Searchers look for signs of Sierra LaMar 4 years after disappearance

Byby Cornell Barnard KGO logo
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Searchers look for signs of Sierra LaMar 4 years after disappearance
Searchers Saturday hunted for any sign of missing teenager Sierra LaMar four years after she was reported missing.

MORGAN HILL, Calilf. (KGO) -- Searchers Saturday hunted for any sign of missing teenager Sierra LaMar four years after she was reported missing.

Search teams were back in the hills of Santa Clara County looking for any sign of 15-year Sierra who vanished four years ago this week. Her body has never been found.

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Many of the dedicated volunteer searchers have done the this before, looking and hoping. Nichole Larson said she never knew Sierra, but she's dedicated her free time to finding her.

"I've been here since the first search," she said. "She's just a regular girl and she goes missing and you just feel for the family and want to be a part of that."

Weekly searches were suspended last year but resumed Saturday for a difficult anniversary. Sierra vanished on her way to school four years ago this week.

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"Our main point is to bring Sierra home," said Patricia Blizzard, a volunteer.

A large piece of private property off Uvas Road had never been searched before. "It's right off the road, it's secluded. It's been an area of interest for us for a long time," said search team leader Doug Tollis.

Tollis says it was a favorite spot for Sierra's suspected kidnapper and murderer Antolin Garia-Torres. "Antolin had been seen out by Uvas, because apparently that's the area he li ked to fish," Tollis said.

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Searchers said Saturday so far they haven't found anything but will keep searching as long as it takes.

Sierra's dad Steve was not searching Saturday, but can't thank volunteers for never giving up hope. "I couldn't be more grateful. They're like Family members now," Steve LaMar said.

Garcia-Torres is awaiting trial, but even after the final verdict is read volunteers will keep searching for clues and answers.

"We want to keep hope alive and also just try to bring some closure to the family," Larson said.

The search goes on.

For more stories about Sierra LaMar, click here.

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