Jury Recommends Life Without Parole for Convicted Sierra LaMar Killer
By Damian Trujillo and Brendan Weber ••
The jury in the Sierra LaMar murder trial on Monday recommended to penalize convicted killer Antolin Garcia Torres with life in prison without the possibility of parole. Damian Trujillo reports.
The jury in the Sierra LaMar murder trial on Monday recommended to penalize convicted killer Antolin Garcia Torres with life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The decision came less than one month after the jury unanimously found Garcia Torres guilty of kidnapping and killing the 15-year-old girl, who disappeared March 16, 2012 on her way to a bus stop near her mother's Morgan Hill home. The teenager's body has never been found.
Immediately after the penalty decision was read, Steve LaMar, Sierra's father, hid his face in his hands and shook his head.
"I would be lying if I didn't say I was disappointed in the verdict," Steve LaMar said. "(Garcia Torres will) be able to live. Sierra won't. He'll able to breathe. Sierra doesn't. He'll be able to eat every day, see his family, and we don't have that. His family doesn't grieve. We'll grieve for the rest of our lives."
"I feel at peace that (Garcia Torres) will not be on the streets and harm another a child, but the angst will be in our lives forever," she said. "Nothing will ever take that away."
NBC Bay Area
After five years, a jury unanimously found Antolin Garcia-Torres guilty of killing 15-year-old Sierra LaMar, a Morgan Hill teen who went missing in 2012. (May 9, 2017)
NBC Bay Area
After five years, a jury unanimously found Antolin Garcia-Torres guilty of killing 15-year-old Sierra LaMar, a Morgan Hill teen who went missing in 2012. (May 9, 2017)
Riya Bhattacharjee/NBC Bay Area
A crowd gathers early in the morning at the Santa Clara County Superior Court to listen to the verdict of the Sierra LaMar case. (May 9, 2017)
NBC Bay Area
After five years, a jury unanimously found Antolin Garcia-Torres guilty of killing 15-year-old Sierra LaMar, a Morgan Hill teen who went missing in 2012. (May 9, 2017)
Jennifer Gonzalez/ NBC Bay Area
Artist Joan Lynch sketches the parents of Sierra LaMar in the courtroom after the jury unanimously found Antolin Garcia-Torres guilty of killing and kidnapping 15-year-old Sierra LaMar who disappeared in 2012. (May 9, 2017)
Jennifer Gonzalez/ NBC Bay Area
After a jury unanimously found Antolin Garcia-Torres guilty of killing 15-year-old Sierra LaMar, artist Joan Lynch sketches the courtroom scene outside the Santa Clara County Superior Court. (May 9, 2017)
Jennifer Gonzalez/ NBC Bay Area
After a jury unanimously found Antolin Garcia-Torres guilty of killing 15-year-old Sierra LaMar, artist Vicki Behringer sketches the courtroom scene outside the Santa Clara County Superior Court. The jury also found Garcia-Torres guilty of attempting to kidnap and carjack three women in Safeway parking lots in 2009. (May 9, 2017)
Sketch by: Vicky Behringer
Sketches of the court scene after a jury unanimously found Antolin Garcia-Torres guilty of killing 15-year-old Sierra LaMar at the Santa Clara County Superior Court. (May 9, 2017)
Vicky Behringer
Sketches of the court scene after a jury unanimously found Antolin Garcia-Torres guilty of killing 15-year-old Sierra LaMar at the Santa Clara County Superior Court. (May 9, 2017)
Riya Bhattacharjee/NBC Bay Area
District attorney Jeff Rosen addresses a crowd after a jury unanimously found Antolin Garcia-Torres guilty of killing 15-year-old Sierra LaMar at the Santa Clara County Superior Court. (May 9, 2017)
NBC Bay Area
District attorney Jeff Rosen addresses a crowd after a jury unanimously found Antolin Garcia-Torres guilty of killing 15-year-old Sierra LaMar at the Santa Clara County Superior Court. (May 9, 2017)
NBC Bay Area
Attorney David Boyd addresses a crowd after a jury unanimously found Antolin Garcia-Torres guilty of killing 15-year-old Sierra LaMar at the Santa Clara County Superior Court. (May 9, 2017)
Riya Bhattacharjee/NBC Bay Area
Marlene LaMar, father of Sierra LaMar, addresses a crowd after a jury unanimously found Antolin Garcia-Torres guilty of killing 15-year-old Sierra LaMar at the Santa Clara County Superior Court. (May 9, 2017)
Riya Bhattacharjee/NBC Bay Area
Steve LaMar, father of Sierra LaMar, addresses a crowd after a jury unanimously found Antolin Garcia-Torres guilty of killing 15-year-old Sierra LaMar at the Santa Clara County Superior Court. (May 9, 2017)
Riya Bhattacharjee/NBC Bay Area
Marlene LaMar, mother of Sierra LaMar, addresses a crowd after a jury unanimously found Antolin Garcia-Torres guilty of killing 15-year-old Sierra LaMar at the Santa Clara County Superior Court. (May 9, 2017)
Riya Bhattacharjee/NBC Bay Area
Steve LaMar, father of Sierra LaMar, addresses a crowd after a jury unanimously found Antolin Garcia-Torres guilty of killing 15-year-old Sierra LaMar at the Santa Clara County Superior Court. (May 9, 2017)
Bob Redell
Over 500 Bay Area residents joined a search parties in search of Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar, who went missing while on her way to school on March 16, 2012
Bob Redell
Over 500 Bay Area residents joined a search parties in search of Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar, who went missing while on her way to school March 16, 2012.
