"In any retrial of (first degree murder), based on our finding of insufficient evidence of willful, deliberate and premeditated murder or a specific intent to kill, the prosecution is barred from relying on those theories. This ruling was signed by Judges Adrienne Grover, Daniel Bromberg and Sunil Kulkarni of the Sixth Appellate Court."
"We just received the opinion and are digesting it. However, we will never stop seeking justice for Sierra. The District Attorney's office made this statement shortly after the appeal ruling was published, indicating their commitment to the case despite the conviction reversal."
"Sierra LaMar was 15 when she was reported missing from her north Morgan Hill home in March 2012. LaMar was a sophomore at Sobrato High School. Garcia Torres was arrested in May 2012 in connection with LaMar's disappearance and faced trial on charges of first degree murder."
California's Sixth Appellate District reversed the 2017 first-degree murder conviction of Antolin Garcia Torres in the case of missing Morgan Hill teenager Sierra LaMar. The court found insufficient evidence of willful, deliberate, and premeditated murder or specific intent to kill. Garcia Torres can be retried, but prosecutors are barred from relying on those theories. District Attorney Jeff Rosen stated the office is reviewing the ruling and remains committed to seeking justice for LaMar. Sierra LaMar disappeared in March 2012 at age 15. Garcia Torres was arrested in May 2012 and convicted in 2017 on first-degree murder charges and unrelated kidnapping accusations. He received a life sentence without parole. LaMar's remains have never been found.
Read at San Jose Inside
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