"Yeah, I remember that," says one, as the young women looked through old cell phone pictures.
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For the most part the memories are still fresh of their time together at Fremont's Washington High School. "She was my best friend at the time," said Channah Foreman, who told us she thinks of her beautiful, bubbly friend often. "She was a very, very interesting character, very on her own. She was outstanding and very bright. Anyone who knew who she was felt her presence in the room."
TIMELINE: Sierra LaMar kidnapping, murder case
Each of these women has moved on with their lives, but they still share an unbreakable bond with Sierra at the center. "As a group," said Alex Mejia, "the group that were Sierra's friends, we've all learned from this. It's kind of turned us into a family if anything, with her family as well."
And though she's been gone now for five years, Sierra clearly touched many people in Fremont. While there's some comfort in a verdict of guilty, there's still much longing for a greater measure of closure.
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They want Antolin Garcia-Torres to reveal the location of Sierra's body. "That's all I hope for...all I've been hoping for since the beginning," explained Foreman. "I don't care what happens to him. I care what happens with her."
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