people signed up to help the day before, making Saturday’s search party the biggest yet since the effort started two weeks ago.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/morgan-hill-more-than-500-volunteers-search-for/vGkPN/

March 31 video @ link

Reporter: In the weeks ahead, it'll be Sierra's friends and family taking the lead and organizing searches. They will still work closely with the Klass Kids foundation.

Steve: It's a little scary, like I said, it's a little overwhelming, but I feel pretty good that- you know, we've got people in place and we're always looking for more.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/news/local/No-Trace-Of-Sierra-Lamar-After-Two-Weeks/145298455

March 31 video @ link

Marlene: Nobody has backed down, and it's just truly amazing and I'm grateful.

Reporter: Meanwhile, a handcuff box and used condoms are being tested at a crime lab. The family says they will wait and see if there is any connection.

Steve: We're hopeful that it'll- you know, help with the case, help find Sierra, but we're cautious and just waiting- waiting for the analysis from it.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/news/local/The-Search-for-Sierra-Hits-City-Streets/145475855

March 31 video @ link

Marlene: It's harder as each day- you know, goes by. I don't like to look back and count the days but it's definitely encouraging- you know, seeing the effort from the community.

Steve: At night, sleeping- you wake up-you know, thinking about things, cry at night still. So, it's still tough.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8602035

March 31 more @ link

Sierras aunt and uncle from Maine were there Friday. "At times like this, the family has to come together for support," said her uncle Terry LaMar. Sierra's adopted family is now in the thousands, with hundreds of volunteers showing up every day to help in the search for evidence.

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_20299414/san-francisco-49ers-qb-alex-smith-joins-search

March 31 more @ link

The search for missing Morgan Hill teenager Sierra LaMar drew its most famous volunteer to date when San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith joined the effort Saturday.

Marc Klaas, whose daughter Polly was killed in 1993 after being kidnapped from her Petaluma home, confirmed that Smith was among 581 people who turned out to search for the 15-year-old girl missing for two weeks.

"He wasn't there for attention. He was there to search," said Klaas, founder of the KlaasKids Foundation. "It was about his heart. It's certainly a touching thing, and it's a huge thing, too. By showing up, he provided a value that went well beyond his own presence as a searcher."

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_ed9466a4-7b7d-11e1-9e66-001a4bcf6878.html

March 31 more @ link

A morning full of rain didn’t keep a sizable crowd from marching Saturday through downtown Morgan Hill to show support and raise awareness for missing 15-year-old Sierra LaMar.

The march was organized by Dori Prado of Morgan Hill, who has volunteered with KlaasKids Foundation all week in their efforts to enlist residents to help search for Sierra.

Gathering at the Community Center, Prado and other organizers distributed pink helium balloons and stacks of flyers depicting Sierra’s picture for the marchers to hand out along the route.
 
https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/show/14258

Sierra's NamUs page


Sunday, April 1, 2012

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8603026

April 1 more @ link, March 31 search

Despite the rain, hundreds of volunteers turned out Saturday to search for Sierra LaMar.

Nothing new was discovered during Saturday's search, which centered in a remote area of San Jose northwest of Morgan Hill.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/social-media-vigil-aims-encourage-global-support-m/nMHHY/

April 1 more @ link

The KlassKids Foundation is asking participants of a vigil for a Morgan Hill girl who has been missing for weeks to post her picture on their social media profiles for a day.

It is part of a 24-hour social media vigil the foundation is hosting beginning at 6 p.m. Sunday to encourage awareness, involvement and family support online for Sierra LaMar.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/morgan-hill-klaaskids-foundation-launches-social/vGkYX/

April 1 video @ link

Marlene: Keep those tips coming. Um, you know- every tip is- is- could be the tip that brings her back home.

Steve: My other daughter and I, you know, cried for a while last night. So, um, so- it's still hard.

Reporter: Also difficult for Sierra's parents- being asked to review the clothing volunteers found today which turned out to be nothing.

Steve: Your heart races, and yeah-you don't wanna find anything.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_1e8f9052-7c2e-11e1-a35d-001a4bcf6878.html

April 1 more @ link

Although there are no plans for any search and rescue for the day, Cardoza said investigators are following up on the many tips they received over the weekend.

Teams are out there following up on any tips that they think may help with the case.

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=17306927

April 1 more @ link

While the search teams were out hiking through steep hills and trails some of sierra's friends were upset because they were told everyone under 18 needed to stay behind. Klaas Kids Volunteers said they couldn't allow teen and children to go out and search because it's dangerous.
~~
So they decided to start helping out in their own way by fundraising. Some of the younger volunteers have been making hundreds of posters and posting them all over parts of Morgan Hill, some places in Gilroy and even parts of Watsonville.

Monday, April 2, 2012

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_dbe6a5e4-7ce4-11e1-9a13-001a4bcf6878.html

April 2 more @ link

Daily volunteer search efforts have been suspended by KlaasKids as of Monday morning, but searches are scheduled again for Saturday, April 7, and Wednesday, April 11, according to the press release. Those who want to help can show up at Burnett Elementary, 85 Tilton Ave., on those days from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. People can also help by donating supplies and money to assist in the search efforts.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_7142e5ce-7d32-11e1-b7f5-001a4bcf6878.html

April 2 more @ link

Daily volunteer searches such as those that drew more than 2,000 volunteers last week are “not sustainable” for the foundation for now, Klaas said. On Sunday, more than 500 people showed up to volunteer for the search efforts. The search radius was expanded to 20 miles from Sierra’s north Morgan Hill home.

“We’ve turned the administration of the searches primarily over to the community and family, but we’re going to continue to provide mapping for the search efforts, and our team will be available to come out again as necessary,” Klaas said.

http://monterey.kionrightnow.com/news/events/507767-business-steps-help-find-missing-girl

April 2 more @ link

Fundraiser to create awareness of Sierra’s disappearance and efforts to bring her home safely sponsored by Hot Hula Fitness Monterey/San Jose. All proceeds will benefit the “Sierra Lamar Search Efforts/Reward Fund”. The Hot Hula Fitness class also takes place at the Monterey Sports Center in Monterey.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/20...eceive-nearly-1000-tips-in-sierra-lamar-case/

April 3 more @ link

“They are continuing to come in,” said Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Jose Cardoza. “As each day goes on in this case, there are now close to a thousand tips.”

Cardoza said that 180 tips were offered this past weekend.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1204/03/ijvm.01.html

April 3 JVM Transcript much more @ link

First of all, I have to ask you, Marlene, what have these past two weeks been like for you?

MARLENE LAMAR, SIERRA`S MOTHER: Well, it`s truly unbelievable. You know, no parent should go through this. I have spoken with parents that are victims, and they truly feel what I`m going through. And it`s -- it`s a nightmare, and it`s -- it`s not going to end until I have her in my arms so I can give her a hug again. Until she comes home to me safely, the nightmare really isn`t over.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, I understand that cops said something in your daughter`s computer led them to believe that your daughter was being held against her will. Obviously, this is a very disturbing case, but do you know what that was? What did cops tell you? What have they told you?

LAMAR: Well, they didn`t say something specifically they found on the computer. They just said just from reviewing her Facebook and Twitter and, you know, all the data coming from her laptop didn`t indicate that, you know, there was the possibility, other possibilities leading to a runaway situation. You know, as far as her, she seemed like a normal teenager, doing the normal routine and normal conversing on Facebook. There wasn`t anything to indicate that she was unhappy and wanted to leave, for the most part of it.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_72aed4fa-7ead-11e1-8ead-0019bb30f31a.html

April 4 more @ link

The search for Sierra LaMar, 15, will expand to San Martin and Gilroy Thursday, nearly three weeks after the missing Morgan Hill resident was reported missing.

The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office search-and-rescue team, including three human remains detection dogs, will search those areas of South County tomorrow from 9 a.m. until about 5:30 p.m., according to Sgt. Jose Cardoza.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/news/local/Sierra-LaMars-Father-Discusses-Ordeal/146230785

April 4 video @ link

Steve: Everyday that goes by, it gets harder-yeah- to be honest about that.

Reporter: Steve LaMar walked into our studio alone and gave us an intimate portrait of his life- a life without his daughter, Sierra.

Steve: You go through um- all the scenarios. Trying to figure out what could have happened, and then- and then you go into worry mode, you know, worrying- does someone have her? What is happening to her?

Reporter: LaMar says his days are long and the nights- tearful.

Steve: Crying everyday still, at least once, crying, you know. Usually-usually when I'm alone so I try to not be alone very often and-

Reporter: He's in a precarious position. Early on in the investigation, he knew his checkered past would be a red flag. He's a registered sex offender.

Steve: I wanted to make sure that the focus was on finding Sierra and I wanted, you know, people, you know- just, that stigma with that- and I wanted to make sure that was out of the way.

Reporter: And that is the hurdle now, finding her. Without the help of LaMar or his ex wife, Sierra's mother- for their own good.

Steve: We've been advised to not- not go out on the searches. We had our own private search initially before the public searches started and after that one- that was tough to do, cause you're out there looking and you don't want to find anything.

Reporter: Give me a dream sequence, what is going to happen for you now?

Steve: Dream sequence would be that um- Sierra walks through her front- the front door and says "Mom, Dad, I made a mistake, I took off and I shouldn't have and I'm sorry to put you through all this" yeah, that's the dream scenario.

Reporter: Tomorrow, Steve LaMar will return to his job at a Silicon Valley startup for his first full day of work since Sierra went missing.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1204/04/ng.01.html

April 4 Nancy Grace Transcript much more @ link

GRACE: Everyone, the tip line 408-808-4331. With me is Sierra`s mother.

Miss Lamar, what are police telling you tonight?

LAMAR: Just that, you know, I`m aware of the box and the contents that was presented earlier on your show. I`m also aware they`re in the lab as far as trying to reach, you know, any conclusive evidence. I haven`t been notified as far as there being any, you know, link to the case directly.

GRACE: With me is Sierra`s mother, Marlene Lamar.

Miss Lamar, police sources are saying the condoms discovered near the school bus stop were, in fact, used. Have police asked you for any item from the home from which they could get Sierra`s DNA, such as her toothbrush or hair brush?

Yes. The investigators came with people who retrieve DNA from, you know, the immediate family members.

GRACE: I`m sure that they took -- got your DNA, did they, Miss Lamar?

LAMAR: Yes, they did.

GRACE: And from that they could get mitochondrial DNA match which only comes through your mother`s genetic makeup. Did they take a toothbrush or hair brush or anything belonging to Sierra?

LAMAR: Yes, yes, they took the hair from her hair brush and her toothbrush.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law/search-sierra-lamar-continues-san-martin-and-gilro/nMKxt/

April 5 more @ link

Thursday's search is being conducted by about 20 members of the sheriff's search-and-rescue team, and will involve K-9 units, sheriff's officials said.

"We're just looking for anything that looks like it would be interesting... things that are out of place,” said Brian Ferry, a search and rescue team member.

Santa Clara County Sheriff Sgt. Jose Cardoza said investigators aren’t necessarily finished searching areas previously combed, but were exploring new ones.

"I don't want to say we've eliminated' areas, but we have covered, obviously, a lot of the Morgan Hill area, (and) a little north of Morgan Hill,” Cardoza said.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Search-for-Sierra-LaMar-Using-QR-Codes-146269015.html

April 5 more @ link

Detectives are using a different approach to get the public involved in the search for missing children, like Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar.

San Jose-based Child Quest International has created "QR codes" that put missing child posters in your smartphone. The small, black-and-white squares are printed on posters that are hung, so when people pass it, they can scan the code with standard QR-code app on their smartphone. The code leads them to a website with more photos of the missing child, and the number for a hotline to report any tips.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/news/local/Sierra-LaMars-Father-Gives-Search-Update/146215545

April 5 video @ link

Reporter: First off, how is your family doing? I know this is a very tough time.

Steve: Yeah, we're, uh, all kind of getting by day to day. Um, it's tough. Yeah, having all the support definitely helping us cope, um, so yeah- but it's been tough.

Reporter: Can't even imagine. Is there anything new- any new developments that you're able to tell us about today?

Steve: Mm, no. Nothing- nothing new. I know they- yeah, they were searching- Sheriff- Sheriff's teams were out there today searching. Today and tomorrow they'll be out there.

Reporter: You mentioned the outpouring of community support, and there have been a number of days where volunteers have come out- I mean, the numbers in hundreds. We've even spoken with people from the Polly Klaas Foundation who is assiting0 they assist with these kinds of things all the time and they say this is just unprecedented. This community has just come out literally by the hundreds every single day. What has that meant for you, when you see that happen?

Steve: Yeah. It's been- it's been amazing. For example, the first day- it was during the week, last Tuesday was the first public search. During the week, people are working, so they've taken time off work and volunteering their time and so it's just been amazing.

Reporter: Sometimes it's been rainy days, not so sunny days, and they are still out there; it's been amazing.

Steve: Yeah. Yeah. Saturday was another big search day and it was raining for most of the day. So.

Reporter: As a matter of fact, from the Sheriff's department, we know some of their investigators had been working about two weeks straight and finally the Sheriff said "you gotta take some time off and rest a little bit" um, to that extent, if- if they don't find something significant soon, eventually they'll have to scale back. Have you heard anything along those lines or what will you try to do to keep the search efforts going and keep this in the public's attention?

Steve: Um, yeah, we're just trying to get- important to get her face out there any way we can. We've been using- you know, just- the old fashioned way of posting posters all over the place, using the internet- Facebook. We'll have a website put together soon to keep people informed and just keep her face out there. Keep it going, that's pretty much all we can do.

Reporter: It's interesting, even as I've been driving around Bay area highways and I'll see cars- some of those posters posted in their windows and it's just amazing to see that driving around on the highways as well. Any thoughts about a private investigator? I know early on there was talk about that. If they should have to scale back on the Sheriff's side, any thoughts or changes in the way you look at that?

Steve: Um, yeah- yeah. We're definitely considering that. Yeah. That'll be an option for us, but- they've got- they've got lots of tips still, so that's going to keep them busy for a while so we're keeping hope they'll find something.

Reporter: For people who don't know your daughter Sierra, could you tell us a little bit about her?

Steve: Um, let's see. She's just um- happy, very social. She has a lot of- lots of friends. You know, she just moved down to Morgan Hill with her mom in October, she got lots of- made lots of friends quickly. She has tons of friends in Fremont- that's where I live, where she used to live. Um, you know, she's just- very social, very happy. She loves to do cheerleading, dance, all those things. Music, she loves.

Reporter: Yeah. We mentioned the Morgan Hill community, but obviously the Fremont community has been highly involved as well. They're very touched by this too. It appears that, at least, the way the police are looking- that she may have been taken very near your home-uh, near her home. Does that effect- I mean, you drive around and just realize that it happens almost outside of your front door. Does that change the way you look at things or as you look for her, anything- thoughts about that?

Steve: Yeah. It's kinda scary. I know- now with my older daughter, who goes to Sacramento State, I'm kind of like overprotective with her now- over sensitive, you know. Make sure I know where she is and what she is doing. But, yeah, it just makes you scared and think twice about everything now. And, um, yeah, that happening that close to where she lives, it's pretty scary.

Reporter: So, once again as we mentioned there are going to be some searches tomorrow, but there is also something on Saturday, is that correct?

Steve: Yeah. So, we've got another public search that we are organizing this coming Saturday you can show up, same place, Burnett Elementary at 85 Tilton Ave in Morgan Hill, and you show up between the hours of 8am and 1pm. You'll get an assignment, go out and do a search. It's a very organized search.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_0f45f8be-7f69-11e1-ba55-001a4bcf6878.html

April 5 more @ link

The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office does not plan to use a psychic in the search for Sierra LaMar, according to Sgt. Jose Cardoza.

“In law enforcement, in general, we do not use psychics for investigative purposes,” Cardoza said.



Friday, April 6, 2012

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/20...ith-aids-search-for-missing-morgan-hill-girl/

April 6 more @ link

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith will participate in the next volunteer search for 15-year-old Sierra LaMar, according to the group that organizes the civilian search effort.

http://www.amw.com/show_archive/tv_detail.cfm?id=1681&refresh=1

April 6 Sierra LaMar on AMW

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1204/06/ng.01.html

April 6 Nancy Grace Transcript much more @ link

GRACE: To Sheriff Laurie Smith with Santa Clara County sheriff`s office. Sheriff Smith, with that text -- let`s see the text again, please, that she sent out the morning she goes missing. She sent this around 7:15 AM. There it is. Was there a message with the photo, Sheriff?

SMITH: The photo is actually separate from the text. There was a text message to one of her friends, and her friend answered the text. It was nothing that was critical to the investigation. I think she was just asking her to bring something to school.

GRACE: Well, to me, that is critical in itself because you`ve got the missing girl asking a friend, Can you bring something to me at school, which indicates this girl is not a runaway. She was intending on meeting up with her friend at school.

And Sheriff Smith, what time was that text to her friend?

SMITH: I think it was around 7:11 to -- yes, 7:11. And we believe that she was planning to go to school based on the items that we found that we`ve discussed in the past, her school -- her school books. That`s why -- and after talking with all of her friends, she would have told somebody. We believe that it was an abduction.

GRACE: You stated, Sheriff Smith, that you found her school books. Were they in her Juicy couture bag?

SMITH: Everything was together in the one location that we found wedged between a building and a big cactus.

GRACE: I`m sorry, I couldn`t hear you. Wedged between a building and a what?

SMITH: And a cactus, kind of a bush is where we found it. And I don`t know if the books were actually in the bag or -- but they were all found together.

GRACE: Well, that`s interesting because it seemed to me, from my understanding, the bag had just been thrown. But now I`m hearing they`re wedged between a cactus and a building, as if they were intentionally hidden there. Is that correct, Sheriff Smith?

SMITH: You know, it`s hard to tell. It could have been thrown. It could have been placed there. We can`t really tell. It looks like either could have been done.

http://www.gilroydispatch.com/opini...cle_40616de8-8004-11e1-ab45-001a4bcf6878.html

April 6 Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

This Message Goes Out To The Person Who Has Taken Sierra Lamar:

I strongly feel that you are watching from a distance, and that you have heard Sierra’s family, friends and the community plea for answers. Only God and you know what has happened, and where she is. We have faith in our God, and know in our hearts that He will one day bring her home.

If you have hurt Sierra, God holds her in his loving arms, and any pain you may have caused is no more. If you have taken her from this earth and her precious life, God has taken her home. If you have held her against her will, and she is okay, please let her go. I feel that you are out there completely alone, and wondering what to do next. I can guarantee that you have closely watched the news, and even been online reading the thousands of posts via Facebook, Twitter, etc. Did you happen to watch the video that Sierra’s friend made? Now that you have gotten a glimpse into her life, you truly know how beautiful, young and full of life she is, or was.

We have so many questions. Did you plan this? Was it random? What exactly happened that morning? Do you have family? I know that you must, and I’m wondering how you would feel if this were your daughter, sister, mother, niece, or wife? Please take a moment and put yourself in Sierra’s shoes, and that of her mothers. Surely you would want your loved one safe, and never put in the position in which you have placed Sierra.
 
Official Website

www.FindSierraLaMar.com

Sierra's FBI page

http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/sierra-mae-lamar/

Klaas blog

http://theklaasact.blogspot.com/

Saturday, April 7, 2012

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law/lamar-family-announces-10000-reward-information/nMLw6/

April 7 more @ link

The family of a Morgan Hill teen who had been missing for more than three weeks announced Saturday morning that $10,000 would be awarded for information that resulted in the girl’s return.

The parents of 15-year-old Sierra LaMar announced the reward around 9:45 a.m. at Burnett Elementary School, the staging area for the volunteer search that was to proceed afterward in Morgan Hill.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/loca...-for-Sierra-LaMars-Safe-Return-146553315.html

April 7 more @ link

The reward, announced Saturday, is available to the first person who provides information that leads to LaMar, 15, being returned alive and safe to her family, said KlaasKids Foundation founder Mark Klaas.

The funds for the reward come from LaMar's family, and not from the foundation, which has been coordinating volunteer search efforts, Klaas said.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8612509

April 7 more @ link

Sierra's family announced the reward Saturday and said it was made possible through donations.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/morgan-hill-family-of-missing-teen-announce-10000/vGrRh/

April 7 from video @ link

Steve: There's got to be someone out there that knows something. Um, someone just doesn't disappear without- without anyone knowing or seeing anything.

~~

Steve: Good morning everyone. First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for coming out today. Uh, we've had another great turnout for the search today. I wanted to make sure I thank the community and all of our family and friends for that. Next thing I want to do is, uh- announce our reward that we're going to offer. And this has happened due to generous contributions to Sierra LaMar fund that we've been- we've had out for a while and I'll go ahead and read the announcement here; The Sierra LaMar fund is offering a $10,000 reward for the first person who provides information that leads to Sierra LaMar being returned alive and safe to her family. The trustees of the Sierra LaMar fund, under advisement from law enforcement, shall determine in their sole discretion if and to whom this reward will be paid. So, here is our new flyers with the reward on it, and that is the announcement for this morning.

