CA CONVICTION OVERTURNED CA - Sierra Lamar, 15, Santa Clara County, 16 March 2012 - #23 - GUILTY/LWOP

[Emi]

no problems I honestly wish this case wasn't moved. Its sad to me

 

[Knox]

I posted this after 10 years because I updated Sierra's thread after moving it over from Recently Sentenced and Beyond forum. I do not see a link to Sierra's NamUs profile anywhere in this thread. Additionally, even if there is a link to her profile in any of the previous 22 threads, most likely it's outdated. Finally, and for the record, "this" may be known to you, but it doesn't mean everyone else knows. I had never come across Sierra's case prior to today.

Thanks for asking.

I saw your post in my notifications. Thank you for updating, I'm so sad for her family.

 

[JnRyan]

Sierra LaMar's Family Remains Hopeful 10 Years After Morgan Hill Teen Vanished
there is a video segment

Had to check in. STILL Sierra has not been found. I believe this was the first case I followed on WS. I'm glad there is a conviction, but I still want to see her found.

 

[OddOneOut]

I just watched an episode on Sierra LaMar. Does anyone know if searches are still being done?

 

[peep]

I still want to find her. I was hopeful a couple years ago when remains were found near her home, but they were not hers.

 

[JnRyan]

Just checking in. Per a Google search of the news she still has not been found. Maybe if this guy had faced the death penalty they might have had leverage to get him to reveal where her body is.

 

[cvaldez1975]

shes never been found.

 

[rosesfromangels]

shes never been found.

My amateur opinion and speculation is that her earthy remains ended up in the landfill

 

[Knox]

My amateur opinion and speculation is that her earthy remains ended up in the landfill

Agree, it's been a long time. IMO, he put her in the dumpster at the Safeway grocery store he worked at.

He still claims he's innocent - arrogant little azzhat

 

[rosesfromangels]

Agree, it's been a long time. IMO, he put her in the dumpster at the Safeway grocery store he worked at.

He still claims he's innocent - arrogant little azzhat

THAT is precisely what I think happened. The dumpster at his mothership.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[Leprikawn]

Just checking in. Per a Google search of the news she still has not been found. Maybe if this guy had faced the death penalty they might have had leverage to get him to reveal where her body is.

Agree. these people only care about their own well being. Using the death penalty to bargain is a big weapon.

 

[Caring1]

February 27, 2026

MORGAN HILL, Calif. —
The conviction in the killing of Morgan Hill teenager Sierra LaMar in 2012 was overturned Friday, possibly setting up Antolin Garcia-Torres for a new trial if prosecutors decide to pursue the case.

Garcia-Torres, 34, was convicted in 2017 of first-degree murder in the death of 15-year-old LaMar.

LaMar’s body has not been found since she missed her bus to Ann Sobrato High School in Morgan Hill on March 16, 2012. Garcia-Torres was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Conviction overturned for man found guilty of killing Sierra Lamar

The man who was convicted for the killing of teenager Sierra Lamar in 2012 had his conviction overturned on Friday.

www.ksbw.com

 

[tricia]

February 27, 2026

MORGAN HILL, Calif. —
The conviction in the killing of Morgan Hill teenager Sierra LaMar in 2012 was overturned Friday, possibly setting up Antolin Garcia-Torres for a new trial if prosecutors decide to pursue the case.

Garcia-Torres, 34, was convicted in 2017 of first-degree murder in the death of 15-year-old LaMar.

LaMar’s body has not been found since she missed her bus to Ann Sobrato High School in Morgan Hill on March 16, 2012. Garcia-Torres was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Conviction overturned for man found guilty of killing Sierra Lamar

The man who was convicted for the killing of teenager Sierra Lamar in 2012 had his conviction overturned on Friday.

www.ksbw.com

I can't believe this OMG

 

[Knox]

February 27, 2026

MORGAN HILL, Calif. —
The conviction in the killing of Morgan Hill teenager Sierra LaMar in 2012 was overturned Friday, possibly setting up Antolin Garcia-Torres for a new trial if prosecutors decide to pursue the case.

