Jury begins deliberations in Sierra LaMar murder trial

Jury deliberations began Thursday morning in the case against Antolin Garcia-Torres, who is acccused of kidnapping and killing Morgan Hill teenager Sierra LaMar.

LaMar, 15, disappeared on her way to school in Morgan Hill in 2012 and her body has never been found. Defense attorneys have said that LaMar could still be alive.

However, the prosecution cited forensic evidence. LaMar’s clothing fibers were found in Garcia-Torres’ car, and a hair was on a rope in his trunk, prosecutors said. Garcia-Torres’ DNA was found on her pants, they said.

“I do not have to prove to you the manner in which Miss LaMar died, just that the defendant is the cause,” the prosecutor told the jury on Thursday.

Sierra’s father Steve LaMar spoke briefly outside the courthouse on Thursday.

“It’s been a long trial, but it’s just a blink of an eye compared to how much time we haven’t had Sierra with us,” said LaMar. “Now we wait and we pray and we hope for justice for Sierra.”

Garcia-Torres is also accused of trying to kidnap three other women in 2009. As in the LaMar case, he has pleaded not guilty to those charges.