A murder trial regarding Sierra LaMar could be delayed.
Attorneys representing murder suspect Antolin Garcia-Torres on Thursday filed a motion to obtain more evidence in the case. The case started four years ago this week when LaMar disappeared while walking to a school bus stop.
Police presume the Morgan Hill teen to be dead and her body has not been found. Garcia-Torres was indicted by a grand jury for LaMar's death.
When a crime lab tested the DNA on LaMar's pants they got a hit on 12 profiles. One of those profiles was Garcia-Torres.
Without a body, experts said the DNA evidence pointing to Garcia-Torres is crucial in the case. But the crime lab also got hits on 11 other people, or profiles. The defense lawyers now want to know who those people are.
"This is very critical to the defense case because they have to attack the DNA evidence entirely," legal analyst Steven Clark said. "Because there is no body and DNA evidence points to Garcia-Torres."
Local
Garcia-Torres' lawyers filed a motion in court Thursday, requesting the profiles of the other 11 people who also were hits in the DNA database. If the defense attorneys get their wish, Clark said the trial will likely not start next month, as scheduled.
"There would be a mountain of evidence turned over to the defense if they got their way," Clark said. "I don't see how they could be ready for trial and have the experts review it within a month."
A delay would be a blow for search volunteers, who will be back out on Saturday looking for LaMar.
"Wanting to bring Sierra home and have justice for Sierra, and bringing family home provides the family some closure," said Roger Nelson, who has been coordinating the searches for LaMar.
A judge is set to rule on Monday.
