Deceased/Not Found CA - Sierra LaMar, 15, Morgan Hill, 16 March 2012 #19 *A. Garcia-Torres guilty*

[sherbetjello]

I am curious to see what doesn't add up. For me, this is one of the most clear cut cases on here just going by what we do know. Connected to violent crimes against women in the past, in the immediate area during the abduction, his and her DNA in significant places for not explainable reason, he had the time and knowledge to dispose of a body, etc. Of course, I know that isn't enough to throw him in jail and throw away the key, but I am curious to see what others thoughts are about why it doesn't add up. Is the argument that maybe she knew him and that explains the DNA in strange places?

I believe that maybe someone came across her purse laying in the road, any road, (wasn't her phone tossed as well), and maybe just maybe it was lifted and put into someones car. I know from experience with purses, and shedding, I leave it everywhere: my car, friends cars, in the zipper of my purse, in my hubby's car, etc.

That's DNA.

I haven't read one lick saying that the evidence they have leads to believe she is dead. She just "is", and to me that doesn't sit well, and as a mother if this was my child -- I would want the body for burial.

I can't for sure say that it was skin fragments on the shirt cause I haven't read that article. I must of missed it, but I also haven't seen where the clothes in the bag were the ones she was wearing that day either.

So, maybe it's me that has missed something. Dunno.


That they are trying to convict him for a violent attack previously on a woman (which probably put him on a list at the beginning of the abduction) doesn't sit quite right to me either.
Do the courts usually start from the bottom up?

 

[cluciano63]

I am hoping that Sierra's DNA was found in his trunk...not just in his car...
I have faith in LE...

 

[sherbetjello]

No such link exists that proves an innocent person was executed.:takeabow:

Gosh, it's okay not agree with something, but it's not okay to even want to know or to look for that information.

It's out there, and I posted it, but that post was removed for whatever reason.

 

[Darcyline]

So the argument is the purse was left in the road and he picked it up and put it in his car and then disposed of it and that is why her DNA is in his vehicle and his in the purse? Or that he gave her a ride looked through her purse and then dropped her off somewhere and then someone else disappeared her? Or both of those?

 

[krkrjx]

I believe that maybe someone came across her purse laying in the road, any road, (wasn't her phone tossed as well), and maybe just maybe it was lifted and put into someones car. I know from experience with purses, and shedding, I leave it everywhere: my car, friends cars, in the zipper of my purse, in my hubby's car, etc.

That's DNA.

I haven't read one lick saying that the evidence they have leads to believe she is dead. She just "is", and to me that doesn't sit well, and as a mother if this was my child -- I would want the body for burial.

I can't for sure say that it was skin fragments on the shirt cause I haven't read that article. I must of missed it, but I also haven't seen where the clothes in the bag were the ones she was wearing that day either.

So, maybe it's me that has missed something. Dunno.


That they are trying to convict him for a violent attack previously on a woman (which probably put him on a list at the beginning of the abduction) doesn't sit quite right to me either.
Do the courts usually start from the bottom up?

Sometimes a defendant is tried for unrelated charges so if they do that with AGT it is not hinky to me. Casey Anthony appeared in court on numerous fraud/theft charges while she awaited trial for murder.

We do not know what evidence the DA has against AGT. Once we do know, it will make for better discussion of the situation, IMO. I am now going along with there is enough evidence to charge so there should be enough to convict. I may change my mind on that, though, if once the evidence is made public, it seems lacking.

 

[GrainneDhu]

I am curious to see what doesn't add up. For me, this is one of the most clear cut cases on here just going by what we do know. Connected to violent crimes against women in the past, in the immediate area during the abduction, his and her DNA in significant places for not explainable reason, he had the time and knowledge to dispose of a body, etc. Of course, I know that isn't enough to throw him in jail and throw away the key, but I am curious to see what others thoughts are about why it doesn't add up. Is the argument that maybe she knew him and that explains the DNA in strange places?

The only questions in my mind are what type of DNA testing got what results and how good the lab is that returned the results.

That is information that will be revealed at trial.

So for now, I'm thinking it probably is AGT but there's still room for reasonable doubt.

Does anyone else remember the big scandal about the Houston (Texas) forensic laboratory a few years back? The facility was visibly filthy and their techniques were terrible. At the time, a prosecutor said something to the effect of "if you told one of those techs to separate a sample of mixed DNA or you'd shoot them, why, bless their hearts, you'd just have to go ahead and shoot them because they couldn't perform an accurate separation to save their own lives."

I'm not saying that's the case in Santa Clara County California but that's what defence lawyers are for: shining a big bright hot spotlight on the evidence and the means by which the evidence is derived to make sure it is done accurately.

 

[leighmarker]

I don't believe the post you are referring to about "defending him" was a post to you......