Bob Redell
Volunteer searchers found an empty box for handcuffs and two used condoms at this location and believe it is connected to Sierra LaMar's disappearance.
NBC Bay Area
Sierra LaMar, a teen who went missing while on her way to school, was last seen on March 16, 2012.
Marianne Favro
Sgt. Don Ray, from the Santa Clara County Under Water Search and Rescue prepares to enter Ogier park pond in search of Sierra LaMar, a Morgan Hill teen who went missing while on her way to school.
NBC Bay Area
Santa Clara County divers search a small lake in Morgan Hill where Sierra LaMar’s accused killer used to go fishing, (Feb. 25, 2014)
Bob Redell
Over 500 Bay Area residents join a search party in search of Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar, who went missing while on her way to school.
George Kiriyama
[L-R] Sierra LaMar's parents, Steve LaMar and Marlene Lamar attend a "Light the Night" vigil for the missing teen at the Morgan Hill library.
NBC News
Hundreds of people gather for a candlelight vigil for Sierra LaMar, a teen who went missing while on her way to school since March 16, 2012.
File Image
Hundreds of people gather for a candlelight vigil for Sierra LaMar, a teen who went missing while on her way to school since March 16.
NBC Bay Area
Volunteer Roger Nelson continues to search for Sierra Lamar, two years after the Morgan Hill girl disappeared. (March 15, 2014)
Information continues to be collected on the whereabout of Sierra LaMar, a teen who went missing while on her way to school since March 16. Officials ask that any information on the LaMar be reported to the anonymous tip line at 408-808-4431 or e-mailed to tips@sheriff.sccgov.org
Information continues to be collected on the whereabout of Sierra LaMar, a teen who went missing while on her way to school since March 16. Officials ask that any information on the LaMar be reported to the anonymous tip line at 408-808-4431 or e-mailed to tips@sheriff.sccgov.org
Marianne Favro
Community members hold up signs of Sierra LaMar, a teen who went missing while on her way to school since March 16, 2012, outside the court.
Damian Trujillo
Community members hold up signs of Sierra LaMar, a teen who went missing while on her way to school since March 16, 2012, outside the court.
Bob Redell
Several volunteers joined the search for Sierra LaMar, a teen who went missing while on her way to school since March 16, 2012.
NBC Bay Area
Antolin Garcia-Torres pleas not guilty to charges that he kidnapped and murdered Morgan Hill teen, Sierra Lamar. (June 27, 2013)
NBC Bay Area
Antolin Garcia-Torres pleas not guilty to charges that he kidnapped and murdered Morgan Hill teen, Sierra Lamar. (June 27, 2013)
File image
Investigators say this car is now in their custody in connection to the disappearance of Sierra LaMar.
NBC Bay Area
Steve LaMar, father of Sierra LaMar, holds balloons at a dedication ceremony at Washington High School in Fremont for a bench in honor of his daughter. (March 16, 2014)
NBC Bay Area
Marlene LaMar admires a plaque dedicated to her daughter, Sierra LaMar, that sits on a memorial bench at Washington High School in Fremont. (March 16, 2016)
NBC Bay Area
A plaque dedicated to Sierra LaMar sits on a memorial bench at Washington High School in Fremont. (March 16, 2016)
With the penalty phase over, Sierra’s family says they now hope Garcia Torres will reveal where her body is, so everyone can finally be at peace.
"Yeah, that’s always the hope," Steve LaMar said. "That’s something that would help us in the grieving."
The jurors declined to comment on the penalty decision.
In response to the jury's sentencing choice, Garcia Torres' defense team filed a motion for a new trial. That hearing is scheduled for September.
Following last month's guilty verdict, which also found Garcia Torres guilty of attempting to kidnap three other women in Morgan Hill Safeway parking lots back in 2009, a roughly two-week long penalty phase began. During that time, prosecutors argued that Garcia Torres deserved the death penalty for not showing any mercy to Sierra LaMar and her family.
Garcia Torres' defense team countered by highlighting the defendant's tumultous childhood filled with instances of violence, poverty and abuse in hopes of generating compassion.