Marlene: Sierra, I love you so much and I miss you more than I could ever imagine. I'm praying for you. I'm praying for your safe recovery to come back home.


http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/morgan-hill-family-of-sierra-lamar-offers-10000/vGrYJ/

April 7 from video @ link

Marlene(re: 49'ers searching): They're here just like the public for the same reason, you know, to search for Sierra and um- their heartfelt compassion means a lot to us as a family.

Marlene: The support has been tremendous.

Marlene: I like to believe that- you know, people- if they have a tip- that they are going to come forward anyways, but you know, we're just doing everything we possibly can.

Monday, April 9, 2012

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_9e35a452-829d-11e1-b3a9-001a4bcf6878.html

April 9 more @ link

Thousands of people have participated in the search efforts so far. The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement investigators have also dedicated about 7,500 personnel hours to the search, and investigated more than 1,200 tips since March 16, according to sheriff’s Sgt. Jose Cardoza.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_0f6edaa8-829e-11e1-a06c-001a4bcf6878.html

April 9 more @ link

The mindset of some parents and grandparents has changed since March 16. Sierra’s half-mile walk from her home on Paquita Espana Court to her bus stop is a common distance to assigned bus stops for the daily 2,000 students. Students grades kindergarten through 6th grade can walk up to three-quarters of a mile to a bus stop whereas grades 7 through 12 can walk one and a-half miles, according to board policy.

Sierra was one of two students assigned to that bus stop, although according to Deputy Superintendent Bonnie Tognazzini, the other student “was seldom there.”


Tuesday, April 10, 2012

http://gilroy.kionrightnow.com/news/news/508723-klass-kids-foundation-asking-donations

April 10 more @ link

Morgan Hill, Calif.- Volunteers are now asking for donations to keep their search going for missing Morgan Hill teen Sierra Lamar.

The Klass Kids Foundation is asking for donations of gift cards to Staples or Safeway. Plus, they're asking for poison oak lotion, bug spray, and ink for printers as well as printers.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/opin...cle_211f35e6-82a7-11e1-bcf7-001a4bcf6878.html

April 10 Letter to the editor. more @ link

Dear Editor,

This message goes out to the person who has taken Sierra LaMar:

I strongly feel that you are watching from a distance, and that you have heard Sierra’s family, friends and the community plea for answers. Only God and you know what has happened, and where she is. We have faith in our God, and know in our hearts that He will one day bring her home.

If you have hurt Sierra, God holds her in his loving arms, and any pain you may have caused is no more. If you have taken her from this earth and her precious life, God has taken her home.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Search-Continues-for-Sierra-Lamar-Wednesday-146904325.html

April 10 more @ link

Volunteers will continue the search for a missing Morgan Hill 15-year-old Wednesday morning.

Sierra Lamar disappeared near her home three weeks ago. Since then volunteers have been holding search parties for the teenager every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Sierra-LaMar-Search-Continues-146977125.html

April 11 more @ link

On Wednesday the Klaaskids Foundation launched another volunteer search for the 15-year-old girl who disappeared before heading off to Sobrato High three Fridays ago.

Since then, more than 3,000 volunteers have helped law enforcement agencies search several miles around her home.

One of the 200 people who showed up to help on this day was Pat Boyd. His daughter Christie Wilson was murdered 6 1/2 years ago. Police found the killer, who has since been convicted, but they never found his little girl's body. Boyd said what happened to him helps motivate him to help other parents.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8616712

April 11 more @ link

Nearly 200 people turned out to look for evidence in the search for missing Morgan Hill teenager Sierra LaMar on Wednesday. She disappeared nearly a month ago. The search is now concentrated south of Gilroy in remote and rugged terrain.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_265150ee-840f-11e1-9e2d-001a4bcf6878.html

April 11 more @ link

Investigators looking for missing north Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar will continue their efforts to find her by examining sonar images of the depths of local reservoirs taken earlier this week, according to a sheriff’s spokesman.

The images were taken at Uvas and Chesbro reservoirs, and when processed will identify objects below the surface of the water, Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Sgt. Jose Cardoza said.

After the images are analyzed, sheriff’s divers will return to the reservoirs and take an up-close look at any suspicious objects that were detected by sonar, Cardoza said.

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-co...erra-lamar-case-study-underwater-sonar-images

April 11 more @ link

The decision to conduct the underwater checks was done after investigators had no luck scanning the surface of Uvas, Chesbro and some nearby ponds on March 18, using a boat and a trained search dog, Cardoza said. Authorities fear the girl, who disappeared March 16, probably was kidnapped while walking to a bus near her high school.

He noted that the Sheriff's Office, which has logged more than 7,500 hours on the case, also plans this week to scour remote areas around Morgan Hill on motorized bikes looking for "clothing or other items that may be related to the case."

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law/official-website-created-sierra-lamar-search/nMXbX/

April 11 more @ link

The family of missing Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar announced today the creation of an official website dedicated to the search and safe return of the girl who disappeared on March 16.

The webpage, www.FindSierraLaMar.com, will post new information, search details and resources as they become available, according to the KlaasKids Foundation, which provides search-and-rescue services for families of missing people.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/morgan-hill-search-for-missing-teen-expanded-to/vGtPP/

April 11 from video @ link

Marlene: I have hope that- that she's alive and well out there and I'm- I miss her more than you ever- I miss you, honey, more than you could ever imagine. As each day goes by and it's longer- you know, I'm not giving up.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8616715

April 11 from video @ link

Marlene: As each day goes on it-it's agonizing. It-it's difficult, you know. I definitely- I'm suffering the sleep deprivation. Um, you know, as far as- you know, but I- you know, I need to focus on the belief that Sierra is going to come for--(word is cut off).

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8617111

April 11 from video @ link

Marlene: I'm just pleading- pleading for her safe return. Please, and it's not about the person getting in trouble, again, I just want to remind them of that. I just want my daughter home.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/20...underwater-images-in-search-for-sierra-lamar/

April 11 more @ link

“I’m not going to give up,” said Marlene LaMar. “I am determined, and the determination is what’s giving me the energy to continue. The public is as well. People are coming back for a third and fourth time. I’m truly astounded.”

http://www.kqed.org/a/kqednews/RN201204110833/d

April 11 more @ link

At a briefing, search party leader Melissa Williams told volunteers a little about Sierra. "She liked to wear multiple necklaces and little, silly band bracelets," Williams says. "That kind of stuff--stuff a fifteen-year-old would wear or like to have."

And with that, the searchers are off. The group spreads out in a line to search under a highway overpass. A creek runs through a shallow ravine. The banks are lined with dead leaves and scraggly thorn bushes. This isn't the kind of search Maturino, the mother from San Jose, wants to be doing.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8619049

April 12 more @ link

Divers are looking in the Chesbro and Uvas reservoirs, both located west of Morgan Hill and in close proximity to LaMar's home. They're searching for any evidence connected with the disappearance of the 15-year-old, including the worst-case scenario of finding her body.

Investigators are following up on more than 1,000 images captured by sonar equipment.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/divers-search-use-sonar-search-reservoir-sierra-la/nMYKR/

April 12 more @ link

Thursday's underwater search of the Chesbro Reservoir was slow and methodical as divers from the Santa Clara Sheriff's Office were tethered to deputies on land by a rope because of the murky conditions.

Peter Robinson, a diver with the sheriff's department, described the search conditions as dark with about 2 feet of visibility.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/...arch-Reservoir-in-Sierra-LaMar-Case/147250285

April 12 raw video of Chesbro Reservoir search @ link

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Sierra-LaMar-Search-Goes-Under-Water-147233155.html

April 12 more @ link

The dive team is at the Chesbro Reservoir Thursday. They will visit the Uvas Reservoir Friday so that they can check out other objects of interest, according to the sheriff.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_75fb76d4-84fe-11e1-a81c-0019bb30f31a.html

April 12 more @ link

Even making an estimate of the cost so far would require complicated number-crunching that Santa Clara County hasn’t devoted resources to yet, according to sheriff’s Sgt. Jose Cardoza.

The scores of detectives and deputies working on the case since March 16, the day Sierra, 15, was reported missing, are not only local personnel, but they are assisting the county from other agencies including San Mateo County and the FBI, Cardoza explained.

When those other agencies help out with the search for Sierra and any other case through “mutual aid agreements,” those other agencies pick up those personnel costs without billing the county, Cardoza said.

But whatever the costs are so far, “It’s not going to prevent anything they’re doing” to investigate the case, said Santa Clara County Supervisor Mike Wasserman, who represents the South County district.

Friday, April 13, 2012

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8620708

April 13 more @ link

It has now been a month since Sierra LaMar disappeared from Morgan Hill. On Friday, deputies spent the second day in a row diving in area reservoirs looking for clues into the teenager's disappearance.

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=17429139

April 13 more @ link

Divers said hundreds of items they found on Thursday are not connected to LaMar's disappearance.

"Everything we hit was a tree. I think there might have been one or two boulders that were just large. Again, we can't always tell what it is," Robinson said.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lan...h-reservoirs-for-santa-clara-county-teen.html

April 13 more @ link

“They came across some large trees,” Cardoza said. “Totally unrelated stuff.”

Cardoza said divers would search the nearby Uvas Reservoir on Friday.

“It’s a day-to-day operation,” he said. “Each thing they see they will send divers to double check.”

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/loca...o-Help-Find-Sierra-LaMar-on-FB-147313805.html

April 13 more @ link

Santa Clara County Sheriff's investigators and search crews came up empty on Friday on the one-month anniversary of the disappearance of Morgan Hill teenager Sierra Lamar.

Sgt. Jose Cardoza said the underwater search and rescue team did not find the 15-year-old Thursday while they scoured the Chesbro reservoir. And the team also didn't find her on Friday, when they dove to eight spots within the Uvas reservoir.

http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2012/04/13/search-for-missing-morgan-hill-teen-moves-to-waters/

April 13 more @ link

Sierra’s mother is grateful the search effort hasn’t let up.

“They’re not finding anything in the lake is giving me hope. But it’s difficult knowing that they’re doing it,” said Marlene LaMar.

http://www.kron4.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=3800

April 13 more @ link

Volunteers, led by the KlaasKids Foundation, will be out this weekend conducting searches for evidence into the disappearance of 15-year-old Sierra Lamar who has now been missing for four weeks.

http://blogs.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2012/04/sf_giants_remember_missing_tee.php

April 13 more @ link

The San Francisco Giants reminded their Facebook fans that 15-year-old Sierra LaMar, the missing Morgan Hill teen, will not be among the millions of baseball fans tuning in to watch opening week.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1204/13/ijvm.01.html

April 13 JVM Transcript more @ link

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight, a community on edge as a teen`s disappearance sparks a terrifying mystery. Was 15-year-old Sierra LaMar kidnapped by a dangerous and experienced sexual predator who is still on the loose as we speak? The popular cheerleader vanished one month ago after kissing her mom good-bye before school. She never made it to the bus stop that morning.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8621198

April 14 more @ link

Volunteers are spending the weekend looking for missing Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar.

The KlaasKids Foundation organized Saturday's search.

More than 400 people showed up to the Find Sierra Search Center located at Burnett Elementary School in Morgan Hill.

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=17451663

April 14 more @ link

Santa Clara County Sheriff Deputies plan to go door to door Saturday near the home of missing Morgan Hill teenager Sierra LaMar to speak with residents and gather new information on her disappearance.

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=17453581

April 14 more @ link

Meanwhile, volunteers were back out in the area today, expanding their search for LaMar. We went door-to-door with volunteers walking along the Llagas neighborhood in Morgan Hill. Search volunteers say going door-to-door is one of the most effective ways to continue getting information on Sierra. Steve LaMar, Sierra's father says volunteers are looking to talk with neighbors to see if they've noticed anything out of the ordinary in the last few weeks. "Just if they've been acting abnormal or were they gone for a while unexpectedly anything like that," said LaMar.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/family-mark-one-month-anniversary-missing-teens-di/nMZZp/

April 15 more @ link

The family of missing Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar will mark the one-month anniversary of her disappearance Monday as searches of the area around her home continue.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/loca...s-Missing-Teen-One-Month-Later-147530315.html

April 15 more @ link

Her family will mark the passage of a month with a balloon prayer release Monday at 6:30 p.m. at Burnett Elementary School.

"This month has truly been a nightmare," Sierra's father Steve LaMar said. "But our volunteers have given us faith, hope and the perseverance to continue in our search efforts. This balloon release will give us a chance for all of us to get together in prayer for Sierra."

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=17457131

April 15 more @ link

Residents told Central Coast News they have mixed feelings about the national news coverage of Sierra LaMar. We walked down some of the busiest streets in Morgan Hill and talked with people who had different opinions about Morgan Hill in the media.

Sierra's abduction has been broadcast on Nancy Grace, Good Morning America, America's Most Wanted and several other media outlets. Some Sobrato High School students told us the city's image has been changing since Sierra's disappearance became a national headline.

Monday, April 16, 2012

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law/crime-lab-reportedly-yields-clues-sierra-lamar-sea/nMbGb/

April 16 more @ link

Late Monday afternoon, the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department announced that test results from the crime lab has yielded new leads, but declined to reveal the nature of the clues.

Early on, searches near Sierra's home turned up items including her cell phone, purse and clothing.

"It is one of those items. We can't specify as to this point is it the results back from the cell phone, results from … Sierra's clothing [or] a couple of other items submitted in this case," said Sgt.Jose Cardoza.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Possible-Lead-in-LaMar-Case-147694085.html

April 16 more @ link

A month has passed since 15-year old Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar went missing, and today, the Santa Clara County Sheriffs investigators announced what could lead to a break in the case.

The results are back from the crime lab on evidence discovered during the searches, but they are not yet releasing what those results are.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/video/6968498-search-for-sierra-lamar-enters-2nd-month/

April 16 from video @ link

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: It may be a significant new development if it leads to something substantial, um- we just don't know if these leads are going to pan out or not.

Marlene: I'm optimistic that the law enforcement agency is doing everything they possibly can to return her safely to us.

Reporter: Tonight, a balloon release to mark Sierra's disappearance from her home exactly one month ago.

Marlene: It-it's, it's really hard. You know, it's just hard to talk earlier cause it's been so long.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_8df2788c-881e-11e1-a90d-0019bb30f31a.html

Sierra’s family planned to host the vigil and balloon release at Burnett Elementary School, which has been converted into a temporary search center for the Sobrato High School sophomore since March 20.

April 16 from video @ link

Marlene: It seemed very surreal. Like, this is impossible- this can't be happening to me. But it's been a month and it did happen. And, we need volunteers to continue coming. I'm so grateful to all the organizations and all the people that have come.

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=17479408

Onto the Search for Sierra, a somber tribute from family and friends of the missing 15-year-old Morgan Hill girl marking a grim milestone.

"It's really hard," says Sierra's mother Marlene LaMar. "It's just hard to talk earlier because it's been so long."

April 16 from video @ link

Steve: The anxiety and fear of where she is and what has happened to her is unbearable.

Steve: All of this love and support truly makes us feel that Sierra is everyone's daughter.

Marlene: You know, if Sierra could be here right now, she would say "Thank you for not giving up on me."

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/...mbering-Sierra-LaMar--A-Month-Later/147700625

April 16 from video @ link

Marlene(while hugging someone): It's okay. It's okay. She's coming back to us.

Steve: It's been one long and agonizing month since Sierra went missing.

Steve: That was pretty emotional, yeah. I was- I was crying. Just hoping all those messages- I hope they're going to bring her back to us.

Marlene: It's been a month already. I'm- I'm not going to give up and I'm-you know, it's- it's too long. We want her back, we want her back safely.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/morgan-hill-forensic-lab-turns-up-clues-in-search/vGxkX/

April 16 from video @ link

Reporter: Early on, searches near Sierra's home turned up items including Sierra's cell phone, purse, and clothing.

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: It is one of those items. We can't specify as to this point- is it the results back from the cell phone? Is it results back from the clothing? From Sierra's clothing, or a couple of the other evidence items that were submitted in this case.

Steve: I hope something pans out because we've just been desperate for something.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/04/missing-teen-sierra-lamar.html

April 16 more @ link

Cardoza said Monday that dives into the Chesbro Reservoir and the Uvas Reservoir last week, both within a few miles of Sierra’s home, turned up “nothing related to the case.” Cardoza said Monday that authorities will begin some “pre-operation type work” to prepare for dives later this week into the Calero and Anderson reservoirs.

Those two reservoir are located from five to 10 miles from the home, and Cardoza said they are the only two remaining in the county.

“It’s just to be as thorough as possible,” Cardoza said. “The investigators just want to be sure.”

http://gilroy.patch.com/articles/si...orted-over-one-thousand-miles-from-lamar-home

April 16 more @ link

As of April 13, the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office has received approximately 1,400 tips regarding the disappearance of Sierra LaMar, many of which have been relayed to authorities from people living hundreds of miles away from the missing teen’s home in Morgan Hill.

“The farthest [sighting] that I know of—I don't monitor all the tips—came from Arizona,” said Sgt. Jose Cardoza of the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office. “I know there was a sighting of her in Phoenix, in the Dallas area, in Southern California there were a lot of sightings, and all along the Bay Area.”

http://gilroy.kionrightnow.com/news...helping-look-sierra-lamar-want-put-billboards

April 16 more @ link

It’s been a month since 15 year old Sierra Lamar disappeared and so far people have donated more than $15,000 to the search effort.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_983da914-88ba-11e1-8ae8-001a4bcf6878.html

April 17 more @ link

Divers from the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office returned to the scene of some shallow percolation ponds in north Morgan Hill as part of their ongoing search for missing teen Sierra LaMar.

The divers and detectives arrived at the ponds, just east of the intersection of Monterey Highway and Ogier Avenue, the day after the sheriff’s office announced the county crime lab had finished processing some evidence found in the case which led to new clues.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8624669

April 17 more @ link

Residents of the RV park near Tuesday's dive operations say that area, not far from Sierra's home, has gotten a lot of attention.

"We've seen them go door to door, looking in places and stuff and mostly just down there... the water and the woods over there," Parkway Lakes RV Park resident Helen Robinson said.

http://www.kron4.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=3853

April 17 more @ link

Three-member teams in boats hope to wrap up their search of several ground water percolation ponds a few miles from the home where missing teenager Sierra Lamar was last seen more than a month ago.

from video @ link

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: We're not specifying what specific results they got back from what- pertained to which items- but it has led to some further leads, some further information that they'll do some followup on. It may result in a person of interest in the case or it may not. We just don't know at this time, but the detectives still need to do some followup on this case in regarding to- you know, in regards to the evidence to see where it goes from there.

Reporter: Why do you say it may lead to a person of interest? Is there part of the evidence maybe pointing in that direction?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: There was no direct hit. In other words, there was no- something- whatever they got back is- is- are confirmed reports but they don't point 100% to a person of interest or to a suspect, you know, which would be more of- concrete.

Reporter: But you think it's possible?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: It is a possibility that based on the steps that they will take- it may lead them to that. Again, it's-(cut off)

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8625697

April 17 from video @ link

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Preliminarily, in regards to the evidence items that were submitted, it is some positive information, some positive news to give back that does provide the detectives with some work to do.

http://www.ktvu.com/ap/ap/california/new-leads-in-northern-calif-teens-disappearance/nMbQ2/

April 17 more @ link

"They don't want to be too specific in case it may lead to a possible person of interest or a suspect," Sgt. Jose Cardoza, a sheriff's spokesman, told the Associated Press. "There's still more follow-up work that needs to be done."

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=17520056

April 17 more @ link

A simple writing assignment at a Salinas school reveals concerns from teenage girls about Sierra LaMar's disappearance. The question, should teenagers be allowed to go to the mall alone? Their answers may surprise you.

While most teens want their independence, 7th graders from M*** d** S*** School in Salinas don't because of what happened to Sierra LaMar.

"When I hear about a teen that has been kidnapped," says 13-year-old V*** M***. "I start to feel less safe. I feel like this could happen to me, especially when it happens close by."
 
Wednesday, April 18, 2012

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/morgan-hill-dna-evidence-found-on-items-recovered/vGyfJ/

April 18 from video @ link

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: It'd be a little bit premature right now to say that they have a person of interest or a suspect for that matter, because we're not there yet. But there is some information, there is some leads the does require some followup and they're hoping that it does result into something significant.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Divers-Continue-Search-for-Sierra-Lamar-147970255.html

April 18 more @ link

The Santa Clara Sheriff's dive unit Wednesday morning finished searching another percolation pond near Ogier and Monterey roads in Morgan Hill for Sierra Lamar, the teenager who disappeared near her home a month ago.

Wednesday searchers received permission to look in three private ponds.

