Congressman McNerney Joining Search For Sierra LaMar In Morgan Hill

MORGAN HILL (CBS SF) -- Congressman Jerry McNerney, D-Pleasanton, would be joining volunteers Saturday as the search for missing teenager Sierra LaMar continued into its fifth month.

Sierra, 15, went missing on March 16 when she left for school from her Morgan Hill home and hasn't been seen since.

Searches organized through the KlaasKids Foundation have been ongoing since her disappearance, with a base set up at the Find Sierra LaMar Search Center at Burnett Elementary School at 85 Tilton Ave.

McNerney was set to participate in Saturday's 8 a.m. search—his first time working with volunteers to find Sierra as a way to show solidarity with the Morgan Hill community and Sierra's family.

"When things like this happen in the community he acts," McNerney's office spokeswoman Lauren Smith said.

Sierra was believed to have been murdered and suspect Antolin Garcia-Torres, 21, was arrested on May 21 and charged with killing her after DNA believed to be that of Sierra was found in his red Volkswagen Jetta, according to Santa Clara County sheriff's officials.

Volunteers interested in joining searches for Sierra must be 18 years old and bring photo identification to the search center. Appropriate attire for searching outdoors was required.

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