05-22-2012, 03:49 AM
KTVU.com
MORGAN HILL, Calif. —
A 21-year-old suspect was arrested and charged with one count of murder and one count of kidnapping Monday in connection with the disappearance of Morgan Hill teen Sierra La Mar, according to authorities.
KTVU confirmed Monday evening that Santa Clara sheriff's deputies were holding 21-year-old Antolin Garcia-Torres in custody as a suspect in the case.
Garcia-Torres, a resident of San Martin, is the owner of the red VW Jetta that authorities sought and seized in connection with the case on May 8th.
Garcia-Torres was being questioned about the disappearance of the 15-year old girl from Morgan Hill.
Shortly after 10 p.m. when KTVU broke the story, officials confirmed that Garcia-Torres was booked on one charge of murder and one charge of kidnapping.
At the Santa Clara County sheriff's office Monday night, there were high hopes that the arrest is the break investigators have needed to solve the disappearance of Sierra La Mar.
A KTVU camera crew was at the Safeway store on Tenant Avenue in Morgan Hill at around 6 p.m. when sheriff's detectives took Garcia-Torres, a store employee, into custody.
KTVU followed the detectives to the sheriff's headquarters in San Jose and were outside at around 9 p.m. when detectives took Torres to the main county jail.
Sources tell KTVU detectives questioned Garcia-Torres for two hours about the missing teenager, trying to find out her location.
Authorities were mum when pressed for more details.
Sources said there is some DNA evidence linking Garcia-Torres to the clothing found in Sierra La Mar's backpack.
We have also been told that Garcia-Torres has been under around-the-clock surveillance since he was identified, including at his job and at his San Martin home.
The sheriff's office was declining to comment on the arrest or provide any details about what Garcia-Torres has said including whether he knows Sierra La Mar.
The sheriff's department said it plans to release more details at a news conference Tuesday.
![[Image: perp-walk-sierra.jpg]](http://media.cmgdigital.com/shared/img/photos/2012/05/21/49/93/perp-walk-sierra.jpg)
MORGAN HILL, Calif. —
A 21-year-old suspect was arrested and charged with one count of murder and one count of kidnapping Monday in connection with the disappearance of Morgan Hill teen Sierra La Mar, according to authorities.
KTVU confirmed Monday evening that Santa Clara sheriff's deputies were holding 21-year-old Antolin Garcia-Torres in custody as a suspect in the case.
Garcia-Torres, a resident of San Martin, is the owner of the red VW Jetta that authorities sought and seized in connection with the case on May 8th.
Garcia-Torres was being questioned about the disappearance of the 15-year old girl from Morgan Hill.
Shortly after 10 p.m. when KTVU broke the story, officials confirmed that Garcia-Torres was booked on one charge of murder and one charge of kidnapping.
At the Santa Clara County sheriff's office Monday night, there were high hopes that the arrest is the break investigators have needed to solve the disappearance of Sierra La Mar.
A KTVU camera crew was at the Safeway store on Tenant Avenue in Morgan Hill at around 6 p.m. when sheriff's detectives took Garcia-Torres, a store employee, into custody.
KTVU followed the detectives to the sheriff's headquarters in San Jose and were outside at around 9 p.m. when detectives took Torres to the main county jail.
Sources tell KTVU detectives questioned Garcia-Torres for two hours about the missing teenager, trying to find out her location.
Authorities were mum when pressed for more details.
Sources said there is some DNA evidence linking Garcia-Torres to the clothing found in Sierra La Mar's backpack.
We have also been told that Garcia-Torres has been under around-the-clock surveillance since he was identified, including at his job and at his San Martin home.
The sheriff's office was declining to comment on the arrest or provide any details about what Garcia-Torres has said including whether he knows Sierra La Mar.
The sheriff's department said it plans to release more details at a news conference Tuesday.