Crime & Safety
Timeline: 4 Months Into Sierra LaMar Disappearance
A chronological report of search efforts and events for the missing teen.
Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar has been missing since March 16. Antolin Garcia-Torres, 21, is being charged in her murder with the special circumstance of kidnapping.
Here's a look at the search efforts and events in the teen's four month disappearance.
MARCH
March 16 — Sierra Lamar is last seen leaving her home near Palm and Dougherty avenues in unincorporated Morgan Hill early Friday morning.
Find out what's happening in Milpitaswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
March 17 — Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office .
March 19 — three quarters of a mile from the LaMar home. The phone is found on the side of the road at 7 p.m. at the north-east corner of Scheller Avenue and Santa Teresa Boulevard.
Find out what's happening in Milpitaswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
March 20 — Detectives . Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement task force begins interviewing all known South County residents with a sexual assault conviction.
March 26 — Marc Klaas of the KlaasKids Foundation becomes involved in the search for Sierra, .
. Investigators review surveillance footage from nearby gas station, ultimately rule out any connection.
March 27 — for Sierra. Investigators , say it's highly unlikely that Sierra ran away from home.
Sheriff's Office announces Sierra was likely abducted by someone with Morgan Hill connections.
Kidnap survivor , ask the public to share ideas.
March 28 — Sheriff's dive team begins conducting . K9s trained in human remains detection on scene.
LaMar family sets up to cover search costs for missing teen.
March 31 — with goal of increasing awareness of missing teen and sending message to abductors.
APRIL
April 1 — Klaaskids Foundation organizes , asking public to use a photo of Sierra on social media profiles for one day.
April 2 — .
. Gilroy police called in to assist in search efforts.
Sheriff's office has received over 900 tips and invested 5,000 hours in case.
April 7 — LaMar family to first person who relays information leading police to Sierra.
April 19 — Sierra's for the second time.
in Morgan Hill draws hundreds. Raised funds go toward continued search efforts for missing teen.
April 20 — Sheriff's Office personnel from Santa Cruz, Marin, San Mateo and Monterey counties .
Aprill 21 — advising the public about the abduction.
April 28 — LaMar family announces to $25,000.
MAY
May 4 — at Ann Sobrato High School raises $1,400 for Find Sierra LaMar fund.
May 7 — Authorities .
May 8 —
May 9 — Authorities announce .
May 11 — airs coverage of LaMar case.
Missing teen's mother shares , reflects on motherhood.
May 21 — Sheriff's Office for Sierra's murder.
May 22 — Sheriff's Office holds press conference after LaMar murder suspect is arrested. Sheriff Laurie Smith announces .
Authorities despite missing body.
KlaasKids Founder Marc Klaas calls .
Authorities announce that for Sierra's presumed murder.
The media starts to dig into Garcia-Torres' past, learns he has .
May 23 — Police positively connect LaMar murder suspect to .
May 24 — Antolin Garcia-Torres appears in court for first time, has arraignment waived. .
Sisters of Garcia-Torres say , and that law enforcement lied to the media.
May 25 — Marc Klaas says he's .
Family of LaMar murder suspect says when being interviewed and followed by law enforcement.
May 31 — Garcia-Torres returns to court to . Waives arraignment for second time.
Criminologist Steve Clark says if found not guilty on murder charge with special circumstance of kidnapping.
JUNE
June 7 — Garcia-Torres' and asks to be removed from the case.
June 13 — LaMar family .
June 19 — Sierra's . High-Tech Task Force investigates fraudulent posts.
JULY
July 5 — Morgan Hill filmmaker chronicling search for Sierra.
July 12 — Media learns that Garcia-Torres' father, Genaro Garcia Fernandez, is charged with .
July 31 — Garcia-Torres for the third time to enter a plea. Santa Clara County Deputy Alternate Public Defender Traci Owens is assigned to represent Garcia-Torres after his previous defense attorney, Ken Mandel, .
For previous coverage of the Sierra LaMar case, refer to the Sierra LaMar Disappearance: Comprehensive Updates and Information page on Gilroy Patch.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.