California District Attorneys Association Urging State Supreme Court to Review Reversal in Sierra LaMar Murder Case

The California District Attorneys Association (CDAA) is urging the California Supreme Court to review a recent appellate ruling overturning the conviction in the 2012 kidnapping and murder case of 15-year-old Sierra LaMar. CDAA says the decision raises broader concerns about fairness to victims, confidence in jury verdicts, and how criminal cases may be handled across California in the future.

Sierra LaMar was a 15-year-old high school girl from Morgan Hill, California. She disappeared on the morning of March 16, 2012, while walking to her school bus stop. Her body has never been recovered despite extensive searches. Her cellphone, purse, and some clothing were later found discarded in a field near her home, about two miles away. A massive community search effort followed, involving hundreds of volunteers, dive teams searching local lakes and reservoirs, but her body has never been located.

Investigators found Sierra’s DNA on items linked to Antolin Garcia-Torres (then 21), who lived about 7 miles from the bus stop in a trailer park with his mother and pregnant girlfriend at the time.

In February, the Sixth Appellate District Court reversed the conviction against Antolin Garcia-Torres. The now 34-year-old was convicted in 2016 and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole the following year, CBS reported.

San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow, President, California District Attorneys Association, shared this with the Globe:

“The Sierra LaMar case is every parent’s worst nightmare—and it demands a justice system that stands by lawful jury verdicts. When courts depart from the well‑settled caselaw that supports joint trials, they do more than create uncertainty for prosecutors—they weaken the very safeguards that protect our neighborhoods. Joinder of crimes into one trial exists to ensure that juries see the full pattern of predatory behavior, to conserve scarce resources, and to avoid repeated, retraumatizing trials for victims and their families. If we start unraveling those protections, we don’t just risk one case; we risk a justice system where grieving families wait even longer for answers and dangerous offenders have more chances to escape responsibility.”

“This case is about more than one defendant,” said CDAA CEO Greg Totten. “It is about whether victims’ families can rely on lawful jury verdicts reached after a fair trial, and whether courts across California have clear and consistent rules moving forward.”

CDAA’s filing asks the Supreme Court to review the case and provide guidance on important trial procedures that affect courts statewide. The association says clarity from the state’s highest court would help ensure similar cases are handled consistently and efficiently.

“When major criminal cases are retried years later, victims and witnesses are asked to relive trauma, families are forced to wait longer for closure, and already strained court resources are stretched even further,” Totten added.

CDAA emphasized that its request is not only about one case, but about preserving fairness, consistency, and public confidence in California’s justice system.

“For 50 years, CDAA has supported the fair administration of justice,” Totten said. “We believe Supreme Court review is appropriate here, so the law is applied clearly and consistently for everyone involved.”

CDAA is a nonprofit statewide organization representing more than 3,500 prosecutors. The association provides training, resources, legislative advocacy, and a collaborative forum to support the equitable administration of justice throughout California.