Stephen Ellison

Sierra LaMar Murder Trial: Alleged Attempted Kidnapping Victim Testifies

Thursday will mark the five-year anniversary of Sierra LaMar's disappearance.

The Morgan Hill teen vanished on March 16, 2012 after leaving her home on her way to school.

Meanwhile, the trial of her suspected killer, Antolin Garcia Torres, continued Tuesday.

In addition to being charged with murdering Sierra, Garcia Torres is accused of attempting to kidnap three women. One of those women took the stand Tuesday.

The alleged victim in her testimony said a man jumped in the back seat of her SUV, used a stun gun to shock her and punched her. The attack was reported in the parking lot of a Safeway store in Morgan Hill in 2009.

A fingerprint of Garcia Torres was later found on the stun gun battery.

The alleged victim testified she never saw the attackers face and did not identify Garcia Torres in a photo line up.

"These other victims are the building blocks of the prosecutions case to show that Garcia Torres had the M.O. to commit the Sierra LaMar kidnapping and murder, legal analyst Steven Clark said.

Despite a massive search effort, Sierra's body has never been found. 

Volunteer David Arocha has personally searched more than a hundred times and now helps the family by coming to court every day.

"I just needed to see this through for the family, that's why I'm here," Arocha said. "And I will continue to come until this is resolved."

If convicted, Garcia Torres faces the death penalty.

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