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

[katydid23]

I deleted my last post, because the car with the peace symbol painted on the hood, is a different abduction attempt. I think the two stories were previously posted together, or something, and it was confusing.

http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-boyle-heights-attempted-kidnapping,0,3501571.story

I think that last story was brought over because of the speculation that she might have been driven to the LA area. That abduction attempt described took place in LA area recently. And it sounded like something that MIGHT have taken place with Sierra. imo

Even though she was apparently taken right outside her front door, this perp MIGHT have followed her home previously. And so all he had to do was wait and watch for her parents to leave that morning...

 

[cluciano63]

Hoping the car will be shown on national news, with the black part, whatever it is, filled in, for a better image...people will know who was driving a car like that a month ago.

 

[katydid23]

After working at a high school, I can say with experience, that LE would not have had to ask any of the students about the car if they wanted to know if it belonged to a student at the school. Any of the school police or school security would know for sure if it was ever parked in the school area. There are lots of videos and there are parking permits and the security drives the parking and surrounding areas every day and night. So if there was a red and black Jetta type sedan the high school staff would have known that already, imo, without tipping off the students.

 

[GrainneDhu]

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?

I don't know.

I do know that LE apparently believes this is the vehicle involved in Sierra's disappearance.

If this guy is a stalker, he probably uses his registered and perfectly ordinary in every way vehicle to do reconnaissance. He'd only get the unregistered vehicle out when he was actually planning to commit a crime.

I'm not sure if the Jetta has a mismatched hood or if it was one of those fad cars from the 90s that had the hood deliberately painted black (I can't remember why, I just remember the fad). In which case, there would also be a wide black stripe on the roof and over the trunk.

 

[GrainneDhu]

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

He said a combination of footage from buildings, busses. Additionally, he implied eyewitness statements.

 

[concentric]

I don't know.

I do know that LE apparently believes this is the vehicle involved in Sierra's disappearance.

If this guy is a stalker, he probably uses his registered and perfectly ordinary in every way vehicle to do reconnaissance. He'd only get the unregistered vehicle out when he was actually planning to commit a crime.

I'm not sure if the Jetta has a mismatched hood or if it was one of those fad cars from the 90s that had the hood deliberately painted black (I can't remember why, I just remember the fad). In which case, there would also be a wide black stripe on the roof and over the trunk.

------------
So, from what I can ascertain from your opinion, you think this is a lone stalker, and not part of a trafficking network?

 

[R.U.Kidding!]

Im sure the weeks it took to get info on the car were over a long time ago and they have been working 24/7 since then to find this car. I'm sure they didn't release it publicly because they were working on it on the back end.

Now, it's thankfully being released because they now need our help. There will now be the entire public on the lookout and the chances of someone knowing something about this car is almost guaranteed. I live near by and I guarantee that the public will be on it! I know the car is probably long gone, but all people need in this case is a little bit of info and just look out perp.

I have always believed that if she was kidnapped, she must have been incapacitated in some way and that would explain why no witness placed her in the car. Of course, this car could turn out to be not related, but to have hope for SL and for her family is worth so much right now.

Deep down inside I keep hoping that she ran away and is living some fantasy life somewhere and this news, although encouraging in that we may find her, it's also somber in that we have to think of her as being taken against her will.

Good luck to all of us novice investigators out there who will find where this car is and to whom it belongs!!

Just using your post to jump in:

I do not understand how LE did not put this info out there as soon as they had it. Wait for what--the perp to get rid of the car, re-paint it? Wouldn't they have had a better chance of finding it with the public looking for it weeks ago. :banghead:

 

[ozazure]

Seems particularly iffy to me.
IF they are trying to connect these cases to the guy in
a red car, then not a good choice because EVERYBODY
seems to remember it.
Comes with optional handicap tag on the rearview?

I don't think they are trying to connect it with anything else. If anything it seems they've denied a link with any other incident with a teen girl that's been in the news?

 

[concentric]

JMO - I think that at this time, I'm leaning more toward the car being driven by a younger male/males in need of money, who cobbled together a mismatched automobile, in order to complete their end of the deal.

 

[cluciano63]

If Sierra is somehow still alive...this is a very dangerous time for her, IMO. I don't think there is much, if any difference, sentence-wise, between kidnapping, plus whatever other charges he may face, and murder, in CA...and Sierra would likely make a good witness against him...he must know by now that they have his car on video...scary. I guess LE had to weigh the dangers against the need to find him. JMO

 

[OldSteve]

Wonder if all the water searching was for that car? How long did the know about the car...

 

[houndstooth]

Just using your post to jump in:

I do not understand how LE did not put this info out there as soon as they had it. Wait for what--the perp to get rid of the car, re-paint it? Wouldn't they have had a better chance of finding it with the public looking for it weeks ago. :banghead:

Exactly!

If this really were a suspect car and they knew it, why wouldn't they have alerted the public for the possibility they would strike again, if they thought it was involved?

Which is why until I hear more, this story don't really register that far over on the excitement meter, for me.
I am more curious why they did this in a written statment that the media STILL didn't report acurately.

Why not a presser? Did that one station have an exclusive with Cardoza and if so, why?

The lack of fanfare by LE in it's presentation of so portentious a clue was very unusual. Do they not have full confidence in it or what?

