Sierra LaMar Update: Antolin Garcia-Torres linked to missing Calif. teen through DNA, police say

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter ,; Missing

Antolin Garcia-Torres is seen in this picture provided by the Santa Clara County Sheriff's office May 21, 2012.

Antolin Garcia-Torres was arrested for the alleged kidnapping and murder of 15-year-old Sierra LaMar

/ KPIX-TV/Santa Clara County Sheriff

(CBS/AP) MORGAN HILL, Calif. - Authorities say DNA evidence has linked a 21-year-old man in custody to the kidnapping and murder of missing Northern California teenager Sierra LaMar.

Photos: Arrest made in case of missing Calif. teen

Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith said at a Tuesday news conference that Antolin Garcia-Torres's DNA was found inside a bag belonging to LaMar.

Garcia-Torres was arrested Monday on suspicion of murder and kidnapping of the teen, whose disappearance more than two months ago prompted hundreds of volunteers to turn out for organized searches.

LaMar hasn't been seen or heard from since she left her home in Morgan Hill to go to school on March 16. Authorities believe she was kidnapped while walking to a bus stop.

Smith said Garcia-Torres had been under 24-hour surveillance since March 28 and that evidence also linked him to at least one assault in March 2009.

"We believe this is the worst kind of crime, a stranger abducting a young girl," she said.

Investigators found LaMar's handbag with clothing and a cellphone along the side of the road near her home on March 17, the day after her mother reported her missing.

Earlier this month, investigators located a red Volkswagen Jetta they said may have been connected to LaMar's abduction because surveillance cameras and witnesses put the car near the area where authorities believe she disappeared. Smith said late Monday that Garcia-Torres owns the Volkswagen.

Complete coverage of Sierra LaMar on Crimesider

15 Photos

Arrest made in case of missing Calif. teen

View the Full Gallery »

8 Comments +

Add a Comment


by 10311957bb June 6, 2012 3:16 AM EDT: I just want to make a comment: We all should not...Stereotype people
Mexican is with a capital letter...Murder comes in all flavors, it does not discriminate, yes we need to educate our children and teach them strangers are strangers(period) Ethnicity has nothing to do with it,it is sad that our kids have to live with such distrust in people, but our society is not the same as before, we live in much danger and our kids just have to know that: they are exposed to it.

I want to send my prayers to this family: It is a time for prayers and compassion,for the Sierra LaMar family. not for us to pay attention to all the news media on the suspect..we all know that the suspect is just a suspect until he is proven guilty, in which if he did this he will be charged, instead, focus on the LaMar family
Why, do the suspects or criminals get all of the attention and the victims are for gotten...not right...I know what this family feels
I know they want to find there daughter and they will, they should be treated with respect when they do find her, we do not want to here about the suspects background, we want to be supportive for this family no matter what the out come may be, I know I would want supportive people around me, not negative, it all should be finding
there baby and bringing her home, I am so tired of the media exploit this case and others, just like this one, thinking only of the story, this is a child,she is loved by her family, please stop focusing on the suspect; Reply to this comment


by akc87031 May 29, 2012 10:09 AM EDT: I hate to say it but some young people are so naive when it comes to strangers. They trust too many people they don't know. I doubt Sierra trusted or wanted to talk to this guy. He overpowered her most likely. You almost have to scare the juheebits out of our kids today so they don't end up victims.
I feel so very sad for the family.

23 years ago at 10 pm a big ugly mex man tried to kidnap my then 16 year old daughter while she was pumping gas. He came from behind her and tried to put a cloth over her face. He pulled up near her vehicle, had the passenger side opened and tried grabbing her. her friend who was sitting in the passenger seat didn't see a thing. My daughter dropped the nozzle and ran inside. To this day she does not stop at service stations at night!; Reply to this comment

by johnnu May 22, 2012 4:06 PM EDT

My uncle`s a guard at San Quentin. My uncle and all his buddies are going to make this guys life rip ace hell. Protective custody wont save you.

Reply to this comment


by jessiiijask May 22, 2012 5:19 PM EDT: thanks johnnu!!! seriously. this guy deserves The WORST OF THE WORST!!

by Noval53 May 22, 2012 3:37 PM EDT

Public hanging is very appropriate for this swine named Torres. Young women arm yourselves; gun, knife, poison, hand grenade. Very sharp blades work very well. Do whatever it takes to survive, even if it means killing your attacker.

Reply to this comment


by jessiiijask May 22, 2012 5:20 PM EDT: i heard that!!! duly noted!


by L-A- May 22, 2012 3:15 PM EDT: I have been following this case and it's just so sad. As a grow up woman, I feel Sierra 's life was stolen. She didn't have the opportunity I had @ 15 to live life to the fullest and no to worry about perverts. I hope he really gets the death penalty. There is no other way around it. Our kids deserve to have the right to walk to school in the mornings without any worries. They should be able to go to the mall, walk to a friend's house and we should not have to worry about it at all. My prayers are with her family.; Reply to this comment