Then if all goes according to schedule, they'll wrap up at Calero Reservoir.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8627100

April 18 more @ link

Despite some new leads, the number of volunteers searching for missing teen Sierra LaMar has been dwindling. The sheriff's dive team returned Wednesday to search some ponds just south of the Coyote Creek Golf Course in Morgan Hill. Organizers at the search center are using new tactics to recruit more volunteers to help.

http://www.kron4.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=3856

April 18 more @ link

Volunteers have once again gathered at Burnett Elementary School in Morgan Hill to conduct another search for the teen. The focus of the volunteer search will be on land while sheriff's investigators are set to concentrate their searches to waterways. KRON 4's Will Tran reports that Sierra's mother, Marlene Lamar, was on hand at Burnett Elementary Wednesday morning thanking volunteers for their efforts.

http://www.kron4.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=3869


April 18 more @ link


While organizers of the search for missing cheerleader Sierra Lamar worry about what they call "volunteer fatigue" many of the people who are helping in the search say they hope to provide answers for the girl's family.

"Sierra is Morgan Hill's little girl and she needs to be found," one volunteer said. "I've got kids of my own and I like to help anyway I can and hope that maybe today we'll find something," another man added.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8627105

April 18 from video @ link

Steve: All they told us was forensic results. Whatever it is, we're still happy. Um, whatever it is. So, because- because we've got something at least to go on now.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/santa-clara-county-search-of-ponds-and-creeks-for/vGyrp/

April 18 from video @ link

Steve: It's great. Um, we're so thankful and it really lifts up- us up too, you know, helps us cope to see that all these people care about Sierra and finding Sierra.

Steve(re: new leads): We've been desperate for something like this for a while, so. We're hoping that it's going to, you know, help- help lead us to Sierra.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/sierra-lamar-case-sierras-mom-talks-about-the/vGyhS/

April 18 from video @ link

Q: Talk about where you're at this point, you know, physically with the searches and emotionally as well.

Marlene: Well, emotionally- I'm- unbelievable that something like this could ever happen. You know, you're just- you- you're not prepared for a situation like this. I don't think nobody is, but, you know, it's an unfortunate- it's an unfortunate reality. Um, we all like to believe that our child is going to be safe and that we're doing everything possible to keep them safe as a parent. And, you know, especially that age range, you know, um- being 15, a lot of teens- they think they're invincible and they don't anticipate anything like this happening to them. And so, you know, I hope that the community, as far as the 15 year olds- or just anybody that is a teen, you know, and thinks that this is not possible, just to be aware of their immediate surroundings wherever they are, you know. In front of their house, in front of the movie theater. Um, and there is a- this is normal where the- you know, response is not as huge in numbers, but there are those people that are dedicated- that are coming three, four times, and I'm, you know- I'm so grateful to anybody that even takes the time, you know, to make it here. This, Sierra search center, uh- according to all the organizations that have assisted missing children or abducted children- the search center is a critical role, critical factor in recovering, um, missing children I've been told. So, the importance of this center staying open and continuing is essential.

Q: You must go back to that morning in your mind, what do you think about?

Marlene: Um, pretty much what I just, uh, said- you know, to reiterate, um- this could happen to anybody. You know, you think it's not going to happen to you, but, you're- you know, you have to be careful.

Q: Just like a normal day, you're just like "bye, see you later"?

Marlene: Yes, yes. Yes. Um, it's unfortunate but, it happens and we're not giving up and we realize how important it is to continue with this effort and the people that keep coming back that are dedicated- I, you know, there is a gentleman that rides- takes a bus, rides a bus every day the center has been open. And, and, you know, it's people like that, you know, I- I- I can't, there's no words that can say the commitment but it definitely gives us hope.

Q: Marlene, your thoughts on the evidence that was returned from the forensic lab, I know they're not talking about it-

Marlene: That's right.

Q: - could be a new lead. Emotionally, how does that make you feel?

Marlene: It's hopeful. It's hopeful. I can't elaborate on that because they haven't been able to elaborate much because they need to followup on it, and, you know, it's about ultimately her safe recovery. Um, anything that will- that could possibly be disclosed will be on the official website because the Sheriffs are coordinating- and uh, the Sheriffs did mention to the media on Sunday- I think it was Sunday, and, it wasn't too- too much after we were notified. So, they are releasing information without hindering the case as soon as possible.

Q: Do you talk with the investigators everyday?

Marlene: Yes. Pretty consistently, pretty consistently. Um, there's- the good thing is there's always a law enforcement at the search center and I've been pleased to say, you know, it's been two, three law enforcement officials, you know, coordinating with search effort. So, that's comforting.

Q: Do you get a sense that they might be closer to figuring out what happened?

Marlene: I pray for that. I pray for that every day, you know. Um, we miss- we miss her extremely. Um, especially, you know, the home seems real quiet now as the time goes- as time goes on. And, you know, those familiar sounds that you're used to hearing all the time. And, you know, I never thought I'd be saying this, but we miss the rap music, you know. Really miss her.

Q: Marlene, what do you think of the quality of the professionals in the volunteer searches? Are you satisfied?

Marlene: I'm highly impressed. You know, the- all of the organizations continue to support us. They are here, physically present. Um, you know, the mentored us in the beginning, they continue to do that. And, um, the people that are our core people - they're- they absorbed everything and they're executing everything really well. I'm impressed.

Q: What is your daily routine like? Are you back to work?

Marlene: Well, I'm back to work and it's hard to focus. And, it's harder to rest as time progresses. I'm, you know, all- all of us are suffering sleep deprivation and I hear this from the volunteers that haven't even met Sierra, are having a hard time sleeping, and- you know, the dedication. <cut>
Lack of sleep- and that's what I mean by, the bracelet, um- when it says "Sierra is everyone's daughter."

Q: If Sierra is watching right now, what would be something that you would say to her?

Marlene: Sierra, just be strong, you know. We're- we're out there looking for you. We are very hopeful that you're going to be strong enough and pull through this and come back to us and we miss you more than we could ever imagine. All of us do. I love you so much. We all love you. We all love you dearly.

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=17541110

April 18 more @ link

Friends, family and viewers were shocked to see a tweet supposedly sent out by Sierra LaMar come across the Twitter feeds, Wednesday afternoon.

The tweet, which was sent out under Sierra's Twitter profile, said "By the way, we do punch b******."

Thursday, April 19, 2012

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law/sierra-lamar-tweet-determined-be-hoax/nMdL5/

April 19 more @ link

Authorities believe someone hacked into missing teen Sierra LaMar’s Twitter account and sent out a tweet early Thursday that has added to the emotional distress of her family.

Sheriff's Sgt. Jose Cardoza said authorities have determined the tweet was a hoax.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/loca...nd-Sierra-LaMars-Hoax-Tweeter--148132485.html

April 19 more @ link

Cardoza said that the detectives' best guess is that whoever sent this latest tweet either knew the girl, or has superb hacking abilities. Detectives will seek to find this person, he said, with the intent of arresting them on a misdemeanor charge of Internet impersonation.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/20...kers-posted-on-sierra-lamars-twitter-account/

April 19 from video @ link

Reporter: As if you're not going through enough pain already, I mean, somebody goes and does this.

Steve: Yeah. People will do what they do. So, yeah, I just- I'm just staying positive and keeping focused on finding Sierra, so.
~~
Reporter: Sierra's mom declined to talk about the fake tweets, and says she is focused on keeping up the energy, momentum and hope.

Marlene: Sierra, you know, just- we believe in you. You're strong, you know. Come, we want you back, we want this to end. All of us.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_81b164f4-8a7e-11e1-be68-001a4bcf6878.html

April 19 more @ link

The sheriff’s office and other agencies have logged more than 10,000 personnel hours so far in the search for Sierra, 15, who police say was kidnapped while walking to her school bus stop in rural north Morgan Hill March 16.

“Our investigation is still focused on locating her alive, because we don’t have any information otherwise,” Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Sgt. Jose Cardoza said. “We’re still doing a lot of investigative efforts. We continue to follow up on leads, and continue to do searches.”

The sheriff's office will be joined by detectives from San Mateo, Monterey, Santa Cruz and Marin counties for another intensive search-and-rescue effort Saturday, Cardoza said.

Friday, April 20, 2012

http://www.ktvu.com/ap/ap/california/another-big-search-planned-for-sierra-lamar/nMdzd/

April 20 more @ link

Authorities are gearing up for another daylong search for missing 15-year-old Sierra LaMar this weekend.

The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office plan to lead a "refined" search of areas in Morgan Hill, San Martin and Gilroy on Saturday.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Big-Search-for-Sierra-LaMar-on-Saturday-148247915.html

April 20 more @ link

On Saturday, the "Navy Seals" of searchers, those who are trained in high-terrain, advanced wilderness searching, will be out scouring areas of Morgan Hill, Gilroy and San Joaquin for the girl, according to Santa Clara County Sheriff Sgt. Jose Cardoza.

http://www.kron4.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=3890

April 20 more @ link

According to authorities, specially trained detection K9s, the California Highway Patrol, Sheriff's Office Off-Road Enforcement Unit and San Francisco 49ers team member Delanie Walker will also be on hand to assist in the weekend search.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/BART-Cars-Get-Sierra-LaMar-Posters-148355595.html

April 20 more @ link

To spread awareness about missing Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar, BART cars were outfitted with 200 posters advising riders of the girl's disappearance, according to the KlaasKids Foundation.

The posters include Sierra's name, photo and description as well as law enforcement contact information.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/volunteers-search-rough-terrain-looking-sierra-lam/nMfWF/

April 21 more @ link

Volunteers fanned out in Santa Clara Saturday in another search for missing Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar.

Peggy Thompson of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office sloshed through Coyote Creek trying to catch a scent, hoping to turn up new clues in the search for LaMar.

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-co...ng-sierra-lamar-search-scheduled-this-weekend

April 21 more @ link

Specialized search and rescue teams skilled at navigating rough terrain will conduct a daylong search Saturday in southern Santa Clara County for missing Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar.

The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office said it will lead a "refined" search of areas of Morgan Hill, San Martin and Gilroy, beginning at 9 a.m. and lasting until sunset.

Sheriff's deputies have previously checked the hills and rural areas on dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles.

"This time they will be having foot searches, climbing some of these rough areas," said Sgt. Jose Cardoza of the sheriff's office.

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=17650699

April 21 more @ link

Biggest Missing Person Search Executed in Morgan Hill. More than 100 deputies searched parts of Morgan Hill and Gilroy with helicopters, dirt bikes, K-9 units and search teams on foot.
~~
While no evidence has been found yet deputies say that may be a good sign. "Just because we have limited evidence it is not necessarily a bad thing because its evidence that helps us out in the case but for all we know she still could be out there alive," said Sgt. Jose Cardoza.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/morgan-hill-volunteers-search-toughest-terrain/vG2CM/

April 21 from video @ link

Marlene: Sierra's everybody's daughter, and that is just a testimony of how people are really feeling out there and that really gives us hope.

Steve: I can't believe it's been that much time. Everyday it just gets- just gets harder.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/morgan-hill-iron-souls-motorcycle-club-join-the/vG2PG/

Iron Souls motorcycle club from Oakland rode down to Morgan Hill and joined the search for Sierra LaMar Sunday.

April 22 from video @ link

Reporter: Before they left, a Hawaiian prayer dance was preformed. The moment of reflection moved some to tears. Sierra's parents say it reminded them of happier times.

Steve: Our trips to Hawaii that we used to take- Sierra love- Sierra loves Hawaii.

Danielle: It's just hard to think about it. I- just trying to stay positive and, you know, you can't like- think the worst so- the more positive you are, it's easier.

http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area...han-month-later-search-sierra-lamar-continues

April 22 more @ link

Although the disappearance on the morning of March 16 of the outgoing 15-year-old with a passion for cheer leading, rap music, Twitter and the color pink has drawn sympathy coast to coast, little has emerged from the investigation to unravel the mystery of where she is. Detectives on the case are quietly putting the scattered pieces of evidence together like a problematic jigsaw puzzle, revealing little except to the girl's family.

The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office said that's simply how it does business. The agency does not provide details as they come up because detectives aren't sure how important each detail is, where it might lead them or what might happen, says department spokesman Sgt. Jose Cardoza. There's no telling what Sierra's kidnappers, if there are any, or reluctant witnesses might do if they knew how close investigators were getting.

"It could be any number of things," Cardoza says. "It could affect future searches and interviews, or
how we work on evidence that's still coming in." And although detectives are free to talk to reporters and the public, in general the investigators have chosen to remain behind the scenes.

And that's just fine with Marlene LaMar, who says the Sheriff's Office updates her "pretty consistently" with inside information.

Monday, April 23, 2012

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/loca...lp-Support-From-Those-Who-Know-148585585.html

April 23 more @ link

It's too painful because Boyd's own daughter Christie Wilson was kidnapped and murdered as she left Thunder Valley Casino near Sacramento. She was 27 years old and her body was never found.
~~
Boyd said although she can't help in the physical search, she is reaching out personally to Sierra's parents.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

http://www.mercurynews.com/education/ci_20463475/parent-notification-policies-updated

April 24 more @ link

Responding to parent pressure after the disappearance of Sierra La Mar, the Morgan Hill Unified School District on Monday began notifying parents in the morning as well as evening if their children don't show up to school.

The district's automatic calling system will inform parents of any unexcused absences at 10:30 a.m., in addition to the previous 6 p.m. notification.

For the next school year, the district is hoping to offer parents the option of being notified by text message or by email when their children have an unverified absence.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/20...nce-prompts-changes-in-school-absence-system/

April 24 more @ link

Mark Klaas, founder of the Klaas Kids Foundation said that these changes are necessary in the wake of LaMar’s apparent kidnapping.

”Had Marlene and Steve known hours earlier that their daughter had not shown up for school, which was totally out of character, they would have taken action much sooner than they did, and precious time would have been saved,” said Klaas.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law/sierra/nMh58/

April 25 more @ link

Sierra went missing on her way to school on March 16th. Investigators say they believe she was kidnapped.

That theory brought the national TV crime show America's Most Wanted to the LaMar home, and the volunteer center.

A show featuring her case is set to air May 11th.

Sierra's mother Marlene LaMar said she appreciated the effort.

"It's important for everybody, locally and on a national level, to be aware that we are continuing the search," said LaMar. "That we are hopeful and we are not giving up."

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Americas-Most-Wanted-to-Feature-Sierra-LaMar-148923435.html

April 25 more @ link

On Tuesday, Sierra's father, Steve LaMar, flew to Los Angeles with AMW's famed host John Walsh.

The crew also sat down for a interview with Sierra's mother Marlene LaMar. They will finish up the production of the piece Thursday with an interview with Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith.

Sigue said the interviews included tough questions for family members.

"We know that typically when a child goes missing it’s someone who is close to them who is responsible, so we want to make sure like every other news organization that we have all the information we can put out there and gather to help find Sierra," Sigue said.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

http://www.gilroydispatch.com/news/...cle_c48672b4-0a48-5ef7-8112-6314cfe65b60.html

April 26 more @ link

Steve LaMar, 49, said Walsh asked “good questions” during their interview. Naturally, he shares Walsh’s desire to get Sierra’s story heard by as many ears across country as possible.

“They have a pretty good success rate finding missing persons,” LaMar said. “One example is Elizabeth Smart. A tip was called in after someone saw her story on the show.”

Smart was kidnapped at the age of 14 in 2002 in Utah, and found nine months later still being held captive by her kidnappers.

“We’re trying to keep Sierra’s story out there, and visible to people so they know she’s still missing and we’re still trying to find her,” LaMar said.

Friday, April 27, 2012

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/reward-case-missing-teen-be-increased/nMkWh/

April 27 more @ link

The family of a Morgan Hill teen who has been missing for more than a month plans to increase the reward being offered for her safe return.

Steve LaMar, the father of Sierra LaMar, plans to announce the increase Saturday morning, according to the KlaasKids Foundation, which is helping organize volunteers searching for the missing girl.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

http://www.gilroydispatch.com/news/...cle_b980608b-2b49-560a-9dad-48a8c53620bf.html

April 28 more @ link

“As a result of some generous contributions and ongoing fundraising, including a large anonymous contribution, we are able to increase the reward to $25,000,” announced Steve LaMar, Sierra’s father, at a press conference at Burnett Elementary School Saturday.

Steve LaMar made the announcement with Sierra’s mother Marlene LaMar and Marc Klaas, of the KlaasKids Foundation, while volunteers joined yet another search effort that was headquartered at the school.

The family initially offered a $10,000 reward earlier this month. That amount was also generated by fundraising efforts.

~~

Steve LaMar added at the press conference Saturday that the family is in “constant communication” with investigators from the sheriff’s office, but did not indicate if he knew any details on the investigation of numerous leads that law enforcement continue to receive.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/morgan-hill-reward-in-search-for-missing-girl-more/vG5R6/

April 28 from video @ link

Steve: The reward is 25,000 dollars now.

Steve: The important thing to us is to get her back home. If there is someone out there that has her, you know- we just want her back home.

Steve: The longer the time goes by, the lower your chances are. So, it's painful to think about but- we're just trying, trying hard. As hard as we can.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Sierra-Lamars-Family-Increases-Reward-149369435.html

April 28 from video @ link

Steve: There is no way that, you know, she could have disappeared without anyone seeing anything. Someones got to know something.

Steve: Most important thing is getting her home. If this is one way to do it, then, we're happy.

Steve: It's getting harder, you know, the more time that goes by.

Sunday, April 29, 2012

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=17927544

April 29 more @ link

Circus Raises Money for Sierra LaMar Fund. On Sunday a circus visiting Salinas put on a charity show for missing Morgan Hill teen Sierra LamMar for funds to bring her back home.

Monday, April 30, 2012

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_2b72045e-9163-11e1-b2de-001a4bcf6878.html

April 30 more @ link

Investigators have already searched some area reservoirs and ponds – including a cluster of percolation ponds, Calero Reservoir and Uvas Reservoir – with the sheriff’s office dive team using side-scan sonar technology and K9 search animals in recent weeks.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Jose Cardoza announced Monday that the water-searching efforts will be expanded this week to include Parkway Lakes in South San Jose, as well as Anderson, Coyote, Almaden and Guadalupe reservoirs.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/loca...erra-Lamar-Investigation-Cops--149583795.html

April 30 more @ link

The Santa Clara County Sheriff's department released an update on the investigation late Monday saying as a result of their investigation into Sierra's disappearance they have made several apparently unrelated arrests of registered sex offenders.

Investigators said they contacted the sex offenders as part of the LaMar investigation, and found five of them to be out of compliance with the law.

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_20516797/event-benefit-continuing-search-sierra-lamar

April 30 more @ link

A fundraising pasta feed will be held Friday evening to benefit the continuing search for Sierra Lamar, the 15-year-old Morgan Hill girl who disappeared March 16.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8645588

May 2 more @ link

Trudy Parks is what you would call a regular in the Sierra LaMar search effort. She has signed up for eight volunteer assignments, including one day of back-to-back excursions.

~~

Wednesday, a new sign went up at the search center reminding everyone their help is needed. Steve LaMar says the community's commitment is a huge source of support for the entire family.

"It really helps us cope," he said. "Me, Marlene and Danielle, to see people that dedicated to finding Sierra."

Thursday, May 3, 2012

http://www.gilroydispatch.com/news/...cle_3e80dcb0-cda0-515e-aae2-9c3daaa572ea.html

May 3 more @ link

The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s dive team spent the day Thursday searching Anderson reservoir, the largest reservoir in the county, for any sign of missing teen Sierra LaMar.

Today they plan to finish searching the rest of the lake, using “side scan sonar” detection devices, and then continue to Almaden and Guadalupe reservoirs in San Jose, using the same search techniques, according to sheriff’s Sgt. Jose Cardoza.

“If they see anything of concern to the case, they’ll send a diver in,” Cardoza said.

Friday, May 4, 2012

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=18143697

May 4 more @ link

"This is a reality. As a parent you want to do everything possible for your child to protect them and this is coming from a person, who is going through this," says Sierra LaMar's mother Marlene. "When she comes back, I'm going to definitely have her take a self defense class."

Monday, May 7, 2012

http://www.gilroydispatch.com/news/...cle_21ff0b40-985e-11e1-84b5-001a4bcf6878.html

May 7 more @ link

For the first time in more than a month, investigators searching for 15-year-old Sierra LaMar reported new leads in the case, and are asking the public to report any sightings of a red four-door sedan with a black hood.

Detectives say the car in question is a 1990s model red Volkswagen Jetta, with a black hood, according to Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Sgt. Jose Cardoza.

Police released a picture of a similar-looking vehicle.

The vehicle was recently confirmed as having been in the area surrounding Sierra’s home about the time of her March 16 kidnapping, Cardoza said.

“Over the last couple weeks, detectives have done some re-interviews, and some additional tips and leads have helped corroborate this vehicle’s relation to the case,” Cardoza said. “It’s more than a coincidence.”

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-co...office-seeking-red-mid-1990s-jetta-associated

May 7 more @ link

"For them to release this to the media, it's huge," said Marlene LaMar, Sierra's mother. "This is not just a hypothesis. I had not been able to say that previously."
~~
"The community has stepped it up. They've been there from the very beginning," she said. "They're going to continue being really responsive and observant for that vehicle."

The heartbroken mother even offered reassuring words for whoever was driving the car or may have taken her daughter.

