(KRON) — A state court of appeal overturned the murder conviction of Antolin Garcia-Torres, the man who was previously found guilty of kidnapping and murdering 15-year-old Sierra LaMar in Morgan Hill in 2012.
The California Court of Appeal for the Sixth Appellate District concluded there was insufficient evidence against Garcia-Torres to uphold his first-degree murder conviction. The court wrote in its decision, “The judgement is reversed and defendant may be retried.”
With his conviction thrown-out, the Santa Clara County District Attorney now must decide whether Garcia-Torres, 34, will stand trial for a second time. The District Attorney’s Office told KRON4 Friday, “We just received the opinion and are digesting it. However, we will never stop seeking justice for Sierra.”
LaMar vanished March 16, 2012 when she missed her bus to Ann Sobrato High School. Hundreds of volunteers signed up to help find her. The girl’s body was never found…