Garcia-Torres, 34, was convicted in 2017 of first-degree murder in the death of 15-year-old LaMar.

LaMar’s body has not been found since she missed her bus to Ann Sobrato High School in Morgan Hill on March 16, 2012. Garcia-Torres was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Conviction overturned for man found guilty of killing Sierra Lamar

The man who was convicted for the killing of teenager Sierra Lamar in 2012 had his conviction overturned on Friday.

www.ksbw.com

You've got to be kidding me?!! I'm not following the logic, what should he have been charged with?

 

[Izzylizzy]

You've got to be kidding me?!! I'm not following the logic, what should he have been charged with?

I'm new to this tragedy and clicked it on from the front page.
In my limited knowledge of trials I never heard of what the prosecutor did by bringing into the trial for the murder of SL charges for another crime.
It's possible for a prosecutor to get the judge to permit similar behavior/convictions of a defendant to show a pattern but put a defendant on trial for an event unrelated to the murder charge is behooving.

"Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office also said the appeals court found it was an error to try the murder case alongside three attempted-kidnapping counts from an unrelated case that occurred three years earlier in a Safeway parking lot.'

2017
"The jury also convicted Garcia-Torres, an amateur arborist and former Safeway bag boy, of attempting to kidnap three women late at night from Safeway parking lots in Morgan Hill three years before Sierra disappeared. His fingerprint was on the battery of a stun gun the attacker tried to use and dropped in one of the attacks."

CA Thread 'CONVICTION OVERTURNED CA - Sierra Lamar, 15, Santa Clara County, 16 March 2012 - #23 - GUILTY/LWOP'

May 16, 2017

CONVICTION OVERTURNED. CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST ​

Sierra LaMar, 15, has been missing since Friday, March 16. She left home early that morning to walk to her bus stop for school. Her cell phone was found along a local roadway shortly after, and her purse/bag was also found later.
Facebook page - www.facebook.com/help.find.sierra

Sierra LaMar Suspect Under Surveillance Before Arrest...

• beach
• Replies: 626
• Forum: 2010's Missing

 

[Knox]

GT abducted and murdered Sierra, they will retry him with felony murder.

I read another longer article and understand now why it was overturned. But the prior cases (Safeway kidnap attempts) showed a pattern and should have been allowed, IMO. The premeditated aspect, I'll give them that one - especially since they were never able to recover her body.

I'm beyond pizzed her family has to endure another trial fourteen years later.

 

[moonglow123]

GT abducted and murdered Sierra, they will retry him with felony murder.

I read another longer article and understand now why it was overturned. But the prior cases (Safeway kidnap attempts) showed a pattern and should have been allowed, IMO. The premeditated aspect, I'll give them that one - especially since they were never able to recover her body.

I'm beyond pizzed her family has to endure another trial fourteen years later.

Seriously, I’ve been following this case since it first happened. I remember refreshing my computer every day in 2012 hoping there would be news on her.

This is gross and sad for her family. I hate that this creep has managed to garner so much plausible deniability for himself because he hid her super well.

 

[Izzylizzy]

GT abducted and murdered Sierra, they will retry him with felony murder.

I read another longer article and understand now why it was overturned. But the prior cases (Safeway kidnap attempts) showed a pattern and should have been allowed, IMO. The premeditated aspect, I'll give them that one - especially since they were never able to recover her body.

I'm beyond pizzed her family has to endure another trial fourteen years later.

The attempted kidnapping should have been entered as evidence showing his pattern of criminal behavior but not entered in his charging document.
It would have been just as effective in getting a guilty murder verdict and the family wouldn't have been put back in this heart wrenching position again of another trial.
imo

 

[Eli9]

OMG. I'm devastated by what I am reading this morning. Speechless.

Her poor family.

Sierra was the first on line crime case I ever followed.

 

[keptbycats]

OMG, I just got an google alert for this and I am reeling!