Arrest in kidnapping and murder of teen

The parents of missing teenager, Sierra LaMar, are not going to give up hope in finding their daughter, even as police arrested a 21-year-old man on Monday for her kidnapping and murder.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Antolin Garcia-Torres was arrested on Monday evening after being taken into custody at a Safeway located in Morgan Hill. The suspect had been under watch since investigators received lab results of his DNA found on LaMar's discareded clothes.

"Our search still is not going to end," Sierra's mother Marlene LaMar said at a press conference Tuesday. "As a mother, I'm hopeful because her body has not been found."

"We were hoping that he would lead us to where Sierra was," Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith said Tuesday, adding that the decision to book Garcia-Torres came out of concern for public safety.

Because LaMar's body has yet to be found, Smith stated that there is strong evidence that points to homicide, something the community has feared since LaMar disappeared on her way to school on March 16. Smith has refused to speak about the state of the physical evidence found on LaMar's clothes and in the suspect's vehicle.

"These are very very difficult cases, to prosecute a homicide when you haven't found the victim," Smith said.

Garcia-Torres' record has shown a past conviction for interfering with an officer, which is a misdemeanor, and a felony arrest for assault, of which he was not prosecuted. Interviews with the suspect have yet to reveal anything about LaMar's whereabouts.

LaMar's mother pleaded with Garcia-Torres to cooperate with the investigators.

"Please, please give the information that you have to lead us to Sierra," LaMar's mother pleaded to Garcia-Torres. "I would like you to come forward and say where she is and end this nightmare."

Sheriff's officials and volunteers have searched the fields, open spaces, and reservoirs near Morgan Hill. Also, a Facebook page was made to try and help find LaMar. The KlaasKids Foundation, found by Marc Klaas, whose 12-year-old daughter, Polly, was kidnapped and murdered in 1993, has been organizing volunteer searches on both Wednesdays and Saturdays.

"We still need your support," Sierra's father, Steve LaMar, said. "We need to bring Sierra home."

On March 17, Sierra's handbag was found with clothing and a cellphone on the side of a road near her home. Earlier this month, a red Volkswagen Jetta was found with investigators saying it may be connected to Sierra's abduction. Officials have released little details about leads in the case, including if they found any evidence in the car.

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