"Right now it's not about getting this person in trouble or going after a conviction. I don't know this person or whatever led them to the situation to do this," LaMar said. "It's not too late to do the right thing. It's about her recovery."


http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/sierra-lamar-case-sgt-jose-cardoza-talks-about/vG94Q/

May 7 PC transcript

Q: *question cut off*

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: We believe that the person involved in her disappearance- or persons involved in her disappearance- um, continue- we still believe- our current belief still is- is this person is familiar with the Morgan Hill area, or is from Morgan Hill. So, yes, that is true.

Q: How long is the car tracked for on video? If you were to add all the sequences together-

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: What- say that again.

Q: Like, do you see the car for a minute, five minutes, 30 seconds- you know what I'm saying? If you were to make a sequence of video, how long were you able to- what time period?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: That's something we can't comment on, unfortunately at this time. But, it is- it was observed in the general area where she was last seen during- on March 16th, that morning.

Q: Was it speeding or breaking any traffic laws? Was it doing anything unusual or suspicious?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: As far as breaking traffic laws, I'm not sure on that.

Q: You did say that the car was seen in the area where the evidence was found-

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Near her- near her Mom's house and near some of the- where some of the locations of the evidence were found. We're not going to say exactly, specifically where the car was observed and what intersections versus what streets and whatnot, but near those general areas. This car was observed and witnesses have corroborated that as well.

Q: Can you tell us the last time the car was observed? I know you're obviously looking for it-

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: During the date or the time it was observed we- we don't have information- um, we're just not releasing information whether it was observed before or after March 16th, but during the date and the time in the morning when Sierra disappeared, it was observed then.

Q: We should assume that you didn't see them throw out a cell phone or putting her purse out in the field or anything like that? That wasn't caught on surveillance?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Uh, n-we're not going to comment on that. No.

Q: That was my question. If it was found in and around the evidence it would make sense that you- they would not pass by there again if they-

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Even if- even if that were true or untrue, if somebody was seen observing- throwing something out, it's something we're not going to comment on. But, the vehicle was observed in those areas. So, we're asking for the public to come forward with any information that they may have related to this red Jetta that was seen in the area during the date and time that Sierra was last- you know, when she disappeared.

Q: Okay, and if you could comment one more time on whether this information has been passed by family and close friends as well, since friends often know people that the family doesn't.

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: This information was relayed to the family- as far as close friends, I do not know. I do know that investigators did confirm via family that the family had no information about this red car.

Q: What other evidence do you have, and do you have any more evidence at the crime lab being analyzed to help in this case?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: There still are some items of evidence right now that the crime lab does have, we're waiting on some reports to come in. We're not going to comment on what specific items we're still waiting for reports on, but we have recently gotten back reports- lab results from the empty handcuff box and the used condoms. At this time, they've been ruled out. They're not associated to Sierra's disappearance.

Q: One more question about any of the reservoir water searches, did you find anything and do you have more searches planned?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: There hasn't been anything located so far with evidentiary value to Sierra's disappearance in the water searches. The water reservoir searches are resuming this week- Almaden and Guadalupe reservoirs are next on the list for Sheriff's dive team to be checking this week.

Q: Do we know what year the car is-or?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Mid-nineties. Red, four door Jetta with a black hood.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8652034

May 7 from video @ link

Reporter: I just got off the phone with Sgt. Cardoza at the Sheriff's office and he tells me since our ABC7 news report earlier today, there have already been tips about that red VW Jetta, and they hope that those tips will continue until this car is found.
~~
Sgt. Jose Cardoza: It is more than one source. These sources are a combination of residential cameras, business cameras, as well as bus cameras in the area.
~~
Reporter: Sierra's family told investigators and me they do not recognize the car. Marlene LaMar says this is just the kind of solid lead they have been waiting for and one in which the public can help.

Marlene: I know everybody out there is going to do everything possible to report the sighting of this car.
~~
Reporter: Sheriff investigators say the black hood appears to be a modified feature on the car. Sierra's father says that in itself could prove to be another source of information.

Steve: Anyone that might be seeing this- if they own a body shop and remember doing something like that on a similar car- that, again, is useful information.
~~
Reporter: Investigators say it is not clear from surveillance video who is in the car. But Sierra's mom is convinced her daughter is still alive and has a message for anyone involved in her disappearance.

Marlene: I am not looking for trouble or a conviction- I just want- we all want her safe return. We all want this nightmare to end, and that's my plea out there.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/...ibly-Connected-to-Sierra-LaMar-Case/150487395

May 7 from video @ link

Reporter: In the video, they can't tell who is driving. They do not believe Sierra is inside, but they did get a license plate number.

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: It's in the process *inaudible*- we don't know if the registered owner, the driver, or anybody else for that matter inside that vehicle would be associated- but, it's in the works right now. So, you know- with that going on, with the detectives followup going on- we're asking for the public's help- to come forward with any information that may have about that car.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/morgan-hill-investigators-search-for-car-linked-to/vHBLB/

May 7 from video @ link

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: This vehicle may lead us to whoever is responsible- the person or persons in Sierra's disappearance.
~~
Sgt. Jose Cardoza: They have obtained more than one source of video surveillance near Sierra's mom's house and near where some of the evidence items were located. Either home video surveillance, residential video surveillance, business surveillance and bus surveillance where this vehicle is seen.
~~
Reporter: One resident, who asked us not to show his face or house, says he contacted investigators after seeing cars he did not recognize on his security camera tape from March 16th.

Resident: We know she's supposed to get on the bus at 7:00 to 7:15, so I looked at 7:00 to 7:15, and I saw a couple of cars I didn't understand, and I pointed them out to 'em, and then they took the entire tape.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/news/local/Sierra-LaMars-Mom-Talks-About-Car-Clue/150528065

May 7 from video @ link

Marlene: And having something physical to look out for- it really- they have something to cling on to, including us. And it's, uh, hopeful and I'm optimistic that everybody's going to do anything possible to, uh, spot this vehicle. It's not a frequently, uh, common vehicle that you see are far as, uh- red, and having the black hood. I know that people out there are aware that it's not going to be obvious at this point but we, um, are hoping that somebody is going to have a recollection because it is something that's not h-hard to forget. If they can remember geographically seeing it in a certain area and notify the Sheriff's department- uh, if they can be more observant and think outside the box as far as where somebody that has a vehicle that is that noticeable take it.

So, I'm asking land owners, the community, um- anybody that is in the work field as far as, uh- altering vehicles- which, there is a lot of areas, to be aware and think about the past two months as well as, uh- keeping this, just, alive and-and, this is a continuing effort until she returns home, and I'm pleading to whoever, you know, has gotten to this point- that, if they're holding my daughter and my daughter is out there- I know you're a strong person and let's end this nightmare for all of us, including the person that has not made the right decisions. If you could release her and end this- this, this- whole thing you could do it now. And if you have anything, you know, if you could release her into an area that is safe, because everybody is looking out for her right now and I know- I know it's okay if you release her in a situation that somebody is going to return her to us.

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=18164155

May 7 from video @ link

Steve: We've been, um- desperate for that kind of a- that kind of a breakthrough for a while now. None of us could think of anyone with that car or - or recall seeing that car anywhere.

Steve: We're still trying to find other pieces of evidence that might be useful. Um- but, this piece of information, um, is more substantial and we can use that information also on our searches. We can look for this car.

Steve: It gets tougher, you know, as time goes on we get a little bit more desperate and more anxious.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/morgan-hill-investigators-search-for-car-linked-to/vHBR9/

May 7 from video @ link

Marlene: I believe that this is a ray of hope.

Marlene: It gives something for everybody to cling on to, and to physically look for. It's physical, it's more real.

Marlene: Please, please release her.

http://www.kron4.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=4066

May 7 from video @ link

Marlene: I know everybody out there is going to do everything possible to report the sighting of this car. And, if you have any past recollection of seeing this car, you know- let law enforcement know as far as location. It's so important right now- time- I'm, I'm- I, you're asking how I feel, and I feel that time is very important right now. It's very critical, being out in the media, keeping your eyes open. Just, everybody, please, please look at the immediate surroundings- not just when you are driving on the road.
 
Tuesday, May 8, 2012

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law/deputies-find-car-linked-sierra-lamar-kidnapping/nNy5Q/

May 8 more @ link

Investigators have located a red Volkswagen Jetta they believe may be linked to the disappearance of Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar, the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office announced Tuesday.

Sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Jose Cardoza this afternoon called the development "pretty significant" and said investigators will perform a forensic examination of the vehicle.

http://www.kron4.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=4078

May 8 more @ link

"The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office appreciates the public’s response by providing information on the vehicle in question," officials said in a written statement. "Investigators do have the vehicle in their custody but are asking the public to report any sightings of this vehicle and/or occupants during the time surrounding Sierra’s disappearance."

http://www.ktvu.com/ap/ap/california/authorities-find-car-sought-in-missing-teen-case/nNy8X/

May 8 more @ link

"It's still an open investigation," Cardoza told The Associated Press on Tuesday following a briefing in San Jose. "Our investigators do not want to compromise the case. We do not want to jeopardize anything."
~~
"We really need the public to come forward and help provide us with any information they may have about this vehicle," Cardoza said. "We want to know if they saw it in Morgan Hill, outside of Morgan Hill during the time she went missing so our investigators can piece everything together."

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-co...earch-www.mercurynews.com-www.mercurynews.com

May 8 more @ link

"After two months without anything, it's significant that we got this car, and we're hoping it yields something major," said Sgt. Jose Cardoza, of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office.
~~
Investigators "need information from people who saw it just before, during or after," Cardoza said, "They need people to come forward."
~~
"We don't have any information indicating she is no longer alive," Cardoza said. "Sometimes no news is good news."

http://gilroy.patch.com/articles/au...-associated-with-lamar-case-request-more-tips

May 8 more @ link

“As for the owner or driver, we're not there yet,” Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Sgt. Jose Cardoza said. “One thing you don’t want to do on a high profile criminal case is you don’t want to single out anyone for being associated unless you have a little more [info].”
~~
“Within the last week or two it piqued detectives’ interest again—that this is more than just a coincidence,” Cardoza said. “It was pretty obvious that it was the same vehicle [investigators] were looking at more than once."
~~
“Was there one driver? Were there other persons inside the vehicle? Was Sierra inside the car or not inside the car? They’re just not commenting on that right now,” he said. “Right now the focus is on reaching out to the public.”

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Red-Car-Found-in-Sierra-LaMar-Case-150651015.html

May 8 more @ link

Cardoza said that detectives know who the car owner is, but there is "no person of interest" in the case yet.

Still, Cardoza said detectives need more help. "We need information about this car," he said, "and we'd like to know who was driving it before, during and after Sierra went missing."

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_bb5f89f6-9947-11e1-95a4-001a4bcf6878.html

May 8 more @ link

“Investigators are asking the public to report any sightings of this vehicle and/or occupants during the time surrounding Sierra’s disappearance,” Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Sgt. Jose Cardoza wrote in a press release.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/morgan-hill-authorities-may-have-found-car-linked/vHCCH/

May 8 from video @ link

Reporter: Just a couple of hours after releasing the new surveillance photos, investigators announced they had found the car, but would not say where or when. Although they acknowledged they know who the registered owner is, they said for the sake of the ongoing investigation, they would not release any information related to ownership.

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: We don't have a person of interest yet. So, we're hoping that, uh- you know, some evidence- if anything that would be yielded from this car will lead us in that direction.

Reporter: Sierra LaMar's father did not speculate on when the car was discovered, but did acknowledge investigators have kept him posted on developments, and he was not told about the car being found until this afternoon. He says the family is encouraged.

Steve: We've been kind of in limbo and kind of desperate for- for more information for a long time now, so this- this is good, so. So it's- it's making us feel be- much better and, and even more hopeful.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/morgan-hill-police-may-have-found-car-linked-to/vHCMs/

May 8 from video @ link

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: We still do believe that she's out there alive. We don't have any evidence-um, you know, contradicting that.

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: We still want to reach out to the public and ask them to- even though we have it in our possession, we still need information regard any sightings of this vehicle.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/news/local/New-Clue-Discovered-in-Sierra-LaMar-Case/150697115

May 8 from video @ link

Reporter: The Sheriff's department isn't saying whether or not they already had that car in their custody when they asked for the public's help. What they are saying is that they got a lot of outpouring of support and tips from the public. They also are not saying whether one of those tips led to the car.
Sgt. Jose Cardoza says that the family took that find as a positive sign.

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: We wanted to make sure, number one- they didn't recognize this vehicle; and number two- not only- you know, anybody close to the family owned a vehicle like that. And number two if they knew that this vehicle may have been an associate of Sierra's or in any way related to Sierra, and they did not.

Reporter: Sgt. Cardoza says the still images are lifted from video already in evidence.

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: The photos were actual still photos from some of the video surveillance that we do have in evidence. These video surveillance images were obtained from cameras in the Morgan Hill area, we're not specifying where, whether they were residential cameras, businesses cameras, or bus cameras for that matter. But, they were from the Morgan Hill area.

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: There's no evidence leading that she's no longer alive. So our mindset is that she's still out there alive somewhere, so. And again, our focus is to find her, locate her and bring her home.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/news/local/Red-Car-Found-in-Sierra-LaMar-Case/150706035

May 8 from video @ link

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: We just can't make public right now when we found it, or where we found it for that matter.

Reporter: So then why announce that it was found, anyway?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Well, what we don't want- is we don't want these calls to continue.

Reporter: These calls are the generic tips from people who thought they might have seen the car. Now the Sheriff's investigators are asking people to get more specific and call only if they saw that older model Volkswagen Jetta with a black hood, or the people inside it in the days around Sierra's March 16th disappearance. Among the many questions the Sheriff's department isn't ready to answer is 'who's car is it anyway?'

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: We do know who the owners are of the car. Um, we just can't comment on what role if anything they have in the case. But, we do- uh, know the registered owner as well as license plate for the car, but we just can't make the information right now public.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8654064

May 8 from video @ link

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: At this time we just can't disclose when it was actually found, when we took it into custody, nor can we disclose- uh, the location of where we found it.

Reporter: Sierra's father says he and Sierra's mother had a previously scheduled meeting with detectives tonight.

Steve: I'm going into it with, um, hundreds of questions I g- you and everyone has. Um, and I'm- my feeling is I'm going to ask them- um, and it's up to them whether they can tell me or not. And I understand if they can't tell me.

Reporter: During today's news conference, I asked Sgt. Cardoza directly if he thought Sierra is alive right now. Here is his response.

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Yes. We do still believe she is alive, and our primary focus and goal is to locate her, find her, and bring her home back safely to her family.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8654347

May 8 from video @ link

Reporter: Sierra LaMar's father walks anxiously into the Santa Clara County Sheriff's department for what was supposed to be a simple update meeting with the detectives. But for the first time in 7 weeks, they have a solid lead.
~~
Sgt. Jose Cardoza: This vehicle is associated with her disappearance. The vehicle was observed, um- on the date and near the time when Sierra went missing.

Steve: Where, when it was found- uh, is there an owner, you know, all those kind of things.
~~
Reporter: Steve LaMar asked for details in his meeting today.
Did they have a response, though?

Steve: Yeah, they told me- yeah, they do have an owner and their response to the rest of it was 'we need to keep that, you know, close for investigative purposes.'
~~
Sgt. Jose Cardoza: We do believe that she's still alive. There is still a chance that she's alive. We don't have any information or evidence contrary or indicating that she's not alive.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/video/7195301-investigators-find-car-linked-to-sierra-lamar-case/

May 8 from video @ link

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: You know, for all intents and purposes, we do believe that Sierra is still out there alive. We don't have any information that would contradict otherwise.

Reporter: For you to say that she is alive, that's a pretty big deal.

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: We are- that's our leading theory right now, is that she's out there alive. Can we confirm that 100%? No.

Reporter: At his weekly meeting at Sheriff's headquarters, Sierra's dad Steve was anxious but optimistic about today's news.

Steve: I've been hopeful and staying positive the whole time and I'm- I still feel that way.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/vi...-car-potentially-linked-to-sierra-lamar-case/

May 8 from video @ link

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: We do have the vehicle in custody. The 90's model Volkswagen Jetta that is believed to be associated in the Sierra LaMar case.

Marlene: What's significant is that it was released in the media yesterday, and now we actually know law enforcement has the car.

Reporter: Marlene LaMar says the development will boost interest and energy in the case, now almost two months old.

Marlene: I see this as something physical, and it's going to definitely speed up the progress as far as the coming up with the answers leading us closer to Sierra.

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: The detectives can't stress enough that they really need people to come forward with any information they may have um, about this red Jetta. Specifically if they saw- if they saw it on the day that Sierra disappeared back on March 16th, before or shortly after her disappearance.
 
Wednesday, May 9, 2012

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8655001

May 9 more @ link

The number of volunteers dropped by 20 percent Wednesday, a big disappointment at Burnett Elementary School where the search teams are put together, but hope remains high that a break in the case could come at any time.

Volunteers were out searching shortly after 8 a.m. along Coyote Creek and other small ponds, undaunted by heavy growth of poison oak.

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-co...s-office-rules-out-links-between-sierra-lamar

May 9 more @ link

On March 23, San Jose police responded to the attempted kidnapping of a 16-year-old girl in which her assailant used a stun gun-type device on her and tried to force her into a red compact car with tinted windows in Willow Glen.

A week earlier, on March 14 and 15, Walnut Creek police said a man tried twice to lure a 13-year-old middle schooler into his faded, red, older-model sedan.

Sheriff's Sgt. Jose Cardoza said in a statement Wednesday that his agency contacted San Jose and Walnut Creek police to explore possible links, but found none.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/morgan-hill-new-clues-found-by-authorities/vHDB8/

May 9 from video @ link

Reporter: The police department also revealed detectives examined two attempted kidnapping cases in San Jose and Walnut Creek involving a red car.

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Our investigators- Sheriff's investigators have recently contacted detectives from both San Jose police and Walnut Creek police, and at this time there does not appear to be any similarities.

Reporter: Sierra's parents both showed up at the center today, and said they are also rejuvenated from today's volunteer turnout, and talking to investigators.

Steve: I was confident that they have a lot to, uh- that they're working on and following up with, um, from the car.

Marlene: It's in their hands now. They have a good piece of evidence, and I'm hopeful. I'm very optimistic, you know, until Sierra comes back, we're all praying.

http://www.kron4.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=4085

May 9 from video @ link

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: There was some recent contact made by our Sheriff's investigators with some of the local agencies to include San Jose police, they had a recent attempted kidnapping in the Willow Glen district, and then Walnut Creek police as well had a recent case. Our investigators reached out to those agencies. At this time, there does not appear to be any connection to the Sierra LaMar case.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/...rra-LaMar-Case-Not-Linked-to-Others/150872815

May 9 from video @ link

Steve: I didn't get some of the answers to the obvious questions- like, about the car. You know, where, when, all that stuff. But- that's fine, I- I understood. And, yeah, sometimes it's a good sign that-um, it is a good sign that they're- uh, have some things that they're holding close for investigative purposes.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8655003

May 9 from video @ link

Marlene: This does make, uh- a significant difference. This is a physical lead that they have that they feel is- is pretty strong and it's hopeful.

Marlene: The hope is- is- we're not giving up. Everybody's still hoping and praying.

Reporter: I asked Marlene LaMar if she were more upbeat- she seemed to me to be more upbeat today than she has been in weeks going by. She says she has to be strong, she has to hang in there because Sierra might be watching.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8655576

May 9 from video @ link

Marlene: It's something that- that is significant that is going to expedite this investigation I feel. I consider it a sign of hope.
~~
Reporter: Sierra's mother has a message for her daughter.

Marlene: Stay strong. We're going to find you. You're coming back to us. Just hang in there.

Friday, May 11, 2012

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_2428d23c-9b94-11e1-b27c-001a4bcf6878.html

May 11 more @ link

Sheriff&#8217;s search and rescue personnel will be conducting a search effort in the area of south Morgan Hill this afternoon, according to Santa Clara County Sheriff spokesman Sgt. Jose Cardoza. The ground search operation will focus on open fields and construction sites and zones in south Morgan Hill.

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=18307542

May 11 more @ link

Tonight, the syndicated television show, America's Most Wanted will broadcast an in-depth segment on the missing Morgan Hill Teen.

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-co...-missing-teen-sierra-lamar-issues-mothers-day

May 11 more @ link

Two days before Mother's Day, the mother of missing Morgan Hill-area teen Sierra LaMar issued a poignant statement reflecting on the joys and difficulties of motherhood.

The brief, three-paragraph letter sent to media outlets said that Sierra was her "miracle baby," conceived when Marlene LaMar, now 51, had been told she might not get pregnant again.

"Mother's Day is a time of reflection on what being a mom has brought to your life. Being a mom has been the greatest joy of my life. From the moment I knew that a little life was growing inside me, there was an overwhelming need to protect and nurture my child," the letter began.

Marlene LaMar said she wrote the letter for her daughters Danielle, 21, and Sierra, 15, and also for other mothers.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/morgan-hill-investigators-say-they-arent-releasing/vHF3T/

May 11 from video @ link

Reporter: Earlier today I sat down with Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith to talk about what they are and are not telling the public about this case. This week, what appears to be a promising lead in the Sierra LaMar case was released to the media. On Monday, Sheriff's officials said they identified a red Volkswagen Jetta associated with her disappearance and put out this photo of a similar car. But what they didn't tell us until today was that they already had the car in custody.

