Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar went missing 5 years ago as murder trial continues

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif. (KTVU) - It is a sad anniversary for the family and friends of Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar. She went missing exactly five years ago today on her way to school.

The man accused of killing her is on trial even though LaMar's body has never been found.

It was March 16th of 2012 when 15-year-old Sierra LaMar went missing. She was walking to the school bus stop from her Morgan Hill home at the time.

Antolin Garcia-Torres is on trial for Sierra La Mar's murder. His trial continues Thursday at 8:30 a.m. with more testimony from witnesses.

Garcia-Torres is also charged with the attempted kidnapping of three women in the Morgan Hill area in the years before Sierra disappeared.

Earlier this week the jury heard from one of those victims who testified a man fitting Garcia-Torres description used a stun-gun to try and subdue her but he fled when she screamed for help.

Garcia-Torres has pleaded not guilty to those charges, and the charges alleging he killed LaMar.

His defense team has questioned the validity of the DNA evidence against him and at one point argued LaMar may not be dead and may have run away.

In the days following Sierra LaMar's disappearance hundreds of volunteers put up posters with her pictures in the hopes of finding her.

For a few years after her disappearance volunteer search teams met regularly to scour hillsides and reservoirs in the South Bay, looking for any sign of her.

Lamar's body has never been found. Garcia-Torres could face the death penalty, if convicted.