And, are you claiming that there are people who have been executed who were later proved innocent? If so, link please.

Do you think that everyone who has been executed was guilty?


http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/innocence-and-death-penalty

 

[OldSteve]

Luau for Sierra LaMar -
http://www.kionrightnow.com/story/18807183/luau-for-sierra-lamar

forgive if previously posted...

 

[Annie1004]

Gosh, it's okay not agree with something, but it's not okay to even want to know or to look for that information.

It's out there, and I posted it, but that post was removed for whatever reason.

No problem, sherbet jello. I had already looked and could not find any definitive source. Even Supreme Court Justice A. Scala has stated there is not one shred of evidence of this occurring in modern times. Problem is, once someone is executed, then further investigation stops. As I said before, our legal system bends over backwards to make sure defendants have adequate representation. I think there is a lot of room for improvement.

I don't have a criminal law background, so no one needs to agree with me because I am no expert. JMOO.

And my anger at what happened to Sierra does cloud my opinions.

 

[Annie1004]

The only questions in my mind are what type of DNA testing got what results and how good the lab is that returned the results.

That is information that will be revealed at trial.

So for now, I'm thinking it probably is AGT but there's still room for reasonable doubt.

Does anyone else remember the big scandal about the Houston (Texas) forensic laboratory a few years back? The facility was visibly filthy and their techniques were terrible. At the time, a prosecutor said something to the effect of "if you told one of those techs to separate a sample of mixed DNA or you'd shoot them, why, bless their hearts, you'd just have to go ahead and shoot them because they couldn't perform an accurate separation to save their own lives."

I'm not saying that's the case in Santa Clara County California but that's what defence lawyers are for: shining a big bright hot spotlight on the evidence and the means by which the evidence is derived to make sure it is done accurately.

And the PD needs only to convince one juror of reasonable doubt. DP cases are not taken lightly. I would hate to vote 100% that a defendant is guilty, even if he confessed or there was a video of the act. It's not easy having another human being's life in one's hands, even though I claim to support the DP. I'm not so sure anymore.

 

[grneyz2nv]

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Crews-Search-Again-for-Sierra-LaMar-159454455.html

"Santa Clara County sheriff's dive team will conduct a re-scan of the Chesbro Reservoir in search of clues in the Sierra LaMar case.

The Morgan Hill teen has been missing since March 16. The reward in the case has been recently increased to $35,000, as well.

The re-scan is not based on tips, according to authorities. The detectives in the case "requested the Dive Team to conduct a re-scan ... with the new Side-Scan Sonar equipment the team recently acquired," according to a release.

The dive will be conducted over most of this week, with sonar going first and then divers to verify any areas of interest."

 

[Darcyline]

Thanks for the explanation, Grainne. I am just curious what types of defense and arguments either internet folk or his defense might make to refute or explain the evidence we do have. The DNA is wrong or doubtful would be an effective one. I am curious if that angle is not viable what else they will say. He gave her a ride and then dropped her off at the bus stop and then something else happened to her? He just found her purse? Hmmm.

I am hoping they have something more slam dunk than what we apparently have so far, but on the other hand I am having issues explaining the evidence in a logical way that also makes him 100% innocent.

 

[Eileen730]

No such link exists that proves an innocent person was executed.:takeabow:

Since we are not in a court of law and sworn as jurors, we can certainly make comments and opinions as to AGT's guilt and the known evidence against him. In my, and the DA's office's, opinion, AGT is guilty of the worst kind of crime. I'll let our justice system handle the adjudication.

Annie I believe many innocent ppl have been executed!

 

[Eileen730]

I believe LE has all the proof they need to show he did this and that she is dead!

 

[cazador]

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Crews-Search-Again-for-Sierra-LaMar-159454455.html

"Santa Clara County sheriff's dive team will conduct a re-scan of the Chesbro Reservoir in search of clues in the Sierra LaMar case.

The Morgan Hill teen has been missing since March 16. The reward in the case has been recently increased to $35,000, as well.

The re-scan is not based on tips, according to authorities. The detectives in the case "requested the Dive Team to conduct a re-scan ... with the new Side-Scan Sonar equipment the team recently acquired," according to a release.

The dive will be conducted over most of this week, with sonar going first and then divers to verify any areas of interest."

• • • • • • It is a logical choice. Lakes/reservoirs of Calero, Uvas, Chesbro, Almaden, Guadalupe. All of them are on the west side of freeway 101. The same side her phone/ backpack/some clothes were found.
            If he headed east he could have access to freeway 101, then he could go south. The east side of 101 would have the lakes/reservoirs of Anderson and Coyote and the far reach of San Luis.
            There are ponds all over the place on private land and rivers such as the Pajaro.
            No matter what direction he took, he needed some amount of privacy because of the time of day for the attack and disposal of her body. He had no idea if school would have alerted the parent or police.
            So west makes sense for a fast attack. Chesbro makes sense because it is way back in.
            