Sheriff Laurie Smith: We had it before Monday, and when we realized that the public was looking for the car instead of telling us when they'd seen the car in the past, we had to put out a clarification that we actually did have the car, but we're looking for information about the car and the driver.

Reporter: Smith says the department did not mean to mislead the media or the public. She would not say if Sierra had been spotted inside the red Jetta with the black hood in any of the surveillance video they captured.

Sheriff Laurie Smith: The media is so helpful for us, but we're not going to release something that might hurt where we're going and our objective.

Reporter: The Sheriff says they have about 80 different pieces of video as evidence. Some show the car near Sierra's home, some don't. But forensics and witnesses lead them to believe the car is tied to her disappearance. She revealed the crime lab is still examining hundreds of pieces of evidence collected in the field.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/news/local/Search-for-Sierra-in-National-Spotlight/151225915

May 11 from video @ link

Marlene: I want her to see that. I want her to hear what I'm saying right now- that I love her and miss her dearly. And just, really- I'm anxious to see her again.

Marlene: I'm hopeful. They found Elizabeth Smart through America's Most Wanted.

Marlene: I'm still not giving up.

Marlene: Reaching out to Sierra, letting her know that I love her so much as a mother and definitely she's a joy in my life.

Marlene: As soon as I put that pen to the paper, things started to flow and it was effortless and I realize there's a reason why I'm doing it.

Marlene: I'm thinking about the future Mother Days that are going to happen and that- I'm going to celebrate it with Sierra.

Reporter: One interesting note, the idea to write this letter actually came from Marc Klaas. He thought it would be a good idea for Sierra's mom to try and make contact with her.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8658957

May 11 from video @ link

Marlene: I'm reaching out to Sierra, letting her know that I love her so much as a mother and definitely she's a joy in my life and I do refer to- as my miracle baby.

Reporter: That's because she had Sierra late in life. She also wrote this letter to keep Sierra in people's minds, and help in her search.

Marlene: I'm still not giving up. I'm still hopeful and I'm just letting everybody know that this case is still wide open.

Marlene: I consider this a strong lead and want to follow up on it.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/opin...cle_321826f6-9b97-11e1-80a6-001a4bcf6878.html

May 11 Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

As one of many volunteers manning the kitchen at the Sierra LaMar Recovery Center at Burnett School, I want to publicly thank all those who have contributed food and drinks for the hundreds of volunteers searching for Sierra.

Food has been served all day on each of the days the center has been open and some donors have been back each and every day bringing coffee and food.

Come by the Recovery Center at Burnett and take a look at the list of food donors displayed on the kitchen wall. Support and thank those businesses and individuals who have gone above and beyond in support of the search. This community, which extends from Gilroy to San Jose, has shown such heart and generosity.

Joan Sullivan, Morgan Hill
 
http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/americas-most-wanted/video/full-episodes

May 11 America's Most Wanted

John Walsh: Here in California, there’s a missing teenager who’s on everyone’s mind- 15 year old Sierra LaMar. Now, Sierra was last seen in Santa Clara County. That was about two months ago - and now everybody in the country is asking the question: Where is Sierra LaMar? Well, tonight, I’m sitting down with her father, as we try to bring home another missing child.

The mystery of what exactly happened to Sierra LaMar grows in the shadows of some dark family secrets - and in a section of Northern California where predators have a million places to hide.

Like so many teenagers today, 15 year old Sierra loves hip hop, and lives out her life on camera. But no one was videotaping on March 16th when Sierra walked out of her home, where she lived with her mother and her mother’s boyfriend, and then - vanished. So, what happened to this energetic, and popular competitive cheerleader?

Sierra’s mom was the last person to see her around 6AM that day.

Marlene: It was a typical morning, you know, it was - it was pretty much her routine. I would get ready for work and before leaving I would say goodbye to Sierra. And I would give her her lunch money. And I would make sure that- that it was in her purse and zip it up.

John Walsh: That purse was found here along with some of Sierra’s school books, a few days after she disappeared. They were wedged between this shack and a cactus about two miles from Sierra’s home. Then, on this nearby corner, searchers found Sierra’s cell phone.

Marlene: That was attached to her hip, as any normal teenager, she was on it frequently and always had it by her. So that’s why discovering that was really difficult to hear.

John Walsh: Investigators believe Sierra texted a friend before she headed off to school. She normally walked alone for less than ten minutes to the school bus. Scan their quiet, dead-end street, and it’s hard to imagine how anyone could have grabbed Sierra here without careful planning. But then, turn the corner, walk the last quarter of a mile to Sierra’s bus stop, and the possibilities multiply.

Sheriff Laurie Smith: It’s on the outskirts of Morgan Hill. There’s big lots. It’s in a county area. There’s a lot of migrant workers in the area. There’s a lot of major, big houses. There’s a lot of shacks. Um, there’s a lot of agriculture. It’s a really different area.

John Walsh: Sheriff Laurie Smith watches over Santa Clara County, on the edge of Silicon Valley. She believes Sierra’s abduction was a crime of opportunity.

Sheriff Laurie Smith: If this is a situational abduction, that means that the person saw her, wanted something, generally the motive is sex, um - and abducted her. It wasn’t planned. There wasn’t a type. She was available. She was vulnerable, and she was desirable. And that’s the way we’re leaning, but we’re not closing the door to any possibilities.

John Walsh: Cops zeroed in on Sierra’s family first - and for good reason. Sierra’s dad, Steve LaMar, volunteered some disturbing information early on. Steve is a registered sex offender.

Marlene: We were still married, but at that time, I was focused on the kids, and being the PTA mom, and on my career. We were drifting before that, way before that. I don’t want to go into details about that situation or the case because the issue at hand is Sierra right now.

John Walsh: Cops say no one close to Sierra, including Steve, is a suspect at this time - and Steve didn’t hesitate to sit down with me, one on one.

John Walsh: I’m not betraying your trust here. It’s been in many many media reports that you’re a convicted sex offender.

Steve: Mhm.

John Walsh: And I know that’s not your reason that you’re here. You’re here because you want to get that girl back. That’s your daughter.

Steve: Right.

John Walsh: That’s your flesh and blood.

Steve: Mhm. What I did was, within the first half hour that the first deputy from the Sheriff’s Department came, I - I told him, um, you know, what - that I was a sex offender, registered sex offender. And so, I , you know, revealed that, and was really open and-

John Walsh: Right at the house when they came to the house-

Steve: Yeah, yeah.

John Walsh: The question that everyone seems to kind of avoid: Is there a possibility that Sierra, for whatever reason, might have gotten it into her 15-year old head, “I’m going to a new place, lots of things have happened, Dad’s a convicted sex offender, mom and dad are divorced, we’re living in a new house, it’s too much, I’m gonna hit the road.” Is that possible? I don’t hear anybody saying that.

Steve: No, that would be very unlikely in my mind. Um, just cause I know- uh, what - what state of mind Sierra was in. I had seen her the weekend before she went missing. I had talked to her on the phone the night before she went missing. Um, her state of mind -she was happy.

John Walsh: So, I never give up, but the odds are pretty slim. You know that.

Steve: Yeah.

John Walsh: And how are you dealing with that?

Steve: I am positive and, um, you know, adamant about it. I am never giving up. Not until I find her. I’m hoping you and your show will help us. I have confidence.

John Walsh: Steve didn’t just put faith in our show, countless volunteers have been helping search for Sierra since day one. And the search isn’t an easy one. Some of these men and women are on their eighth mission. The grid they’re covering is wide, through tough terrain. Krystine Dinh, a volunteer with child advocate organization KlaasKids, stays beside the family at the search center. Krystine’s sister, Michelle Le, was murdered allegedly by a friend. Searchers scoured a similar Bay Area grid for months before a volunteer found Michelle’s body.

Krystine Dinh: It’s important to keep going back. It’s important to keep trying every weekend. And with Sierra, there’s still a lot of hope. The point is, searchers are here to find evidence. They’re not here to find a body.

John Walsh: And that’s where you come in. Police say anyone could have information that leads to this child’s safe return.

Sheriff Laurie Smith: It’s what your instinct is. Is there someone that you think is suspicious? But this person may be such a psychopath that they’re not showing remorse. But didn’t they go to work? Are- do they have an obsessive nature about watching the media, or are they avoiding the media? Have they changed the color of the car? Have they changed their appearance? Have they changed the tires on their car?

John Walsh: And there is a car involved in the investigation. It was spotted on surveillance video near Sierra’s home, the day she went missing. Police impounded this red 1990s Volkswagen Jetta with a distinctive black hood. They won’t tell us why, but they think it’s connected to Sierra’s disappearance. They want viewers to tell them if they saw it before, on, or after March 16th.

If you know anything, anything at all, about Sierra’s disappearance, call us at 1-800-CRIMETV or go online to our website amw.com.

Monday, May 14, 2012

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_f62ee270-9e29-11e1-b014-0019bb30f31a.html

May 14 more @ link

Sheriff’s office plans to send divers into local waterways to search for Sierra LaMar and received some tips in response to Friday night’s airing of a segment on the missing Morgan Hill teen on “America’s Most Wanted.”

In response to some anomalous sonar images that cast shadow-looking shapes on the bottoms of Anderson, Coyote and Almaden reservoirs last week, the Santa Clara County sheriff’s office dive team plans to go into the water and more closely examine the objects, according to sheriff’s Sgt. Jose Cardoza.

http://www.kron4.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=4125

May 14 from video @ link

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: This red Jetta was known to investigators early on in the investigation, at the end of March. Um, but again, there were other vehicles that we know- that we knew of at the time that were seen either through witnesses or through surveillance video we obtained that were also in the area. Um, it wasn't until recently- within the past couple of weeks, um- based on some re-interviews, and some tips and leads that came in where it really piqued the detectives interest, and they believe that this red Jetta was associated.

Q: - found any evidence, whether hairs or clothes or anything of Sierra's that was found in the car?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Correct. We can't comment right now. It's an open investigation, so we're just not going to disclose any specifics.

Reporter: However, authorities will tell us that they know the owner of the vehicle.

Q: Can you tell us if the owner or owners are- uh, people of interest in the case?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: That's something we can't comment on right now. We're just not going to really comment as far as what capacity we believe it's associated - um, how big or how small. But what we can say right now, at this time, is that we do believe it's connected in some way.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

http://watsonville.patch.com/articles/vw-associated-with-lamar-case-hasn-t-been-examined

May 15 more @ link

The red, Volkswagen Jetta that investigators are associating with the kidnapping of Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar has yet to undergo forensic examination, and authorities will not disclose when the examination will begin, or if they're in the process of examining the vehicle once they start.

“The vehicle is in evidence, and will be examined at some point,” Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Sgt. Jose Cardoza said.

http://newark.patch.com/articles/divers-to-verify-questionable-items-in-sierra-lamar-case

May 15 more @ link

Sheriff’s divers are returning to Anderson, Almaden and Guadalupe reservoirs to verify objects that divers captured via sonar last week while searching for clues in the disappearance of Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar.

“Some images, like in prior water searches, came up that were questionable,” Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Sgt. Jose Cardoza said.

Questionable items that have appeared in past water searches include tires, vehicles, trees and large tree stumps, among other large objects.

'Most Wanted' generates leads in Sierra Lamar search - YouTube

May 15 from video @ link

Reporter: Some fresh tips in the search for Sierra, who has been missing now for two months.
Viewers of America's most wanted called in nearly a dozen tips over the weekend, after the popular crime show profiled missing teen Sierra LaMar. A couple of tips involved sightings of this red VW Jetta believed to be associated with the young girls disappearance.

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: The other- uh, half a dozen tips or whatever were areas- you know, the public thought we should kind of check for evidence or clues into the case. And again, you know, each- each tip that they get in, um- whether it be from America's most wanted or through our anonymous tip line, the detectives prioritize and they follow up on each one.

Reporter: Detectives not saying how solid or credible the news leads are, but they are among the more than two thousand leads that have come in since Sierra disappeared March 16th. Investigators say they need more tips.

Q: - piece of information that could lead you to cracking this case wide open, I mean- what would that be? Where would that tip come from?

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Uh- that's a good question. Um, we do believe this red Jetta is associated, we just don't know to what extent yet. There's still work that has to be done.

Reporter: But detectives continue to remain tight lipped about the red VW Jetta with the black hood, only to say it was seen near Sierra's home the morning she went missing. The car was found last week and continues to be the biggest lead to date, but investigators are not saying who owns it and whether or not they've been questioned.

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: But the bottom line is, we do not have anybody in custody on the Sierra case right now as it stands. We do have that red Jetta being held as evidence. We believe it's associated to the Sierra LaMar disappearance.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8663869

May 16 more @ link

Friends and family of missing Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar are marking the two-month anniversary of her disappearance today with another search.

Sierra, 15, disappeared after she left for school on the morning of March 16, prompting extensive searches of the area. Sheriff's investigators have said they believe her disappearance is an abduction.

"This is not how I wanted to acknowledge this date, but I am deeply grateful that the community continues to support her cause," Sierra's father, Steve LaMar said in a statement Tuesday.

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_20640517/letter-from-sierra-lamars-dad-marks-2-month

May 16 more @ link

"Although today marks the painful two-month milestone since my daughter Sierra went missing, my family and I remain positive and confident that she will be back home safe with us soon," Steve LaMar wrote in a brief memo posted on the website dedicated to finding Sierra.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8664159

May 16 from video @ link

Reporter: Every day begins with a prayer at the Sierra LaMar search center. Sierra's mother Marlene is here, as she is most days. Her faith strong, she says- and her spirits lifted by word from investigators of progress in the search for her girl.

Marlene: Witnesses.

Reporter: Can you tell- uh, they have witnesses that saw something related to the car or something else- or?

Marlene: That I can't comment- I can't comment on.

Reporter: Okay.

Marlene: Yeah.

Reporter: But it's witnesses that they're talking to?

Marlene: Yes. Yes.

Reporter: This comes on the heels of the announcement earlier this month of the recovery of a red and black Volkswagen tied to Sierra's disappearance. And last week, Sierra's story told on national television on America's most wanted. Today, more media coverage, as Sierra's mother awaits the arrival of a reporter from the BBC.

Marlene: It's great that- uh, the BBC is coming this morning to help- uh, release more coverage. I feel that- that station has a different audience.

http://www.kron4.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=4155

May 16 from video @ link

Reporter: Marlene LaMar wears this button with a picture of her daughter on it every day.

Marlene: This is the button that I feel that closely resembles her.

Reporter: She was the last person to see Sierra on March 16th, and since then she hasn't been able to sleep at night.

Marlene: It's- um, draining. And- and it's still exhausting and this nightmare really isn't going to end until her safe return.

Reporter: This photo of a red Volkswagen Jetta with a black hood was recently released by the Santa Clara County Sheriff's office. Marlene had never seen the car before then, but she says it's a strong physical lead.

Marlene: And I do know that there are witnesses that are coming forward since the release of the car.

Reporter: She told me she is taking it day by day, praying for her daughter's safe return home.

Reporter: Meanwhile, the Santa Clara County Sheriff's department says it's investigation is continuing at full force with water and land searches, and the Sheriff's are also continuing to conduct interviews.

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Our efforts have been nonstop in interviews, and again those include, um- interviewing people we spoke to before early in the case. You know, sometimes it's a - it's a bonus when you interview somebody weeks later or sometime later- uh, after the initial part of the investigation. Sometimes they remember things that may help out in the- in the case. So, again, whether it's re interviews, or whether it's new interviews- uh, based on tips and leads, detectives still continue to do interviews on the case.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

http://gilroy.patch.com/articles/tipsters-respond-to-amw-coverage-of-sierra-lamar

May 17 more @ link

America’s Most Wanted has received tips ranging from potential areas of interest to a sighting of the Volkswagen associated with Sierra LaMar’s disappearance. The tips were relayed the weekend after the national crime show aired its latest coverage of the LaMar case on May 11.

Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Sgt. Jose Cardoza said AMW has been forwarding tips to the Sheriff’s Office as they’re received. Four tips came in last weekend, and more tips may have been sent throughout the week, Cardoza said.

Monday, May 21, 2012

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=18578011

May 21 more @ link

According to a news release from the Klaas Kids Foundation, Sierra LaMar's mother Marlene is asking the community to take time off from searching for her daughter over the Memorial Day weekend.

"We would like our searching family to spend time with their families this coming Memorial Day weekend," said Marlene LaMar. "Therefore a community search will not be scheduled for Saturday, May 26."


http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/...g-News--Arrest-in-Sierra-Lamar-Case/152462965

May 21 Sheriff Laurie Smith interview

Sheriff Laurie Smith: I just wanted to alert the media that we have arrested a suspect in the kidnapping of Sierra LaMar. His name is Antolin Garcia. We will be doing a press conference tomorrow morning to provide more details but he has been arrested.

Q: This car is connected to Antolin Garcia?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: The car- the red car is the car that belongs to Antolin Garcia.

Q: Sheriff Smith, once again- can you tell us who is in custody and what he is being booked for at this hour?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: We have arrested Antolin Garcia-Torres. He's been arrested for murder and kidnapping. He was booked a little earlier this evening and we're continuing the investigation.

Q: What is the connection between Garcia and Sierra LaMar?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: We'll release some of the information tomorrow on what we have because we do want to fill you in on everything that we can. So we'll save that for tomorrow. But we have a lot of physical evidence that connects the two.

Q: Part of that physical evidence is apparently this 1990's red VW Jetta. Can you tell us more about that and who the registered owner of that vehicle is.

Sheriff Laurie Smith: He is the registered owner. We have had the car, and we were looking for anyone that had seen where that car was. We still want more information, if there is any witnesses.

Q: You talked about physical evidence. There were some reports that there was DNA evidence. Can you talk to us about that?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: As far as DNA, and other physical evidence, we'll talk about that tomorrow. Right now I think it's just important we let you know that we have made an arrest and the person has been booked into jail.

Q: Why this evening?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: He was arrested today because this is how that we thought the arrest should be done, and public safety is our main concern. We don't want anyone else hurt. We don't want any more little girls taken.

Q: Sheriff, have you reached out to the family and what are they saying to you?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: This is very very difficult for the family. The family has been very very supportive all along. They understand. We kept them apprised of everything that has happened in the investigation all along. We think it's important that they know. It's very difficult for them. Tomorrow when we do the press conference, the family will be there.

Q: Has he been under surveillance? For how long?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: Again, we will address that tomorrow. He has been under surveillance, and we'll fill you in on a lot of the details when we do the press conference tomorrow.

Q: The fact that he's charged with murder, what does that mean to you?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: He's been charged with murder. That means that we believe- we have- um, probable cause to believe that he committed the kidnapping and murder of Sierra LaMar.

Q: And once again, you said that the physical evidence- you're not commenting on whether there is DNA- did you find evidence in that red Jetta?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: We certainly have evidence in the case. We have evidence- evidence from many sources, and again, we'll let you know tomorrow. We've not found Sierra yet and we're asking the public to continue- please look for her. Please find Sierra for us.

Q: Is there any evidence in the car to suggest that Sierra LaMar is still alive?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: I think that we have to do that tomorrow and fill you in on those details. But, no.

Q: You do not believe that she is alive.

Sheriff Laurie Smith: We're charging the suspect with murder.

Q: So again, can you tell us how that arrest was effected- of Mr. Garcia-Torres. And where?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: Again, if you can just give us until tomorrow morning. It's been a long day for all of us. It's been a long day for our detectives. We'll have the family here tomorrow. We'll be better prepared than we are right now and we'll release everything that we can release to you.

Q: Detectives have worked nonstop around the clock.

Sheriff Laurie Smith: There is a lot of heroes in this department. Detectives are the heroes. The person that first showed up at the scene is a hero- that knew that this was not a runaway child. And our search and rescue team, they found the evidence that they found so early into the investigation. A lot of people have worked very hard and they've done a wonderful job.

http://www.kron4.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=4200

May 21 Sheriff Laurie Smith interview

Q: An arrest has been made, can you first tell us who is in custody and on what charges is he-

Sheriff Laurie Smith: We've arrested Antolin Garcia-Torres. We've arrested him for murder and kidnapping. He was booked a couple of hours ago in the jail.

Q: Now, for a number of weeks, there have been photos released to the media of a red Jetta. Can you tell us what connection the suspect has to that red Jetta?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: The red Jetta is his car. We've had his car. We just are looking for people still to tell us- where have you seen the Jetta? What have you seen it doing? Where have you seen our suspect Antolin Garcia-Torres? We need information. Uh, we have credible, good information now but we need more - and tomorrow morning we'll be able to provide you with a lot of the particulars at the press conference - and, uh- Sierra's family will be there too and I imagine it's very, very difficult for them.

Q: Difficult, saddening as well- when you say that you've made an arrest for murder. So it seems to suggest that you believe that LaMar is no longer alive.

Sheriff Laurie Smith: That's correct.

