Deceased/Not Found CA - Sierra LaMar, 15, Morgan Hill, 16 March 2012 #14 *A. Garcia-Torres guilty*

[TxLady2]

I remember a case in the SF Bay Area where a kid was killed by a hit and run driver. The evening news gave a description of the vehicle (that was not as specific as this one) and multiple calls were made to the local police that night that fingered the driver. Think of how many people know the general type/description of the car you drive: friends, neighbors, co-workers etc. People know the cars their neighbors drive, even when they don't know the neighbors themselves.

I'm betting that this car will be identified in 24 hours. It may not be located, the owner may not be id'ed and it might even turn out to be unrelated to either crime, but vehicles are hard to hide.

I suspect that the perp, once the story broke and no description of the abductor or the vehicle was given, figured that he was in the clear and would have no reason to "get out of Dodge". Now, he may take off. The vehicle might turn up burned and the guy might take of to another state opr county. It is really important to act fast.

Yep, and with a black hood, it's going to stand out like a sore thumb!!
I sure hope it's identified within 24 hours. Every LEO in the country is going to be on the lookout for a red Jetta with a black hood, so he could already be in Mexico by now. Or ditched the car somewhere in a river or lake.

 

[dog.gone.cute]

I don't think the color of a vehicle is listed on motor vehicle registrations, at least they aren't here. From the news articles, they don't even know the tag numbers at this point.

Anyone in that area who is driving around can glance at wrecking yards if they're near the highways, and if they spot a red Jetta with a black hood, call it in. Or even used car lots.

:seeya:

BBM: "Vehicle Color" is included on the Motor Vehicle Registration for Louisiana and Florida ...

They can still do a search in the database -- have seen this done on "true crime tv shows" ... Yes, very tedious, but they can compile a list and go from there ...

:moo:


ETA: I see it was posted that California does not list color of vehicle ... maybe they should start adding that to their registrations for the future ...

 

[Cottontop]

Yep, and with a black hood, it's going to stand out like a sore thumb!!
I sure hope it's identified within 24 hours. Every LEO in the country is going to be on the lookout for a red Jetta with a black hood, so he could already be in Mexico by now. Or ditched the car somewhere in a river or lake.

I'm sure all of the law enforcement agencies in the state have known about and have been on the lookout for this car for a long time. I believe that is why they have now gone public... because no one in an official capacity has spotted or found this car yet.

I do somewhat pity every person in the state of California that drives a red Jetta. They will be scrutinized like crazy.

Once again, love this forum. Everyone is so great and introspective and informative.

 

[Cottontop]

A video is worth a thousand words. The reporters are trying their best to ask the questions that we all want to know. Still some very important points that they will not comment on, even with regards to the red Jetta.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/sierra-lamar-case-sgt-jose-cardoza-talks-about/vG94Q/

 

[nursebeeme]

I think they are holding a lot of the car info close to the vest so they know if they get a reliable tip when/if it is called in (re: times, etc)

 

[paris_paris]

I'm glad he confirmed in the video that it was on that morning at the time Sierra would be leaving for school.

I spent a good part of the afternoon on Google satellite looking for that car in a driveway or parking lot near Sierra's neighbourhood and at her school. Lots of red cars, but not with a black hood.

 

[Cottontop]

I'm glad he confirmed in the video that it was on that morning at the time Sierra would be leaving for school.

I spent a good part of the afternoon on Google satellite looking for that car in a driveway or parking lot near Sierra's neighbourhood and at her school. Lots of red cars, but not with a black hood.

You GO!

 

[GrainneDhu]

That black hood should make it easier to recognize! I hope this is being plastered EVERYWHERE!

Or maybe someone will remember re-painting the black hood on a Jetta red, to match the rest of the car...

 

[GrainneDhu]

Me, either!

Wonder if someone just recently gave them this tip, or has it taken this long to make the connection to Sierra's case? Strange, either way.

I'm thinking that maybe they had an eyewitness who couldn't give a good description of the car. For instance, if someone said "small red car" that's significant but not exactly useful considering how many small red cars there are.

But after they got done combing through hours and hours of videotape (a mind numbing job and whoever did it should have been given "sanity hazard pay"), they came up with an exact enough description of the car to really be helpful to the investigation.

