Sierra LaMar’s parents describe pain of reliving tragedy during retrial

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Fourteen years after 15-year-old Sierra LaMar disappeared while walking to a school bus stop in Morgan Hill, her parents are speaking about the emotional toll of enduring a second murder trial.

The retrial of Antolin Garcia-Torres is continuing in San Jose. Garcia-Torres was convicted of murdering Sierra in 2017, but an appeals court overturned the verdict after ruling that evidence of his past crimes had improperly influenced the jury.

Sierra’s body has never been found.

Parents describe emotional toll

What they're saying:

Sierra’s mother, Marlene LaMar, said reliving the events of March 16, 2012, has been devastating for the family.

"It is an unfortunate thing for our family to relive the horrific events that occurred on March 16 — 14 years ago," Marlene LaMar said.

She said the trauma has not become easier with time.

"It just seems like it never ends," she said. "You know, you start to feel like you can get over it and then this happens. And it is not any less painful."

Sierra disappeared the morning of March 16, 2012, while walking toward a school bus stop in Morgan Hill.

"It is still a very unfortunate tragedy that it occurred," Marlene LaMar said. "It affected her friends, her family, and we are all in shock that we have to be here today."

Sierra’s father, Steve LaMar, also spoke about the difficulty of returning to court.

"Like I said before, we are not really thrilled about being here — none of us," he said. "We don’t think it should be happening again, but there is not much we could do."

Sierra’s sister testifies

Key testimony Thursday came from Sierra’s older sister, Danielle LaMar, who described their close relationship to jurors.

"We were really close," Danielle LaMar testified.

When prosecutors asked whether Sierra had ever mentioned a man in a red car, Danielle said no.

She described the last time she saw her sister as a normal moment, saying Sierra was "happy and content and just her usual self."

The red car remains a key part of the prosecution’s case. Prosecutors argue that DNA evidence shows Sierra was inside Garcia-Torres’ red Volkswagen Jetta.

Mother recounts day Sierra disappeared

Late Thursday afternoon, Marlene LaMar took the witness stand and described the morning Sierra disappeared.

She testified that everything appeared normal and that the family followed its usual routine. Marlene said she made sure Sierra was awake and getting ready to walk to the bus stop before leaving for work.

Marlene said she became increasingly concerned when Sierra did not respond to text messages during the day. After learning that Sierra was not at school or home later that afternoon, Marlene called 911.

Garcia-Torres retrial

Garcia-Torres was convicted in 2017 despite investigators never finding Sierra’s body. An appeals court later overturned the conviction, finding that evidence of prior crimes had improperly tainted the jury.

Garcia-Torres is now facing a second trial in Sierra’s disappearance and death.