Q: Is there anything you could talk to us about- evidence that seems to suggest why you believe that this is a murder?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: I think that we'll be able to fill that in tomorrow and tell you why- what led to the arrest, the information that we have - and - but we would like to do that tomorrow where we can be better organized. We can have the family there and we can do- in an organized manner. But, it's important that you know that an arrest has been made.

Q: Sheriff, can you tell us where he was arrested at?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: He was arrested in Morgan Hill in a shop- in a business shopping center.

Q: We heard Safeway- is that where he's employed?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: He's not employed there. Um, that was something that was put out earlier that I don't think is correct.

Q: Sheriff, there was a lot of conflicting information a few weeks ago with the release of the vehicle, the picture was put out there but not really telling who the registered owner is- we'd like to clarify some of that.

Sheriff Laurie Smith: Yes. It was never our intent to mislead the media. We went back and read what we put out, and I can understand how it did mislead- but what we were looking for is who has seen the car- whether it was before the crime, on the day of the crime or after the crime- because we were looking for information. We were not looking for the car. And the following day we clarified that we actually did have the car and weren't looking for it. I think it was our fault for putting information out that looked misleading but it certainly wasn't our intent.

Q: You said you had the car in your possession, so that also means that you knew who the registered owner is or was-

Sheriff Laurie Smith: Yes.

Q: - was he then also under surveillance?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: There has been a lot of surveillance. We've surveilled several people, including our suspect that we've arrested and w- we will comment tomorrow more on that.

Q: But you believe he was a danger- and in turn moved in for the arrest tonight?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: If he's a suspect in a murder and kidnapping of a young girl, he's very dangerous and we think that it's important that he's in custody. Surveillance is not perfect. We decided to make the arrest and we believe we have sufficient evidence- not only to arrest, but for a successful prosecution.

Q: Does this individual have any prior contact with police- any arrests?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: Um, we'll comment on that tomorrow.

Q: Does he have any sort of past relationship with Sierra?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: We'll comment on that tomorrow. Sorry guys.

Q: The family has been made aware of this arrest?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: We've been communicating all along with the family, and keeping them updated on everything that we've been doing. The family's been cooperative, it's very very difficult time for them.

Q: I was going to say, you've been able to speak with obviously Sierra's mother-

Sheriff Laurie Smith: Yes.

Q: Describe her state tonight- what the mood is.

Sheriff Laurie Smith: We'll cover that tomorrow, and- and- I haven't talked to her today.

Q: Sheriff, can you at least say if the suspect knew the victim?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: I don't want to say that.

Q: How do you feel? This has been a long- this goes back to March 16th. What does this mean for your investigators and for your department?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: Well, I'm really really proud of the dedication, the hard work our investigators have done. They've worked tireless. Uh- we've had 24 hour day operations on many things- I'm really really proud of them. How does it make me feel? We potentially- or we do have a dead child. I can't feel good about that- but I'm happy that we can bring someone to justice.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/raw-video-sierra-la-mar-suspect-antolin-garcia/vHPHb/

May 21 Antolin Garcia-Torres leaves Sheriff's headquarters raw video

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law/suspect-taken-custody-sierra-la-mar-case/nPBX3/

May 21 more @ link

A KTVU camera crew was at the Safeway store on Tenant Avenue in Morgan Hill at around 6 p.m. when sheriff's detectives took Garcia-Torres, a store employee, into custody.

KTVU followed the detectives to the sheriff's headquarters in San Jose and were outside at around 9 p.m. when detectives took Torres to the main county jail.

Sources tell KTVU detectives questioned Garcia-Torres for two hours about the missing teenager, trying to find out her location.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/05/22/BAGC1OLIUT.DTL

May 21 more @ link

In a statement, Cardoza said, "Detectives believe Garcia-Torres is responsible for Sierra LaMar's disappearance."

The suspect attended Central High School in Morgan Hill and does not have a serious criminal history except for a 2009 arrest for resisting arrest, KTVU-TV reported.

http://www.contracostatimes.com/cri...ts-21-year-old-detained-connection?source=rss

May 21 more @ link

Marc Klaas, who has been organizing volunteer searches since Sierra's disappearance, says he was given the same incomplete news after his own 12-year-old daughter, Polly, was kidnapped from their Petaluma home in 1993.

"I would say they're very angry now," Klaas said of the LaMar family, although he hadn't talked to them late Monday night.

"They've been told somebody murdered their daughter, but they can't prove it. That's how I felt. They needed to prove to me one way or another before I would accept anything, until they proved to me my
daughter was dead."

After being dominated by fear and anger for the past two months, the LaMar family is now "possibly at the point where there won't be anything left to be afraid of," Klaas said.

Until Sierra's body is recovered, he said, his volunteers will continue with a scheduled search Wednesday "in hopes of still finding Sierra alive."

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8671450

May 21 more @ link

"It was about 5:30, I was at work and we just saw a bunch of cops and guns drawn and I couldn't see anyone if they took him away. I just saw the cops, it was just cops and cop cars, it was all really fast," said Bobby Fox, a witness at Safeway.
 
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8671275

May 21 from video @ link

Sheriff Laurie Smith: There is significant evidence associated with- with the Jetta. We have had the Jetta. We were looking for people to tell us where they've seen the Jetta before the crime, the day of the crime, and after the crime. We want to see if there is more people that know where he goes, what his habits are- just to add additional information to our investigation.

http://www.fugitive.com/2009/03/24/...f-unknown-suspect-who-attacked-women-safeway/

March 24 2009 Article on Safeway assaults

http://www.morgan-hill.ca.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DID=2132

March 26 2009 Safeway assault press release

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8671975

May 22 Press Conference

Sheriff Laurie Smith: Thank you for being patient with us. As you are aware, we did make an arrest last night. I'd like to start off by expressing condolences to Sierra's family. It's a very difficult time for them. And, um- on behalf of all law enforcement, all of the volunteers that have been involved in this investigation; they've been so dedicated, they've worked very hard to- to come to this point. After about two and half months of continuous investigation, with collaboration of all local agencies, state agencies, federal agencies - we really would like to acknowledge- the US Marshal is here, um- the supervising agent in charge from the FBI for their early efforts and there commitment for personnel. This has been very very labor intensive. We've used a lot of man hours, a lot of volunteer hours from our search and rescue team and for that we're grateful.

Our investigation has led to the identification of Antolin Garcia-Torres as the person responsible for the kidnapping and murder of Sierra LaMar. We developed this through our investigation based on direct and circumstantial evidence including forensic analysis conducted by the Santa Clara County district attorney's crime lab. The discovery of Sierra's cell phone, her clothing- what she wore that day and her personal belongings have contributed to our belief that - that Sierra is a victim of murder.

Early on when our deputy first responded to the missing child report, he knew immediately that this was not just a runaway. This was something more significant. So, early in the investigation we had tremendous resources out there searching. We found the bag of clothing less than two days after she was reported missing, and our search and rescue team found that two miles from her house. A two mile radius is a huge radius to search, and it was that clothing that was really instrumental in identifying the subject.

Off of her property in the bag, we found DNA from- um, Antolin Garcia-Torres. It was that DNA that was placed into the system that- that revealed the identity. We received those lab results on March 28th, and from March 28th until present time- we had 24 hour a day surveillance on Garcia. We needed additional information and we were continuing the investigation. We were hoping that he would lead us to where Sierra was. Our surveillance efforts were around the clock because public safely was our primary concern.

We also have information that we just recently developed that there were three assaults in Morgan Hill about three years ago, in March of 2009. We have linked one of those to our suspect through forensic evidence. He was booked last night for murder and kidnapping.

The family is here. We're not certain if the family will come down and talk with you. I believe that they will. This is a very very difficult time for them and we just really wish to express our deepest condolences to the family. I will take some questions.

Q: Laurie, what prompted the arrest now?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: We had additional D-we got the initial DNA from her property that we found two days after. That led to the suspect. We seized the suspects vehicle on- on April 7th. At the time we did search warrants, we have physical evidence linking Sierra to his vehicle.

Q: Any possible motive? Why did their worlds collide?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: We don't know that. It's my belief that this was purely random. It was an absolute stranger abduction. There is no information that we have of any type that the two know each other, have had any contact. We believe that this is the worst kind of a crime. A stranger abduction of a young girl.

Q: The DNA that you found in that bag- what- what was it on the clothes, in the bag- what was that?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: I'm not sure what item it was on. It was found in multiple places on her property. And we're not going to comment-

Q: - was it saliva?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: -anymore on the type or the nature of the DNA. But it was enough DNA to link him within the CODIS system identifying him as the person.

Q: You've had the car since April 7th. Did you ever have contact and interview him and did he know he was under surveillance and *inaudible*

Sheriff Laurie Smith: I believe that he may have believed he was under surveillance. We don't know that for sure. Um, we've talked to him multiple times. Last night after his arrest was the first custodial environment interview that we've had with him.

Q: Can you talk about that conversation? Has he admitted to the crime? Is he going to take you to the body?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: We have gained some value from our interviews with him but nothing substantive and we hope at some point he does tell us more than he's telling us now.

Q: What makes you think that she's dead? What gives you that proof?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: Sierra was a very social girl. She had a lot of friends. She communicated with her friends all the time through social media outlets, through telephoning. From the time that she was reported missing, there was absolutely no contact. There has been no contact with any of her friends. We have no reason to believe that she ran away. We now have a stranger who we identified through DNA on her property. Also, her property- she threw away- or discarded- she did not throw away. Discarded was her property that she would have taken- that she would have taken with her including medication.

Q: Do you know if he ever took part in any of the community searches for Sierra?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: I don't believe he did. But, but I- we haven't confirmed that.

Q: Can you tell us if there were any other suspects linked to this person? Anybody else who knew or participated in the kidnapping?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: Early in the investigation we had many many suspects. We did additional surveillance other than with him. Right now, we believe he is the only person responsible for the kidnapping and murder of Sierra.

Q: How do you know she is dead? You said the items we're there- he could have thrown them out- he could have her stashed away somewhere, hidden somewhere? These are possibilities.

Sheriff Laurie Smith: We have a lot of direct evidence. We have a lot of circumstantial evidence. We believe that the facts that we've-I've just talked about lead us to believe this. These are very very difficult cases. Um, to prosecute a homicide when you have not found the victim. But it has been done, and I think that we have adequate facts- in fact, strong facts to believe that she has been murdered.

Q: Is he a Morgan Hill resident?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: He is a Morgan Hill resident.

Q: Has he lived in that neighborhood-

Sheriff Laurie Smith: He doesn't live that close in the neighborhood but he's familiar with the area. He's spent most of his life, if not all of his life in that area. And he is a resident.

Q: Does he have an alibi?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: Again, he has not been totally disclosive with us in it and so we haven't had an opportunity to test any alibi.

Q: In regards to the three assaults that happened in March 2009, were they sexual in nature or were they physical assaults?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: They were physical assaults that, um- were not completed if you will. And I know it's been widely reported in the media. One was where a tazer was involved- but the victim managed to get away. Another one was where the victim had a knife and it had been used against her. And the other one was he was not able to get into the victims car, she locked it. Those have been reported by the media and one of those we've linked through evidence to- um, our suspect.

Q: Which one? The tazer, the knife or -?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: Yeah, I don't remember which one it was.

Q: Did you locate blood in the red vehicle that matched Sierra LaMar?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: Um, we have not located any blood but we're not commenting on really any of the physical evidence. We want that to remain confidential. Our focus right now is continuing to search and look for Sierra and we hope that we reach a successful prosecution on the person who did this.

Q: Why was he in the database to begin with? What had he done?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: He had- um, he has a prior conviction for interfering with an officer. That's a misdemeanor. He has a prior felony arrest for an assault- that's what got him into the database, but that was not prosecuted.

Q: If you believe that she is dead, do you have any sense of how long she lived?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: We don't know that. We don't know that. When we look at these types of cases, and when I mentioned and thanked the FBI for their assistance- early on in the investigation we had their team of their child abduction experts from all over the country come. We had their behavioral analysis unit from Quantico, VA who talked a lot to us about these types of cases- what to expect, and it's based of their research of these kinds of cases. And, what we're finding now that we have a suspect- we're finding that much of what they thought could have occurred really is. He's not an RSO, that is one thing that they told us right away. We were actually surprised because the first- one of the first things that we did was to look at all the RSOs. They said, in these cases, it's a very small percentage. Working with them was really important in the beginning and the probability of homicide is also very very strong for these types of cases that have been studied and researched by the FBI.

Q: I think a lot of people are concerned about- you have not found Sierra. Do you have a weapon or do you know how- if you believe, she was killed?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: Um, we don't have a weapon and we don't know. We don't know.

Q: What made it important yesterday versus the days and weeks before?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: We had received, um- the forensic evidence back on the vehicle that we seized earlier. Lab takes a long time, there are many many more things that are currently are with the lab. We are expecting results. We knew that we had probable cause and we had a strong case to arrest him for homicide and kidnapping. And, public safely was our primary concern. Even though we had been surveilling him, surveillance is not perfect. We wanted to make sure that this didn't happen again and public safety- again, has been our concern all along on this and to make sure that we had a good, viable case.

Q: I think this is going to come up later, Sheriff- and I want you to address this now. If you had this person under surveillance since March 28th, are you confident in the way that you have handled this case in terms of disseminating the information and protecting the case against the suspect, but with all the community and the volunteers and all of the searches that have put so much into this- and you obviously had a suspect early on, had evidence from the car early on-

Sheriff Laurie Smith: Um, I'm absolutely confident in what we've done. Our detectives have done amazing jobs. The community outreach has been wonderful and we were communicated with the community. The community in this has come together to search for her. What you have seen publicly has been our search- our search and rescue team, our Sheriff's office searchers, our underwater dive team. What you haven't seen because it's not as visible is our bigger operation- the investigation surveillance. That's not as visible to you so that's not what you saw. What the volunteers have been doing, what the search and rescue team have been doing is searching for Sierra- not investigating the case.

Q: The felony arrest for assault, was that tied to one of the March incidents?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: No. No. Those were never solved. The three assaults in Morgan Hill were not solved. Let me mention one other thing that I think is very interesting. Since January of 2011- so a little bit over a year, in Santa Clara County alone, there are- let me get the number- sorry, guess I should have this first- uh, I have it on my- I think there is 43 missing juvenile females reported since January of 2011 that have never returned home. It's- it's- you wonder if any of those actually were abductions also. Our detectives have done a great job. Our investigators from the very beginning- our patrol people that initially went to the call have done an extraordinary job and we put a lot of resources into it but these resources were important. This is a missing little girl.

Q: What was the felony arrest for?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: It was an assault.

Q: Was that a sexual assault?

Sheriff Laurie Smith: No. Um- and- and I know you've all met Sierra's mother and Sierra's father. And I think Sierra's mother, Marlene, would like to talk for a few moments.

Marlene: I would like to thank the community outreaching to find Sierra, and all their time and efforts that have gone into this and their prayers. We continue to pray until she's found. Our search still is not going to end. You know, as a mother, I still- I'm hopeful, because her- her body has not been found, and that gives me hope. And just what I've heard, you know, as far as certain things not being found in the vehicle also gives me hope. And I- again, I am so grateful for the response, for law enforcement. I have a- I do have a plea to the perpetrator to please, please give the information that you have- that you have to lead us to Sierra, to help end this nightmare. I would like you to come forward and say where she is and end this nightmare for us as a family. I'm not giving up hope, you know. Her body hasn't been found. And, you know- so many people have- you know- record breaking numbers showed up at the search center, like, thousands of people. And law enforcement, you know- doing it simultaneously. I believe there's a reason why she wasn't found. So I'm not- we're not giving up on that.

Steve: Good morning, everyone. I just want to say just a couple of words. The main thing would be that we want to thank, you know- everyone for all of the support we've gotten. So far, we still need your support. We need to bring Sierra home. So we still need to find her. So we're looking for everyone to help us do that. And- and we're- we want justice served. So that's what we're looking for. Thank you.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/morgan-hill-dna-evidence-key-in-breaking-sierra/vHQHq/

May 22 from video @ link

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: We have Garcia-Torre's DNA on some of Sierra's property that was located early on in the case.

Reporter: Deputies say Sierra's DNA was found in the suspects red VW Jetta. Investigators say they matched Garcia-Torre's DNA with a stun gun attack on a Morgan Hill woman in a Safeway parking lot three years ago. I talked to the victim then.

Victim: He kept pulling my hair, and punching me. So, that- I saw sparks coming from the side. They looked like little-uh, electrical lines.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/san-jose-authorities-release-more-details-in/vHP8t/

May 22 from video @ link

Victim: He kept pulling my hair, and punching me. So, that- I saw sparks coming from the side. They looked like little-uh, electrical lines.

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: We do have forensic evidence linking Garcia Torres to that case as well.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/loca...s-Tied-to-2009-Assault-Sheriff-152745265.html

May 22 more @ link

In two of the cases, the suspect, who was never caught, allegedly entered the women's' car from the rear driver-side door of their cars.

In at least one of the instances a woman said her attacker used a Tazer gun to stun her. At the time authorities said they believed the attacker was the same in all three cases.

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=18600093

May 22 more @ link

Sgt. Troy Hoefling says these crimes happened back to back and he believes they are all connected. "All three of these incidents happened within a 7 day period," said Hoefling.

On March 19, 2009, a woman was attacked with a stun gun at Safeway on Dunne Ave. Minutes earlier at the same parking lot a man followed a woman to her car and tried to break in. Then days later, on March 26th another attack occurred, but this time a woman was assaulted by a man with a knife at the Safeway on Tenant Ave.

Investigators say Garcia-Torres is a suspect in one of these cases and a person of interest in the other two.

http://www.ktvu.com/ap/ap/crime/sheriff-suspect-linked-by-dna-to-missing-ca-teen/nPCJB/

May 22 more @ link

The incident involved a Taser, and the victim managed to get away, Assistant Sheriff Pete Rode said, declining to provide more specifics.

Garcia-Torres declined an interview request by The Associated Press, and it was unknown if he has retained a lawyer, said Sgt. Jose Cardoza, a sheriff's office spokesman.

http://www.mercurynews.com/portal/c...case-was-watched-constantly-weeks?_loopback=1

May 22 more @ link

Garcia-Torres worked at Safeway on Tennant Avenue in Morgan Hill as recently as 2010 -- the same Safeway where he was arrested at gunpoint Monday night. With evidence in the Sierra case, police have also linked him to a 2009 Taser assault of a woman in her car in that Safeway parking lot.

Interrogating Garcia-Torres for several hours Monday night failed to reveal further clues to Sierra's whereabouts. But teams continued to search Uvas Reservoir and other south county waterways Tuesday, and a previously scheduled volunteer search will go forward as planned Wednesday.

http://gilroy.patch.com/articles/sierra-lamar-murder-kidnap-suspect-had-violent-past

May 22 more @ link

The young Morgan Hill man Santa Clara County Sheriff's investigators say kidnapped and murdered missing teen Sierra LaMar had been convicted of two misdemeanor crimes in 2009, court records reveal.

They also indicate Antolin Garcia-Torres had been arrested June 16, 2010 for felony battery and unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor between Oct. 1, 2009 and June 9, 2010.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/vi...ge-in-lamar-disappearance/#.T7v26Y-t22g.email

May 22 from video @ link, more @ link

Reporter: We have learned that the crucial DNA evidence in this case is not blood or semen, as it is in many cases like this- but, skin fragments that were somehow embedded in Sierra LaMar's clothing- clothing was found inside her Juicy bag that was discarded.

~~

Reporter: There is a lot of evidence that the investigators are going through, and obviously they're looking at a link to those 2009 cases. What we found out about those 2009 cases is that one of those cases has been positively linked to the suspect in this case through forensic DNA type evidence. And, the way that came about is that once the Sheriff's department got the information from the crime lab about the Juicy bag evidence, DNA- they went around and started asking local law enforcement if they had any attempted kidnappings in the area.

Morgan Hill police then came forward with that information about the 2009 case. From that information, they were able to match the DNA from that 2009 case to the suspects present day cases and so that is now positively tying him- there were two other cases involved in that area, and incidentally the reason that they started asking local law enforcement is that was a tip from the FBI - the crime lab people from the FBI were here early in the case and they basically told the Sheriff's department not to- you know, put too much attention on the sex crimes database people, but to look for other attempted type kidnappings or assaults of young women and that is exactly what they did and so they are able to strengthen their case now as a result of that investigation. We've also learned that the suspect in this case who was questioned for about two hours here last night is now invoking his constitutional rights to remain silent. He is at the Santa Clara County main jail.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/news/local/Antolin-Garcia-Torres-Family-Speaks-Out/152622415

May 22 from video @ link AGT family speaks

Lucero Garcia: -evidence. Ever since- ever since we found out what- you know, that he could be involved or- it's just, it's a shocker to all of us. He of course didn't do it, he did not do it. I know everybody says that. I know everybody says that but I know him. I know he didn't do it. He's not capable of that. There's no motive, like was mentioned at the press- there's no motive. It's- I - I feel- they don't have physical evidence. There is no physical evidence at all.

Q: They had her DNA in the car.

Lucero Garcia: Not in the car, actually.