 

[eileenhawkeye]

All I can think about is the van spotted near where Cherie Mahan was kidnapped in 1985. It had a mural on the side of someone snowboarding. You don't get more distinct than that. But it was never spotted again.

 

[GrainneDhu]

I don't think the color of a vehicle is listed on motor vehicle registrations, at least they aren't here. From the news articles, they don't even know the tag numbers at this point.

Anyone in that area who is driving around can glance at wrecking yards if they're near the highways, and if they spot a red Jetta with a black hood, call it in. Or even used car lots.

I could be very very wrong but...

I will not be surprised if this is solved and it turns out that the car had stolen tags on it.

In fact, that car may not have been registered for several years. Kept in some guy's backyard or barn and not on the roads at all, usually.

Then when he wants to scratch an itch, he steals some plates (so easy a DOG can do it), slaps them on it and he's set to go.

If I'm correct, then I hope he has family or friends or associates who know he has a red mid-90s Jetta and have just a few little doubts about the guy.

If the above is true, maybe that's why it took so long for the info to be released to the public. Perhaps LE was busy checking the mid-90s registered Jettas and came up with nothing.

 

[GrainneDhu]

A video is worth a thousand words. The reporters are trying their best to ask the questions that we all want to know. Still some very important points that they will not comment on, even with regards to the red Jetta.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/sierra-lamar-case-sgt-jose-cardoza-talks-about/vG94Q/

Thank you for that link.

Watching that press conference, it makes me wonder if one of the things that LE is hoping to find in the water is the Jetta.

It's *amazing* how many stolen cars get fished out of the water during searches. Simply amazing.

 

[ozazure]

I am SO glad there has been more info released regarding Sierra. They must have been busting their chops trying to find this car. Here's hoping the right person will hear about this and make the one call that's necessary. Has AMW been on yet? This is probably timed so it can be on that?? everything crossed for Sierra xx

 

[nursebeeme]

Wasn't amw on the 5th???? I think this info is new (re: came out after they taped amw)

 

[GrainneDhu]

All I can think about is the van spotted near where Cherie Mahan was kidnapped in 1985. It had a mural on the side of someone snowboarding. You don't get more distinct than that. But it was never spotted again.

I've always thought that a can of rubbing compound, a compound buffer and then a can of spray paint took care of that mural.

Buff down a bunch of various sized spots on the van and it would look "natural."

An investment of less than $20 if the person already owned a compound buffer. Thirty bucks if s/he had to rent one.

 

[houndstooth]

I could be very very wrong but...

I will not be surprised if this is solved and it turns out that the car had stolen tags on it.

In fact, that car may not have been registered for several years. Kept in some guy's backyard or barn and not on the roads at all, usually.

Then when he wants to scratch an itch, he steals some plates (so easy a DOG can do it), slaps them on it and he's set to go.

If I'm correct, then I hope he has family or friends or associates who know he has a red mid-90s Jetta and have just a few little doubts about the guy.

If the above is true, maybe that's why it took so long for the info to be released to the public. Perhaps LE was busy checking the mid-90s registered Jettas and came up with nothing.

Why would anybody want a car that was painted red with a mismatched hood that is two decades old and would stand out like a sore thumb for a stalking vehicle?

 

[ozazure]

A video is worth a thousand words. The reporters are trying their best to ask the questions that we all want to know. Still some very important points that they will not comment on, even with regards to the red Jetta.

http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/sierra-lamar-case-sgt-jose-cardoza-talks-about/vG94Q/

Thanks for the video link. I like Cardoza for some reason, he inspires my confidence. I know he can't answer certain questions but the way he says it makes me not mind so much LOL

 

[liltexans]

Wasn't amw on the 5th???? I think this info is new (re: came out after they taped amw)

Sierra is going to be featured on AMW this Friday, the 11th, but I agree with you that the show would have already been taped.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Americas-Most-Wanted-to-Feature-Sierra-LaMar-148923435.html

 

[NJGuy]

Does anyone know where the video came from? I believe LE said it was from the morning Sierra went missing, but is there any info as to what location the video was taken from? Meaning, near her street, where they found her purse, etc.

Thanks

 

[ozazure]

Why would anybody want a car that was painted red with a mismatched hood that is two decades old and would stand out like a sore thumb for a stalking vehicle?

It's not the best choice to be incognito but if it isn't linked to you by paperwork and you can conceal it or destroy it afterwards, it's probably a pragmatic choice??