 

[Merical2]

Okay, wait a minute...I'm missing something. If you go to the Find Sierra FB page, there is a sketch of a suspect....why would that be there? Am I completely missing something??? Wasn't that a suspect in another kidnapping attempt? Oy, I'm so behind...this has all been discussed, I know, but I kind of slacked on keeping up because nothing new was being released. Now I'm more confused than ever....:banghead:

 

[DarkSparkle]

They (LE) may have kept quiet about the car to see if they could spot the car through their network. The sooner the public knows about the mismatched hood, the sooner the perp knows to repaint it. JMO, been lurking for a bit.

 

[cluciano63]

They (LE) may have kept quiet about the car to see if they could spot the car through their network. The sooner the public knows about the mismatched hood, the sooner the perp knows to repaint it. JMO, been lurking for a bit.

Welcome to WS...:seeya:

 

[Cottontop]

Okay, wait a minute...I'm missing something. If you go to the Find Sierra FB page, there is a sketch of a suspect....why would that be there? Am I completely missing something??? Wasn't that a suspect in another kidnapping attempt? Oy, I'm so behind...this has all been discussed, I know, but I kind of slacked on keeping up because nothing new was being released. Now I'm more confused than ever....:banghead:

I find that confusing, as well. I feel like the two pieces of information should be completely separate. The car news is a big deal in terms of being associated with SL disappearance, according to police. The other information is just speculation and confusion because it's on the official Facebook page for Find Sierra LaMar.

I agree we should spread the word about the released sketch and the crime this guy tried to commit. In fact, one commenter on the page called in to the tip line because she thinks she knows him.

But to tie the two together is unfortunate because it makes it seem like the police are releasing a sketch of someone who is associated to SL.

Could he also be associated? Who knows, but the way it's presented is confusing and I think misleading.

JMO

 

[Merical2]

Exactly!

If this really were a suspect car and they knew it, why wouldn't they have alerted the public for the possibility they would strike again, if they thought it was involved?

Which is why until I hear more, this story don't really register that far over on the excitement meter, for me.
I am more curious why they did this in a written statment that the media STILL didn't report acurately.

Why not a presser? Did that one station have an exclusive with Cardoza and if so, why?

The lack of fanfare by LE in it's presentation of so portentious a clue was very unusual. Do they not have full confidence in it or what?

Maybe they were hoping to find it without bringing it to anyone's attention because they wanted to have the element of surprise. If they had alerted the guy by telling the public then it gives him time to cover his tracks. I think they told the public as soon as they'd exhausted their resources and still couldn't find the car. Just a guess, though. I imagine, now that this car has been identified as a possible part of the abduction, it puts Sierra in much greater danger, if she's alive. Now, the abductor has a real good reason to cover his tracks, I would think.

 

[Annie1004]

Exactly!

If this really were a suspect car and they knew it, why wouldn't they have alerted the public for the possibility they would strike again, if they thought it was involved?

Which is why until I hear more, this story don't really register that far over on the excitement meter, for me.
I am more curious why they did this in a written statment that the media STILL didn't report acurately.

Why not a presser? Did that one station have an exclusive with Cardoza and if so, why?

The lack of fanfare by LE in it's presentation of so portentious a clue was very unusual. Do they not have full confidence in it or what?

Probably because LE exhausted its search for the VW Jetta through known channels. And maybe to keep the case in the news?

I did see Cardoza interviewed today on the local KTVU channel 2 news, and he was taking questions from reporters. A teaser later purports an interview with the man whose surveillance camera was viewed by LE.

My suspicions still lie with someone Sierra knew or who stalked her. If she was taken at the bus stop, it would be more likely random. Just can't shake the feeling this was a target.

 

[curious girl]

Okay, wait a minute...I'm missing something. If you go to the Find Sierra FB page, there is a sketch of a suspect....why would that be there? Am I completely missing something??? Wasn't that a suspect in another kidnapping attempt? Oy, I'm so behind...this has all been discussed, I know, but I kind of slacked on keeping up because nothing new was being released. Now I'm more confused than ever....:banghead:

From what irc that sketch was from an attempted kidnapping case (the stun gun one I think) not too far from Morgan Hill. LE said that they dont think they are related. But with a red car being mentioned in that case and now with this new info people are assuming that they are. Im seeing posters with the sketch, the car, and Sierra. That could be misleading to those who aren't as familiar with the case.

Also, some people are under the impression that surveillance showed Sierra get into the car, but nothing I've read says that.

I think people are taking wording the wrong way. Some reporters apparently don't think exchanging the word "roof" for "hood" will confuse anyone. But if you only read one article you might think they mean the interior roof of the car.

 

[JDB]

Okay, wait a minute...I'm missing something. If you go to the Find Sierra FB page, there is a sketch of a suspect....why would that be there? Am I completely missing something??? Wasn't that a suspect in another kidnapping attempt? Oy, I'm so behind...this has all been discussed, I know, but I kind of slacked on keeping up because nothing new was being released. Now I'm more confused than ever....:banghead:

I agree the F/B is confusing. But I guess the think if they put the words ARE THEY CONNECTED ? it would not be. I had to look twice. The sketch is f the guy who was trying to lure a girl in Walnut Creek which is roughly 40 miles north from Morgan Hill.