Q: In her purse-

Lucero Garcia: It's not - yeah.

Isboset Martinez: Every time you ask the Sheriff something, you know, you could tell the way she cuts people off by her questioning- and I'm his brother in law but you know what honestly, like they said they haven't found a body yet. They haven't found- things that leaded them straight to him. If they already know it's him, why do they have him in custody, you know? Cause I don't understand why that is. I think that's really unfair just because they have to point fingers right now it's because they do that. I don't know, because, you know why? Because his- his car was going around there at that time. Maybe it's the wrong time, maybe, you know. But - if they had- if they had- if they have the evidence like they say they did, they would do it right there, right then.

Lucero Garcia: He's been followed.

Isboset Martinez: Like, exactly, if they were concerned about the town why--

Lucero Garcia: He's been followed for two months. They should have done it since the very beginning had they- if they thought that it was really him. I mean, I feel- I feel all of this- I feel that they need to go deeper into this investigation because-

Isboset Martinez: Before they judge him-

Lucero Garcia: Yeah.

Q: Tell us about you brother.

Lucero Garcia: He's sweet. He's- not - totally - he, I mean, he has a baby on the way. You know, he has a 1 1/2 year old. They're very happy. There's no motive for him to be doing any of this. I mean, I don't know. It's a mistake, I feel.

Q: They're connecting him to other attacks in Morgan Hill-

Lucero Garcia: Right. I mean-

Q: Do you know anything about that?

Lucero Garcia: No. No. It's just- I - I don't know. And, every new thing that's been coming up- it's like, they're trying to link it to him. I mean- they- I don't know.

Q: When is the last time you talked to him and how is he doing?

Lucero Garcia: We talked about a week and a half ago. He was at my moms having a barbeque. I took the kids over. He was fine. We were- everyone was normal. Like always.

Q: You guys, before this- I mean, I know this girl has been missing in your neighborhood, so she may turn up - her name might come up. Have you guys ever had a conversation about her just in passing? Did he ever say anything about her?

Lucero Garcia: No. Not with him. I mean, I followed the case since the beginning and I'm very- you know, I'm very sorry for the LaMar family. I- you know, I- I really hope that she- I really hope she comes up. I really hope she comes up, and I have nothing to say bad about them. I mean, but- just to find out that they're linking your family member- it's, it's hard.

Q: So, he didn't know her. You didn't know her.

Lucero Garcia: No. Nobody did.

Isboset Martinez: We didn't know her. It's just like, shocker all of a sudden like, seeing the news last night. We arrived home from dinner and the first thing we see is his picture. We start receiving messages out of nowhere. We're like, oh my god. And it's just because of an incident I think like- that he got arrested for. It wasn't just because- you know, they were already on him because they had proof of it. And I- just like I tell her- just like they have the right to defend, you know, the Sheriff talk- right- I think we have freedom of speech also to say what we're thinking. Because-

Q: So you think he's kind of an easy target based on-

Isboset Martinez: Yeah because they don't have any other person, like they said. You know, and without the body, without weapons, or without anything that *inaudible* you know, there's nothing they can really do about it. And I think it's just unfair that they have him in there right now when they don't even know if it's him yet. They say that there is evidence of DNA in the bag, but what were they? That's something they don't want to say. Why- why would they say, oh yeah- he's the one when they don't want to say, oh yeah- this is what we found in the bag. That's what I've been telling her. You know, we're- we're here for him. And if- you know, like- she said we feel really bad for the family also because we have our own kids. But, that's not- *inaudible* to do that, right away.

Q: What about the surveillance? Did you know or did he know?

Lucero Garcia: Everybody knew he was being- he knew he was being followed. Everybody knew. We were- there was people out here videotaping us. We knew that he was- I mean, if he had done this crime or the crime that they say that he did, if anything, because they- there's no body yet, you know? She hasn't come up. You would think that he would, I don't know- go away or try to run away or something. He's been notihng but compliant with the police. He's given them two DNA swabs. There's maybe like, two invest-um- um, interrogations. They searched the trailer, everything. I mean, he's been- you know, he's been doing everything that they've asked. Everything that they've asked. There's no- you'd think that if he had done it, he would have run away, you know? Trying to go somewhere else, right? Disappear, something.

Q: How did you all find out he was under arrest?

Lucero Garcia: Through the news. Through the news. Yeah. That's how we found out.

Q: So, did he currently work at the Safeway?

Lucero Garcia: No. No.

Q: He used to work-

Lucero Garcia: He used to work there.

Q: And he's looking for work? Is that what he-

Lucero Garcia: No.

Q: Does he work now?

Lucero Garcia: I don't know what he does now. He used to work at Tennant and- yeah, that's-

Q: *inaudible* is your mom?

Lucero Garcia: She's- she's distraught. She doesn't know what to do. I mean, everyone- we keep getting messages, calls.

Q: Have you been able to talk to him since he's been in jail?

Lucero Garcia: No. No.

Q: And he has a 1 1/2 year old?

Lucero Garcia: 1 1/2 year old and a baby on the way.

Q: And that is his wife? Girlfriend?

Lucero Garcia: His wife. Yeah.

Q: He's married with one kid and one on the way?

Lucero Garcia: Right. Yeah.

Q: Why do you think police, though- just, my other side- you know, it just makes me wonder why would police pick on an innocent man? Why would they?

Lucero Garcia: I don't know. I don't know. I feel like there's not enough evidence to convict him.

Q: Did he know what they were following him for? Did he have an idea or just-

Lucero Garcia: Since the beginning they said that they saw his car around the area. Somebody had called for the car around the area. They've had his car for two months already- doing forensics or whatever and-

Q: So did you know then why they put it out on the news that people should be looking for that car?

Lucero Garcia: Exactly. They've had the car for two months now and everyone is out there calling for- for this. They've- and they've had the car.

Q: If we were to meet him, what is he like?

Lucero Garcia: He's sweet. He's- he's genuine, he's sweet. He's- the physical appearance that they showed on television is one image of him but I know a different image. That's all.

Q: *inaudible*

Lucero Garcia: This sweet guy. He's sweet.

Q: Does he have a violent background?

Lucero Garcia: No. No.

Q: A violent bone in his body?

Lucero Garcia: No. No.

Q: Did you watch this press conference?

Lucero Garcia: Yes I did.

Q: And, what was your gut reaction, hearing all this about someone you care about?

Lucero Garcia: It's hard. I mean, I feel like the- the Sheriff, Laurie, is just trying to-

Isboset Martinez: Push him..

Lucero Garcia: - just, yeah. Push him in there. He doesn't- I - there's not enough evidence to convict him. And that's all I have.

Q: What is your name?

Lucero Garcia: Lucero.

Q: And your last name?

Lucero Garcia: Garcia.

Q: And your name?

Isboset Martinez: Isboset. It's Isboset. Martinez.

Q: And you are the brother in law?

Isboset Martinez: Yeah. We're- yeah, I been with her for really long time. I've known Antolin since *inaudible* real little, so.

Q: We've seen his mugshot. Do you have any pictures of him as a dad you want to show us?

Lucero Garcia: I don't have any current ones, no.

Q: So you're a married couple?

Isboset Martinez: Yeah.

<cut>

Q: What did he think when someone is out there taking- following him and stuff. Did that make him mad- I mean, I would be like, what are you doing? You know, like-

Isboset: He was just like, basically like anybody else- just like, wondering why they're just talking to him- like, that's the way he would talk to us and her, saying that um- that he didn't really have nothing to do with it. That he wasn't afraid of nothing, that they had a mistake. And we just- you know, he's our family member also so we, we're with him. You know, til- til the truth comes out- we- you know, *inaudible*

Q: Was he aware that they were looking at him in connection with the Sierra situation or did he just think it was just because-

Isboset Martinez: Well-

Q: - he was public enemy number one, or whatever-?

Isboset Martinez: After- after, after they received the *inaudible*, you know, when the- when the- when the investigators came up to him and told him that he was under surveillance, but- until then, you know- everybody knew. Before that, we didn't.

Q: He knew it was specifically <video cuts off>

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/sierra-lamar-case-mother-of-suspect-antolin-garcia/vHP2S/

May 22 from video @ link

Q: What are your thoughts right now with everything that has happened right now?

Laura Torres: I feel so sad. Lost one son five months ago- and now that happens with the only son that I have. This is- it's hard. It's hard to believe all this, but - I don't know what happened. He be in the wrong place, and the wrong time. I don't know what else I can say.

Q: The sheriff said it was just something- that he just- impulse- that he just decided to do. Is that something- doesn't sound like him?

Laura Torres: No. It not sounds like he doing that.

Q: And he lives here?

Laura Torres: Yeah. He lives with me, yeah.

Q: So you live here too?

Laura Torres: Yeah, yeah. We live together. Yeah.

Q: So the two kids- his wife?

Laura Torres: Well- one- one baby because the other baby is- is- is coming.

Q: The one and a half year old girl, that-?

Laura Torres: Yeah, yeah.

Q: Nineteen months?

Laura Torres: Nineteen months.

Q: And the other baby-will be born.

Laura Torres: Uh huh.

Q: What did the Sheriff say to you?

Laura Torres: They say they used to follow all day- when they took me to- to the police station, I was laughing and I said 'Oh, I get a weekend off' and I request to get a weekend off-last day, the last day of the week- they called me over there and I laughing, I say "oh, this is like being in a movie." but-

Q: -like Candid Camera or something like that?

Laura Torres: Yeah. I said "hey- I'm in the movies". But, after- you know, that happens on Saturday, but on Sunday I went to the church, and on that day I remember the father say something that makes me put in really attention because the father say that somebody, on the- on the, you know- God's time- they say the- one person, was-um, was in jail in a cause for something that he never did, and I came and I tell Martin- my husband, I say you know what? I'm going right now, because if they follow Antolin and Antolin say that he don't do nothing, look at what happened years and years ago. That person in the Bible was in jail and he never doing nothing. That can be happens with Antolin. And I tell the police, I say- you know what? Please. Please, check a little tiny thing- check, because you can destroy one life. You guys need to be sure that Antolin doing something because if that happens- years and years ago when God- what can be right now?

Q: Did he give any indication that he was involved in this in any way, shape, or form? Did he talk to you-

Laura Torres: No. He say, no. The only thing- he passed close the other day.

Q: He what?

Laura Torres: He passed the place- the- the- the girl disappear-because he has the day off other day and he say that he left his wife and the mothers house, and then he went back to go fishing on Uvas- Uvas park or something like that. I don't know. I don't know where is that. I don't know- and, um.

Q: That's his car- the red Jetta, that is his car?

Laura Torres: Yeah, yeah. That's his car.

Q: Were you here- when they- when they- did they tell you here that they had arrested him at Safeway?

Laura Torres: Yeah. Yesterday I was hollered for them, I said- hey, it's 9:30 already, and what happen? They not coming. But when- when, um- my daughter in law came in and I hear E**** crying, that is when I came and I asked them- I said, what happened, what happened? And, they say- they arrested Antolin. And then Antolin called me about 11, 11 something.

Q: Last night?

Laura Torres: Last night.

Q: What did he say?

Laura Torres: He say he was really worried about that happens, but he say- Mom, be strong. I need you strong, Mom.

Q: So, you talked to him on the phone?

Laura Torres: Mhm, yeah.

Q: This was last night you talked to your son?

Laura Torres: Yeah. He say, be really strong, Mom. I need you stay up like that because if I see you down, who is going to take care of my kids? I need you to take care of E****, be behind E****, and worry about her and the baby that is on the way.

Q: Did you know that your son was being followed? Under surveillance?

Laura Torres: Oh, yeah, yeah. We know that.

Q: What were your thoughts then, when you knew that? What were you thinking?

Laura Torres: I say 'you let them doing whatever they are going to do and it's their job. If you don't do something, why you be scared. If you don't do nothing, you just let them do their job.' And, I tell the police- I say, 'hey, It's your job.' They say 'do you understand, Laura, everything? You don't get mad because we follow Antolin'? And I say, 'no, you're doing your job, I understand.' I know my job, if I can give like 5 minutes to one of my patients or I give one hour- it's up to me. I'm just asking for you guys- please, just try to be sure, find everything and believe that maybe it's one of your sons, one of your family that is in all that- and what do you think? You want everything clear. I want that my son be clear.

Q: What was your conversation like with Antolin about Sierra LaMar? Did you talk about the case at all? I'm sure you had to hear about it on the news.

Laura Torres: Yeah. We hear about, you know- I always working, and when I'm coming home he was in his room or- we really don't talk too much until they call and ask or they follow us.

Q: When did they tell you that they were following your son?

Laura Torres: Oh, it was-uh, two months ago? Uh, almost two months ago. It was on the-

Q: How was the conversation? What did they-

Laura Torres: Worry, and the first day we laughing- and I say, hey- they wrong. They- they losing the time- follow me, and follow us. I say- why they doing that? I say they need to follow somebody else. But, I told my son- don't worry. They going to find the person. If you be- like, worry- afraid, or all that- just like, because you're doing something. But if you're clear, just let them do their job.

Q: Did you ask him if he was involved in this?

Laura Torres: Yeah.

Q: What did he say?

Laura Torres: He say that he never see the lady. He don't have any contact with her. He say he- all the time, passing close. But the police say they have evidence in the car.

Q: They say they have some of his DNA on her property-

Laura Torres: Yeah.

Q: What do you think when you hear that?

Laura Torres: Well, now it's still the same. It's a surprise. Antolin say he don't do nothing. What I can say?

Q: And you believe your son?

Laura Torres: I believe my son, but I can't say- I- you know the moon they always follow everything? Or you know the sunny that always follows everything? I'm not the sun, and I'm not the moon. I'm not his- what you call it when-you do like-shadow or what you call it?

Q: Shadow.

Laura Torres: Uh huh. I not be the shadow.

Q: You can't be his shadow?

Laura Torres: No. I can say for my person, everything- because I know my person- I know where I go, what I do and everything, but- it's my son, but I can't say what he doing. I trust whatever he say, but belief- who can say 'oh, he's doing' no, he- if I don't see he doing something what I going to say? I don't have any- and it's my son, I love my son. What can I say?

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/on-air/as-seen-on/Sierra-LaMar-Suspects-Family-Speaks/152912455

May 22 from video @ link

Laura Torres: I don't think so for him doing something bad, but it's my son. What mom believes that one of their kids doing something wrong? I don't believe that, and I don't want to see him *inaudible* but it still happens.

Reporter: Garcia-Torre's mom says after she went in for questioning, she asked Antolin if he had anything to do with Sierra's disappearance.

Laura Torres: And I talk with my son- tell me the truth, what happened? Why they follow you? Say- Mom, because I pass all the time when that happens- say I never knew the lady, I- he say he never see her before. Never.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8672935

May 22 from video @ link

Reporter: It is a family the has experienced a lot of personal pain over the years. His mother tells us that his brother was hooked on drugs and alcohol, and that he died from liver failure. His father is in jail. Now, his mother who lives with him always believed that Antolin was the good son out of the two.

Antolin Garcia-Torre's mother spoke to her son last night after his arrest.

Q: Did he ever tell you that he was involved with any of this?

Laura Torres: No, he was- he say that it was a surprise for- for him too. He say that he never see the- the- the girl.

Reporter: The suspects mother says they even put a tracking device in both their cars.

Laura Torres: And Antolin find one in my car too.

Q: Oh, really?

Laura Torres: That's why they know where he going and everything.

Reporter: Torres talked to her son last night after his arrest. She says he spoke only about his child E****.

Laura Torres: I need you to be strong because I need your help. I need you taking care- my kids. They- E****. Don't let E**** alone.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_0289a9b9-781f-5f41-9faf-2340d1153d9b.html

May 22 more @ link

Antolin Garcia-Torres' mother, Laura Torres, sobbed outside her home at Maple Leaf RV Park when she thought about her son being taken away and charged with the murder of 15-year-old Sierra LaMar, a crime she is certain he didn't commit.

“I'm the mom, I know when my sons are in trouble. And he wasn't in trouble,” Torres said, wiping tears from her puffy eyes. “He was at the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Torres described her son as the kind of father who cooked for his wife after a long day at work, and who changed his 20-month-old daughter's diaper without being asked.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_524ce604-a471-11e1-8d31-001a4bcf6878.html

May 22 more @ link

Garcia-Torres attended Morgan Hill Unified School District’s Live Oak High School, before transferring to Central Continuation High School in 2010, but did not graduate, according to Julie Zintsmaster, MHUSD executive secretary.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/morgan-hill-suspects-family-member-insist-on-his/vHQLr/

May 22 from video @ link

Reporter: Antolin's friend and neighbor at the trailer park told us they used to work together at Safeway in the deli department.

Neighbor: It's just mind boggling that he would do this. It just hurts me that my friend would be the suspect in this murder.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/fremont-father-of-sierra-lamar-talks-about-shock/vHQBn/

May 22 from video @ link

Reporter: Steve LaMar tells me there has been a lot of crying and very little sleep in the last 24 hours. We're here at Sierra's old high school here in Fremont where signs hang in the windows and across campus. He says support from the community has given him strength.

Steve: I'm kind of in a surreal shock state.

Reporter: The support from friends has been overwhelming. Steve LaMar says yesterday was the first time investigators told him they believe his daughter is no longer alive.

Steve: That was-uh, tough to hear. Um-we're still hoping, you know- somehow- somehow they're wrong.

Steve: Missing her like crazy. Um, hoping- you know, I'm still hoping-um, she's- she's there and we're going to bring her back alive.
 
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1205/22/ng.01.html

May 22 more @ link

Straight out to Keith Lamar, special guest joining us. This is little Sierra`s cousin. Keith, what is the family`s reaction to the arrest of Garcia-Torres?

KEITH LAMAR, COUSIN, SIERRA LAMAR: Hi, Nancy. I`d say confusion would be the best word to describe it right now. We`ve got an arrest and we`ve got a statement from the Sheriff that Sierra is no longer alive, but we don`t have a body.

GRACE: So the confusion is that the family believes Sierra may still be alive somewhere.

LAMAR: I suppose so. For a Sheriff to make a statement like you know Sierra is no longer alive, that`s pretty bold. And I just don`t know -- I mean, perhaps it`s because I`m a cousin, so I`m outside of the immediate circle, or they just -- I mean I don`t know.

That`s where the confusion lies. Why are they saying that she`s dead?

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/on-air/as-seen-on/San-Jose-Missing-Teenagers/152828545

May 22 from video @ link

Reporter: Sheriffs spokesman Jose Cardoza says that of the 63 cases of missing girls across the county, only two are in his department's jurisdiction.

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: The two other cases that we have involving-uh, minors, don't fit the profile.

Reporter: I contacted San Jose police about their missing girls cases. Since January, 37 girls have been reported missing. 15 from their homes, 16 from group homes, 4 from foster homes and two from shelters. All believed to be runaways. Sgt. Jason Dwyer says that if there were any open and active cases regarding missing at risk girls, you would have heard about them.

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=18600234

May 22 more @ link

Neighbors of the man accused of kidnapping and murdering Sierra LaMar said that he mostly kept to himself. Antolin Garica-Torres lived with his pregnant girlfriend and their child at the Maple Leaf RV Park in Morgan Hill, just down the road from Sierra's home.
"I don't know why but this guy gives me an eery feeling," said Galvan, the suspect's neighbor. Garcia-Torres did not go out of his way to talk to people who lived close to him, said neighbors.

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_20681098/new-details-expected-emerge-sierra-lamar-disappearance

May 22 more @ link

Kenneth Piccolo, a former English teacher for Antolin Garcia-Torres at Central Continuation High School, said he remembers Garcia-Torres' Jetta.

"My car has a black hood too, and we joked about it," Piccolo said. "You don't put two and two together and think, that's Antolin's car."

"I'm in total shock right now," Piccolo said. "We never thought he was a criminal or a troublemaker."

Piccolo described Garcia-Torres as "always respectful, very polite," and a "bigger-than-life presence on campus; very social." He didn't graduate because he didn't do all his work, not for lack of intelligence, he said.


http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law/sierras-parents-remain-hopeful-face-murder-arrest/nPCBg/

May 22 more @ link

Normally the Sierra Search Center isn't open on days when no active searches are scheduled. But because of the Monday night arrest of suspect Antolin Garcia-Torres, organizers unlocked the doors so volunteers could gather and console each other.
~~
Klaas Kids founder Marc Klaas said it is critical for people to continue to search, because right now the suspect holds the power.

"He's got a bargaining chip," explained Klaas. "He can plea down in exchange for her remains. We need to remove that bargaining chip from him."

http://milpitas.patch.com/articles/marc-klaas-stranger-abduction-arrest-exemplary

May 22 more @ link

Investigators involved in the capture of Antolin Garcia-Torres, the 21-year-old Morgan Hill man arrested on charges of kidnapping and murdering Sierra LaMar, have pulled off something quite remarkable, according to Marc Klaas, founder of the KlaasKids Foundation.