            But I do not believe she is in water. I could be wrong, so LE can play with their new toy.
            It is my opinion that LE has stopped looking for Sierra and the focus is on prosicution leaving the family on their own to imagine what has happened to Sierra Lamar.
            
            I do not know what they have or do not have for evidence.
            They say they have all the clothes.
            I do not believe that is true but I could be wrong on that also. I see no evidence of shoes or underwear ever mentioned in early news reports.
            Was she wearing red sneakers ? Her family website suggests to me that this is so. :banghead:

 

[cluciano63]

It is really none of our business at this stage to know what LE has; they made the arrest, decided upon the charges and in my opinion, would not have done so if they did not feel confident that they can prove their case.

They searched for Sierra for two months; that is longer than we see in many cases. Most times, searches seem to top out at about 3 weeks before going to "searching based on new tips only."

With such a quick (relatively speaking in a case without finding the victim) decision to go ahead with charges, I feel confident that LE has evidence that we are not aware of, and may not be aware of, until a trial or a plea takes place.

 

[OldSteve]

Sierra LaMar: Dive Teams Search for Teen's Body Again -
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2012/06/sierra_lamar_chesbro_reservoir.php

Gotta hope they find her!

 

[ozazure]

It's funny how I read that article and say, thank goodness, they are not giving up the search, yet someone else reads it and thinks they have! Everyone has very different perspectives, this is what the defence and prosecution are up against in the court.

From the outside, they seem to have been pretty systematic. Information was released in a small but steady stream before the arrest. They have spent a lot of resources on water way searches. I will be surprised if all the water searches are just because they have new technology to use. But you know what, good on them if they are, who knows what crime could be solved whilst they look and Sierra or evidence could be found in water as anywhere else. They are looking somewhere, they haven't given up.

As for the shoes, I believe the namus site listed grey shoes. It may have been a matter of elimination because unless they were found, or there was another photograph showing her feet, how would they know? I think the red converse are being used on the website because sierra was known for wearing them and her friends wore some early in the piece to show their support.

 

[MyTinkieGirl]

I keep thinking that we heard the clothes were folded, etc...LE never has said the CONDITION of the clothing. Was it ripped, stretched out, cut off, etc....COULD also be what leads to them to believe she's no longer on this earth....or DEFINITELY that she was NOT in AGT's car willingly....AND put up a huge struggle.
We've only got what was in the probable cause for arrest info...IMO, that would be the MINIMAL amount of info neccessary to get the arrest.
LE, IMO, isn't going to go into everything. I believe they have much more evidence, but are not, and do NOT have to reveal it to the general public, at this point in time.

I STILL keep going back to the "neatly" folded clothes and the books being found in, what I call, an "orderly" fashion.
I'm starting to wonder MAYBE his sister or wife helped him get rid of the items, or actually "place" them there. MAYBE he told them he gave someone a ride and picked them up in that area and dropped them off somewhere, but they left their things in his car and asked what should he do with them.
LE said they found AGT's DNA on the clothes....they weren't asked, IIRC, if anyone "elses" DNA was found, besides Sierra, of course. His could have been there due to a struggle, BUT, I keep going back to a FEMALE, other than Sierra, folding the clothes and the orderly placement of the rest of her belongings, as well.
Although, who knows, I've been thru sooo many different scenerios by now.

As always, just IMO and am NOT saying he had others involved, especially his family, just a few thoughts.

 

[cazador]

The Santa Clara District Attorney would not have arrested the Accused unless they had a mountain of evidence against him. Most especially without a body. The DA's office in Santa Clara is extremely sophisticated; you will see this in action during the trial.

I agree that our DA's office are the best of the best.
They will prosecute without the body or they would have never had arrested him. I am glad they did before he attacked another person.
They will get lost in that fact and Sierra must be found by others because they do not need her body. That is the short sight of LE and the DA in our area. It always comes down to money which they call resources.

Last year January 2012 the sheriff dept in a county next door gave up looking for a lost woman in the Santa Cruz mountains because of lack of resources. Myself and one of my sons and another father and his young son went looking for her and she was found alive in a ravine with a broken leg. He could hear her faint call for help.
I am just sayin...
I think it is just as important to find Sierra for the peace of mind of her mother as it is for the successful prosecution of the suspect.
Both are important and we here in one of the most affluent areas of the United States of America should spare no expense to find this young girl.
But with that said, which is just my opinion, we will continue looking for her in every nook and cranny as concerned citizens and support for Sierra and her family.