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

[bgmiller5]

Didn't Sierra tweet at one time about someone in a car bothering her? I do not recall if she actually tweeted that or if she retweeted it. Anyway, if she did tweet that, it sounded like she was turned off by the person in the car. (I do not recall exactly what the tweet said, I will admit.)

IF a car was retrieved by LE from that Target lot, and IF this is that car, and IF the car had something to do with Sierra, could it be that the perp or perps are gang members and the abduction was some sort of gang initiation? Maybe the intent was to abduct but not harm otherwise? If that is even remotely plausible, he/they could have honed in on any vulnerable girl, but if by chance he or they were involved in previously harassing Sierra somewhere, maybe he/they decided to go after her. I mean, if a gang member or members wanted to abduct a girl they could do so with no one specific in mind, and for them to be out and about that early in the morning in a neighborhood like Sierra's seems farfetched...unless she was targeted.

All JMO.

Yes, there was a tweet - I think in January - about a car that apparently had driven by wherever she was more than once. Not sure if she was tweeting from home or what. It was an original tweet from her, and it was more of a "you keep driving by but you don't have the balls to stop" kind of tweet. I would have to go back and find it to know for sure. Most of her tweets were what I refer to as "gangsta-isms," and sometimes it was hard to discern her personal thoughts from rap lyrics. Sometimes I would have to google them to know for sure.

 

[sreshowtime]

okay so where could a car get dumped that wouldn't draw immediate attention, cuz it doesn't sound like it was necessarily found with the owner ( or in a lake, heh)...airport parking?? Bus, train?? okay - off to take a look
wouldn't shopping center/office park (security) notice, if it had been left for any length of time?

 

[ozazure]

https://twitter.com/#!/cccairuh/status/173143207436238848

"AGAIN WITH THE CAR ****. drive away."

 

[sreshowtime]

wait- Apartment complex!!

 

[ozazure]

https://twitter.com/#!/cccairuh/status/172548460069916672

"LOOOOOL only yell **** from cars, do you feel lucky your protected by a STEEL ****ING CAR -_____- gotta be kidding me"

 

[sarx]

wait- Apartment complex!!

That's where I'm thinking.

 

[Ghostwheel]

The front tires may be uncommon for that style of car (it would be in our area). If it is registered in the area, they should be able to find out which tire shops sell those kind of tires and see who has bought any in the past few years. And that is a distinctive looking vehicle. Someone should recognize it.

 

[Ghostwheel]

wait- Apartment complex!!

Heck, in our neighborhood it could have sat in front of my house for two days. The people across the street have teenagers with friends that used to block my driveway for days at a time. No amount of calling to get them towed would work.

 

[askfornina]

I updated the timeline with information up until yesterday. I'll update again in the near future.

FULL TIMELINE:

CA Sierra Lamar, 15, Santa Clara County, 16 March 2012 timeline and media thread - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community


INFO FROM YESTERDAY, MAY 7th:

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.

 

[Annie1004]

I have a question: the jetta in the photo with the palm tree that Sarx posted has black door handles, yet the two surveillance photos look like red door handles on the car. Does anyone know why there is a difference? Otherwise, the cars are identical. I'm pretty sure the car is locked up somewhere safe now.

 

[AmandaReckonwith]

Case Archive:

http://s296.photobucket.com/albums/mm166/crankycrankerson/Sierra%20LaMar%20%20-CA-/

 

[krkrjx]

I have a question: the jetta in the photo with the palm tree that Sarx posted has black door handles, yet the two surveillance photos look like red door handles on the car. Does anyone know why there is a difference? Otherwise, the cars are identical. I'm pretty sure the car is locked up somewhere safe now.

In some photos my hair is dark and in others it looks red. It's all about the lighting...

 

[Pensfan]

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/#!/n...Clue/150528065

The residents on Sierra's street all lived in houses at $700,000+. These expensive homes would be likely to have security cameras and especially the neighbor's home with the huge barn (business) beside Sierra's home. It sounds like a couple of unknown cars (unknown to the neighbor) were at Sierra's home on the morning Sierra went missing and the neighbor's security camera recorded them. If this is true, why didn't LE alert everyone to the red car two months ago? Did LE not collect all the security videos from Sierra's neighbors in the first few days after she disappeared?

 

[bgmiller5]

I have a question: the jetta in the photo with the palm tree that Sarx posted has black door handles, yet the two surveillance photos look like red door handles on the car. Does anyone know why there is a difference? Otherwise, the cars are identical. I'm pretty sure the car is locked up somewhere safe now.

My guess is a combination of lighting, angle and low quality of the pic and vehicle movement caused them to look red. However, it wouldn't be too far out to think if the car was used to something not on the up-and-up that maybe the handles were replaced. I think they are the same and just look different.

 

[bgmiller5]

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/#!/n...Clue/150528065

The residents on Sierra's street all lived in houses at $700,000+. These expensive homes would be likely to have security cameras and especially the neighbor's home with the huge barn (business) beside Sierra's home. It sounds like a couple of unknown cars (unknown to the neighbor) were at Sierra's home on the morning Sierra went missing and the neighbor's security camera recorded them. If this is true, why didn't LE alert everyone to the red car two months ago?

That is just awesome. I had a feeling more folks may have come forward with this sort of evidence.

 

[cluciano63]

"A couple of cars?"
What was going on out there...

 

[Pensfan]

"A couple of cars?"
What was going on out there...

I can quickly think of two possibilities:
-Perhaps friends went to Sierra's home after her mom left to pick her up. It was the day of the big party that Sierra tweeted she wanted to attend.
-A group might have been upset with Sierra and they stopped by her home to threaten her.

 

[Whisperer]

$700K homes are not considered high end here. I don't know any people with security cameras on their homes but I am hoping and praying the guy who has the camera is the one who is diagnally across from 18 Paquita.

When I was there, three houses, including Sierra's all had old rickety cars (two were dark red) coming and going from the end of the cul-de-sac. I was told the people driving them live there, so I didn't take note.

 

[bgmiller5]

"A couple of cars?"
What was going on out there...

I can quickly think of two possibilities:
-Perhaps friends went to Sierra's home after her mom left to pick her up. It was the day of the big party that Sierra tweeted she wanted to attend.
-A group might have been upset with Sierra and they stopped by her home to threaten her.

I think that there's probably not enough clarification as to what "a couple of cars (he didn't understand??? wth)" means to assume there was more than one involved in Sierra's disappearance. It is possible, but not knowing where his camera was located, how much traffic normally goes past the location, etc. - I wouldn't think there's more than one vehicle. I hope LE also took some footage from a previous day or two just to compare it and see how much traffic usually goes through the area the witness is referring to. I guess maybe I'm just HOPING there was only one vehicle involved.

 

[Morganhillmom]

$700K homes are not considered high end here. I don't know any people with security cameras on their homes but I am hoping and praying the guy who has the camera is the one who is diagnally across from 18 Paquita.

When I was there, three houses, including Sierra's all had old rickety cars (two were dark red) coming and going from the end of the cul-de-sac. I was told the people driving them live there, so I didn't take note.

If the perp made right out of court there are nice homes worth more than 700,000.00 down that very, very quiet street.(scheller) i drove it when i first heard about it. It felt awkward to drive it because it is so private. Remember that it is at the end of that street (where it hits Hale/Santa Teresa) that they found her phone. The only reason anyone would travel that street is if they lived there. It is not an outlet to anywhere. Jmo though