"They nailed a guy in a stranger abduction," he said. "That is one of the hardest things to do. I may quibble here and there with the way they released information publicly, but you cannot fault a successful investigation on a stranger abduction."

http://www.kron4.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=4211

May 22 more @ link

Marc Klaas of the Klaas Kids Foundation says it's more important than ever to locate Sierra's remains before the suspect in her killing, Antolin Garcia-Torres can trade the location of her body for potential leniency.

"To be able to take the power that this guy currently holds over us to make a deal for his miserable disgusting life and to put him where he belongs which is behind some triple set of bars where he can never do harm to another living person," Klaas tells KRON 4's Kate Thompson.

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=18600331

May 22 more @ link

Klaas says another big reason to find her, so Torres won't get a plea deal, a deal to lead investigators to Sierra for a shorter prison sentence.

"We need to take that power away from him," says Klaas. "Then and only then can they can dispatch the guy to the bowels of hell where he belongs without stopping at go and collecting $200."

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8671945

May 22 more @ link

Tuesday morning, the principal of Ann Sobrato High School made a campus-wide announcement in which she urged students to try to stay positive. We talked with several students who told us they are trying to do just that, including one girl who told us she came nearly face to face with the suspect seconds before he was arrested.

"We pulled into the parking lot and that's when he walked past my window," said Sierra's schoolmate, D**** Hendrix, who happened to witness the arrest of suspect of Garcia-Torres Monday night. "The guy walked right past my window and he was like two inches from it. Then all of a sudden, all the undercover cops came and they were like, 'Get on the ground! Get on the ground!"'
 
Wednesday, May 23, 2012

http://www.mercurynews.com/sierra-l...-suspect-being-investigated-three-2009-morgan

May 23 more @ link

Morgan Hill police on Wednesday said they are looking into the possibility Garcia Torres was involved in all three.

"The fact three of these happened in 2009 in such a short period of time, we're investigating and trying to see if he's responsible for all three," Morgan Hill police Sgt. Troy Hoefling said. "Very seldom do cases happen in such proximity (that) they are not related. But obviously we need to prove that."

http://losaltos.patch.com/articles/...ct-court-records-reveal-06670e88#pdf-10030186

May 23 PDF of court documents related to previous arrests of Antolin Garcia-Torres.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law/garcia-torres-be-charged-lamars-murder-arraignment/nPCrM/

May 23 more @ link

A 21-year-old Morgan Hill man who was to be charged with the murder of missing teenager Sierra LaMar was expected to appear in court on Thursday afternoon, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office.

Antolin Garcia-Torres, who was arrested Monday evening on suspicion of murder and kidnapping, was being held without bail at the Santa Clara County Main Jail on Wednesday. His arraignment was initially planned for Wednesday morning but was delayed, and he was scheduled to be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

http://www.mercurynews.com/sierra-l...s-continue-sierra-lamar-after-suspects-arrest

May 23 more @ link

Sheriff's divers Wednesday were scheduled to probe the Uvas Reservoir, 10 miles southwest of the unincorporated neighborhood off Palm and Dougherty avenues where Sierra vanished March 16. Sgt. Jose Cardoza said that will extend to other area waterways throughout the week.

The KlaasKids Foundation, which since the disappearance has spearheaded a civilian volunteer search based at Burnett Elementary School in Morgan Hill, also planned to search the area Wednesday.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/...Murder--Kidnap-in-Sierra-LaMar-Case/153387855

May 23 from video @ link

Reporter: Jeff Rosen walked out of his office to say there is enough evidence to send Antolin Garcia Torres to prison.

District Attorney Jeff Rosen: We're going to file the charges tomorrow at 1:30, and they'll become public then and the judge will read the charges to the defendant, and- uh, and we'll also release a statement of probable cause at that time which we'll make public, and that statement of probable cause will provide the reason and the basis for the charge or charges that we file.
~~
Reporter: Is there room for a plea deal if we find out where Sierra LaMar is?

District Attorney Jeff Rosen: There's nothing I can really say about that.

Reporter: Rosen could decide to go after the death penalty, or drop the murder charge until he gets more evidence.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/morgan-hill-hundreds-of-volunteers-join-search-for/vHQxr/

May 23 from video @ link

Marlene: We're just not satisfied with somebody being taken into custody. We still want her back and we're never going to give up.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8673992

May 23 from video @ link

Marlene: Just having all that involved and not seeing her body, um- there is- there is something about that. You know, this is- this is- still open ended. It's still a wide open case.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8674525

May 23 from video @ link

Marlene: And I just pray that he release information to help our search and finding Sierra.

Steve: We want some information to help us. If we don't get it, we're not going to stop. We're going to continue with what we're doing and- you know, we're going to find her.
~~
Reporter: Sierra's sister says whether the suspect talks or not, he will not control her family.

Danielle: We can't let him haunt us that way, like- we can't give him that power.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8674458

May 23 from video @ link

Danielle: There's no body or confession. We have to hold on to what we have left.

~~

Marlene: Sierra is not considered gone until she's brought back to us. And, you know, the- finding Sierra is - is still wide open- the case. And I'm not giving up.

~~

Steve: I still hold out hope that she's alive still, you know. There was some days where they weren't watching him- anything could have happened. Maybe he- you know, gave her to someone else who has her now or anything.

~~

Danielle: We have all those feelings- disgusted and shocked and- you know, surprised about his age- how young he is. That he has a family, you know.

Reporter: Mostly though, Danielle is just thinking about Sierra. Danielle misses her little sister and best friend.

Danielle: The good times we have, like- her laughing, her- you know, that kind of stuff. You know- that's what keeps me going.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/05/23/BAVI1OMCJ3.DTL#ixzz1vj6TqSXg

May 23 more @ link

Marlene LaMar said her daughter, Sierra LaMar, would not have spent time with someone like Antolin Garcia-Torres, 21, the man Santa Clara County sheriff's investigators say kidnapped and killed her. Sierra was last seen March 16 in her home near Morgan Hill. Her body has not been found.

"This is not a person I would ever associate my daughter talking to or feeling comfortable entering a vehicle with," LaMar said at a news conference. "I've seen a lot of the friends that she's hung out with, and I would never guess that she would willingly get into a car with somebody."

http://www.kron4.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=4214

May 23 from video @ link

Marlene: This person is definitely linked to her being missing because of the DNA uh-evidence. And I'm fully aware of what that means as far as pretty much being like an identification tag as far as proof that this person is linked to her abduction. I'm fully aware of that, but- like I said, this is a wide open case. We still haven't found her.

Reporter: She also said that investigators tipped her the day before the arrest was made that they were about to move in on this particular person.


http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/morgan-hill-reservoir-search-taking-suspects-alibi/vHRDc/

May 23 from video @ link

Reporter: Sierra's father, Steve LaMar, says the area around Uvas reservoir is of special interest, because Garcia-Torres had reportedly been there.

Steve: Whether it's true or false, basically we're- we're going to use that as- as a hint, and- you know, help- help lead our searches.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=8673979

May 23 more @ link

Sierra's family is hoping that Garcia-Torres tells detectives where they can find Sierra. But if not, at least at this point, the family says it is not willing to make any deals for that information.

There will be no search this Saturday at the request of Sierra's parents, who say they want the volunteers to have the holiday weekend off.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/47532509#47532509

May 23 from video @ link

Marlene: We believe there is no proof right now that she's not out there and that's the number one priority- is still finding Sierra.
~~
Marlene: You never give up hope on your child with anything. That's part of being a parent.
~~
Marlene: It's in your best interest to come forward to help end this nightmare. Miracles do happen.

http://www.kionrightnow.com/story/1...n-after-sheriff-says-she-was-victim-of-murder

May 23 more @ link

Even though investigators now say Antolin Garcia-Torres killed the 15-year-old Morgan Hill girl, her friends don't want to believe it.

"We just all had our hopes up, hoping and praying that she's still going to be alive- they still have no proof that she isn't alive so hopes are still up," says V******* Reyes, Sierra's friend.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1681730592?bctid=1650963179001

May 23 from video @ link

Q:..father?

Laura Torres: He's in jail. He has more than a- almost a year in jail.

Q: No- your son, Antolin.

Laura Torres: Oh, Antolin?

Q: Yeah, he-

Laura Torres: Oh yeah. Always be kind to baby- always- that's why I- all this is surprise to me. Why- he don't have friends that he can go drinking, and go doing drugs and everything and left the baby or his wife- no, they always, like- together. That's- why? Why that happens? What time he did something like that?

Q: Does he have another baby on the way?

Laura Torres: Yeah.

Q: Little boy or little girl?

Laura Torres: They don't know yet. She has-

Q: A little girl right now?

Laura Torres: Yeah, yeah.

Q: What is her name?

Laura Torres: E****.

Q: When you talked to him about this- you said, Antolin- did you do this or why are they questioning-

Laura Torres: I said 'Antolin, why? Why?' He said 'I don't know, Mom. I don't know. Just because I be in the wrong time passing there. It was my way to my job. I don't know why they're still doing that.' So, it's a surprise- but I say 'You know what? If you don't doing nothing, you trust yourself. If you don't do, why you have to be- to be worried?'

Q: What does your gut say?

Laura Torres: My-?

Q: What does your heart say?

Laura Torres: Oh, my heart- oh- I can say is just going to bust- I don't know.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/morgan-hill-sierra-lamar-suspects-sisters-still-in/vHRDf/

May 23 from video @ link

Reporter: Lucero and Alondra Garcia shared photographs of their brother Antolin, who they affectionately call Ant. They describe him as social and friendly.

Alondra Garcia: I mean, it's hard to see him behind a cage. Behind- locked up thinking- we're thinking he's innocent.

Reporter: The Garcia sisters say ever since their brother was arrested for the kidnapping and murder of Sierra LaMar, they and their children have been taunted.

Lucero Garcia: And they're like oh-that's your uncle, that's your uncle on TV? You know, like- he's a murderer, this and that.

Reporter: We asked Lucero Garcia about her brothers past criminal record- Morgan Hill police tell us Antolin Garcia Torres was arrested in May of 2009.

Sgt. Troy Hoefling: He got in the way- of, uh- of the officers trying to arrest a felony- a wanted felony suspect.

Reporter: Court documents show a year later he was charged with unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. The pair later married and had a child and are now expecting another. Court records show in June of 2010 Sheriff's deputies arrested Garcia-Torres for battery when he punched his sister's boyfriend during an argument. And now, police are linking him to at least one of three attacks on women in a Safeway parking lot back in 2009. Garcia-Torre's sisters don't believe these latest accusations.

Lucero Garcia: It feels surreal but I know him- growing up with him, and it just- the person that I see on TV is a totally different person than what I grew up with.

Reporter: We're told Garcia-Torre's mother visited him in jail today, his first court appearance is scheduled for tomorrow.

http://www.mercurynews.com/sierra-lamar/ci_20694502/family-considered-sierra-lamar-suspect-good-son

May 23 more @ link

His father is in jail, suspected of sexual abuse. His brother died of alcoholism. Antolin Garcia Torres was considered to be the good son, the one who was fiercely protective of his family, the one trying to work his way out of the cramped trailer in Morgan Hill he shared with four others, including his pregnant wife and toddler daughter.

"With everything that happened to us, he stayed real strong," his sister, Lucero Garcia, 26, said Wednesday. "He was trying to save up for his own place, especially with the new baby coming."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/05/23/MN1P1OLN18.DTL

May 23 more @ link

Elizabeth Ruano, 19, who lives in the trailer next door, said Garcia-Torres and his family are quiet and keep to themselves. However, that was not the case with Garcia-Torres' previous home.

Before moving to the trailer park, Garcia-Torres and his family were thrown out of a Morgan Hill farmhouse in the summer of 2010 for keeping pit bulls on the property and allowing non-tenants to stay there, one of their landlords said. She spoke on condition of anonymity, saying she was concerned for her privacy.

"They were the nightmare that never ended," the landlord said.
 
Thursday, May 24, 2012

http://media.nbcbayarea.com/documents/ANTOLIN+GARCIA+TORRES+FELONY+COMPLAINT.pdf

May 24 Antolin Garcia-Torres Felony Complaint PDF

http://media.nbcbayarea.com/documents/ANTOLIN+GARCIA+TORRES+STATEMENT+OF+FACTS.pdf

May 24 Antolin Garcia-Torres Statement of Facts PDF

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/raw-video-sierra-lamar-murder-suspect-makes-first/vHRyP/

May 24 Raw Video Antolin Garcia-Torres makes first court appearance

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Sierra-LaMar-Suspect-Charged-with-Murder-153760455.html

May 24 more @ link

A 21-year-old Morgan Hill man was charged Thursday with the murder and kidnap of Sierra LaMar Thursday afternoon in Santa Clara County Superior Court.
~~

Garcia-Torres, who is being held without bail, said nothing at the brief court hearing. He was ordered back on May 31, and was referred to the public defender's office. His family, including his mother and sister, attended.

Neither of the LaMar parents were present.

http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-co...d-killer-charged-murder-antolin-garcia-torres

May 24 more @ link

"Our investigation is continuing," District Attorney Jeff Rosen said outside the Hall of Justice. "My office and law enforcement, aided by many volunteers in this county, continue to devote all available resources to finding her body. We hope that will soon give her family some measure of peace."

While the charge makes Garcia Torres eligible for the death penalty, Rosen said he will not decide whether to pursue a capital case until his office completes a lengthy review, including a conversation with the suspect's lawyer and the victim's family.

A formal arraignment for the suspect was set for May 31.

http://www.kionrightnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=18620292

May 24 more @ link

In an effort to maximize the resources to locate Sierra, the Sheriff's Office is encouraging the community and rural property owners to continue searches of land, water shorelines, creeks, streams, private property wells, large containers and abandoned sheds or outhouse structures.

http://www.kron4.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=4222

May 24 from video @ link

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: Detectives believe that the evidence that they have in this case is strong. It points to him and- and only to him as the primary suspect in this case.

Reporter: Sgt. Cardoza shrugs off recent comments made by Torre's family members regarding his innocence.

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: They are relatives of Mr. Garcia-Torres and- and, you know, they are entitled to their opinion.

Reporter: He talked about the evidence in the case.

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: You know, the main components that we have- her bag- inside that bag there was numerous items. What that yielded was Garcia-Torre's DNA on some of Sierra LaMar's property that was located a couple of days after she went missing. Um- Garcia-Torre's car. In Garcia-Torre's car, again, there's going to be several items in there. The various interviews- the hundreds of interviews that the detectives have done.

Reporter: Then there's the motive for what investigators are calling a strangert abduction of the Morgan Hill teen.

Sgt: Jose Cardoza: As far as the motive goes, uh- only Mr.Garcia-Torres would know that. When investigators asked him about Sierra LaMar, where she could be, her whereabouts-uh, he declined and refused to provide the information.

~~

Alondra Garcia: I don't think he's capable at all of doing something like that.
I don't really see him as that violent - you know, like- he's pretty mellow. So, he's not like a violent guy at all. He's a good guy. He's social. He likes- he likes fishing, he likes doing outdoor things, he's with his family a lot- you know, he's a hard worker. He works a lot, too. I don't think they have enough proof yet. Like, substantial proof. I think he's innocent, you know. What I have in my mind is innocent until proven guilty- but like, full- you know, full proven, you know?

~~

Marlene: The person that is in custody is linked with her being- you know, kidnapped which we pretty much suspected- as a mom, I suspected that from the day she went missing. And I'm- I was aware of that, but- you know, I still didn't give up back then and I'm not going to give up now until we find her and that's what this is all about.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/on-air/as-seen-on/Search-for-Sierra--Suspect-in-Court/153947515

May 24 from video @ link

Sheriff Laurie Smith: I believe we can. I believe we can. I believe we have strong evidence.

Reporter: Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith is convinced the prosecution has enough to convict Antolin Garcia-Torres in the kidnapping and murder of 15 year old Sierra LaMar. She says they're moving forward whether or not Sierra's body is found.

Sheriff Laurie Smith: It's not critical, but it would help. But more than that, it's important for the family. It's important for us. It's important for closure.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/san-jose-suspect-charged-with-sierra-lamars-death/vHR49/

May 24 from video @ link

District Attorney Jeff Rosen: A few moments ago, we charged Antolin Garcia-Torres with murder, and the special circumstance of kidnapping Sierra LaMar.

Reporter: Outside court, Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen says those charges make Garcia-Torres eligible for the death penalty.

~~

Reporter: Garcia Torre's wife remained silent as she left the court with family members.

Q: Did you know about the charges-

Lucero Garcia: Thank you very much. You can- you can direct yourself to Mr. Mandel, thank you.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8675926

May 24 from video @ link

District Attorney Jeff Rosen: What I can say to you is that where we'll prove that case is in a court room, in front of a jury, with facts.

~~

Reporter: The suspect's family previously told ABC 7 news they believe Garcia-Torres is innocent and he told them he never knew Sierra LaMar. Today, they are not commenting.

Family member: The public defender just wants us to keep quiet and that's it.

http://www.kron4.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=4232

May 24 from video @ link

District Attorney Jeff Rosen: I can tell you that we are carefully and painstakingly going through all of the evidence that we have thus far. I can tell you that we will do everything in our power to seek the truth, and to seek justice for Sierra LaMar.

Reporter: The DA was asked whether he will seek the death penalty in this case.

District Attorney Jeff Rosen: Uh, this charge- murder in the special circumstance of kidnapping- is a death penalty eligible charge. In the DA's office we have a protocol in making our decision as to whether to seek the death penalty, and we do that after reviewed all of the evidence in the case, after speaking with the victim's family, after going through- uh, aspects of the defendants life to inform our decision, and we also invite his attorney to speak with us before we make a final decision in that matter. So, that will be- uh, that process will take..

~~

Reporter: For the first time, we got a glimpse of his wife who is said to be at least 3 months pregnant. You can see her here wearing the white top and black skirt. She would only say that the public defender has instructed her not to talk. Torre's mom was also in the courtroom. As she walked to the car, I could tell that she had been crying. Her eyes were watery and bloodshot. When asked in Spanish if she had a message for her son, she responded that she's already given him that message. Garcia-Torre's sisters were also there, but they also did not say much. Here's what happened when I tried to ask questions.

Lucero Garcia: As much as we would love to talk, Mr. Mandel has advised us not to. Thank you. Please respect our decision.

Reporter: Were you able to speak with your brother, though?

Lucero Garcia: Please respect our decisions as a family. You can direct yourself to Mr. Mandel.

Reporter: How are you taking this?

Francine Sarmiento: We've been advised not to talk. Please go talk to Mr. Mandel.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/video?id=8676169

May 24 from video @ link

Reporter: Garcia-Torre's mother told me she feels good about today's hearing and maintains her son's innocence.

~~

Sgt. Jose Cardoza: We don't have information that Sierra ever left the area. So, we'll concentrate our efforts on locating her in the Morgan Hill and South County area.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/san-jose-suspect-in-sierra-lamars-disappearance/vHR97/

May 24 from video @ link

Family member: Just- his public defender doesn't want us to talk.

District Attorney Jeff Rosen: We will aggressively seek justice here, as in all our cases- in a way that is fair, and treats everyone with respect.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_96981d5c-a605-11e1-be58-0019bb30f31a.html

May 24 more @ link

A large crowd of supporters of Sierra’s family, including a group of volunteers who have helped search for the missing teen since late March, gathered outside the courthouse after the hearing. Some carried large posters depicting Sierra’s face, with messages written on them such as, “Sierra we love u!”

“I have children, and a big heart, and I would love to have somebody to help me,” said Jennifer Stultz of San Jose, who has volunteered to search for Sierra for several weeks. “I’m not giving up hope that we can bring her home safe. I believe she’s alive.”

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_79b21232-a606-11e1-b858-0019bb30f31a.html

May 24 more @ link

Rochelle Torres, who knows Garcia Torres (the two are not related) from when they attended Central together, doesn’t believe police got the right suspect.

“He was a sweetheart,” said Torres, 20, who graduated from Central in 2010. “I don’t think he did it. If you had a problem he’d be there and talk to you. He was always there if you needed somebody to talk to.”

Outside of school, Garcia Torres “liked to work,” and spent a lot of time with his infant and girlfriend at the time.

“I would never have expected him to be any part of this,” Rochelle Torres said.

http://www.morganhilltimes.com/news...cle_d2cbe470-a605-11e1-a837-001a4bcf6878.html

May 24 more @ link

After a suspect was arrested in connection with the disappearance of 15-year-old Sierra LaMar, the community’s reaction has ranged from shock to relief to sorrow.

As news circulated that Antolin Garcia Torres, 21 of Morgan Hill, was arrested and charged Thursday with murder and kidnapping, students at Sobrato High School where Sierra was a sophomore, were shaken.

Sobrato junior *advertiser censored***** Lunn, 17, said Tuesday that the latest news has had a profound effect on the student body.

“A lot of people were broken down about it,” Lunn said. “There was actually a girl that left my first-period class crying. A lot of people were already emotionally shocked by this.”

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_20703482/crime-scene-investigation-under-way-pleasanton

May 24 more @ link

Police are investigating a body, possibly that of a woman, found inside a trash can in an upscale Pleasanton neighborhood Thursday.

The age and gender of the body have not yet been positively determined by the Alameda County Coroner's Office, and police offered no immediate details.
 

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