Investigators announced Monday they will renew their efforts to search Santa Clara County waterways in the search for Sierra LaMar, while the missing teen’s family more than doubled the reward for information leading to the missing Morgan Hill teen’s safe return.
“As a result of some generous contributions and ongoing fundraising, including a large anonymous contribution, we are able to increase the reward to $25,000,” announced Steve LaMar, Sierra’s father, at a press conference at Burnett Elementary School Saturday.
Steve LaMar made the announcement with Sierra’s mother Marlene LaMar and Marc Klaas, of the KlaasKids Foundation, while volunteers joined yet another search effort that was headquartered at the school.
The family initially offered a $10,000 reward earlier this month. That amount was also generated by fundraising efforts.
Sierra, a 15-year-old sophomore at Sobrato High School, has been missing since March 16. Police think she was kidnapped outside her home near Palm and Dougherty avenues in north Morgan Hill, as she was walking to her regular school bus stop.
The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office has received and investigated more than 1,600 tips on Sierra’s possible whereabouts.
Investigators have already searched some area reservoirs and ponds – including a cluster of percolation ponds, Calero Reservoir and Uvas Reservoir – with the sheriff’s office dive team using side-scan sonar technology and K9 search animals in recent weeks.
Sheriff’s Sgt. Jose Cardoza announced Monday that the water-searching efforts will be expanded this week to include Parkway Lakes in South San Jose, as well as Anderson, Coyote, Almaden and Guadalupe reservoirs.
The sheriff’s office added that as a result of the investigation of Sierra’s disappearance, the Safe Assault Felony Enforcement task force has arrested five people in South County for failing to meet their sex offender registration requirements.
The suspects were not arrested in direct relation to Sierra’s disappearance. However they were arrested while investigators were in the process of interviewing all sex offense registrants in the area surrounding Sierra’s home, and were coincidentally found to be in violation of their registration requirements, Cardoza said.
The SAFE task force is in the process of investigating others convicted of sex crimes for similar violations, Cardoza said.
Steve LaMar added at the press conference Saturday that the family is in “constant communication” with investigators from the sheriff’s office, but did not indicate if he knew any details on the investigation of numerous leads that law enforcement continue to receive.
Fundraising efforts to continue coordinated volunteer searches and contribute to the reward through the Sierra LaMar Fund are “ongoing,” Steve LaMar said.
Volunteers were selling T-shirts with Sierra’s picture printed on them, as well as decorative ribbons and jewelry at the search center. A number of fundraisers for the Sierra LaMar Fund are upcoming, including a May 3 self-defense seminar at Sobrato High School, and a pasta feed May 4 at Holy Spirit Parish Hall in Fremont.
Also, some of the proceeds from a May 5 fundraiser for orphaned children at Guglielmo Winery will benefit Sierra’s fund.
Sierra moved to Morgan Hill in October 2011 with her mother and mother’s boyfriend, from Fremont where she attended Washington High School.
Investigators so far have reported finding Sierra’s cell phone March 17, and her purse containing some of her clothing March 18. The items were found in two different locations along Santa Teresa Boulevard, along a northwesterly route from Sierra’s home.
On Saturday, about 190 volunteers showed up to participate in the search for Sierra, according to KlaasKids Foundation founder Marc Klaas, whose 12-year-old daughter Polly was abducted from the family’s home in 1993 and murdered.
More than 100 of the searchers were returning volunteers who have participated in earlier search efforts. The volunteer efforts remain focused on a 20-mile radius surrounding Sierra’s home.
The next searches are scheduled for Wednesday and Saturday, both starting at 8 a.m. at Burnett Elementary School, Klaas said.
The foundation, a nationwide nonprofit that offers search services for the families of missing children, organized the first searches for Sierra starting March 27.
In recent weeks, the search efforts have become more locally organized. Morgan Hill resident Brian Miller, a family friend of the LaMars, is the director of the volunteer operation.
Miller said Saturday that he went through training courses with KlaasKids staff in order to become the local director. He added he and other searchers stay in close contact with the foundation, as well as ChildQuest International and other organizations.
Although the number of volunteers seems to have dropped off in recent weeks, volunteer Ernie Wheeler said despite his 40-plus years conducting professional search-and-rescue missions, the local effort to find Sierra remains unique.
“The news coverage has been phenomenal, and the response from the public has been unbelievable,” Wheeler said.
Among those searching Saturday were new volunteers Steve Seelig and Ed Mitchell, both of San Jose, and both members of the Bikers Against Child Abuse Silicon Valley chapter.
BACA is an international club, with more than 400 chapters in the U.S., Seelig said.
“This month (April) is National Child Abuse Awareness Month, and we’ve been wanting to come join the search” for Sierra, Seelig said.
Sierra LaMar is about 5-feet, 2-inches tall with a thin build and dark hair. For more information on the Sierra LaMar Search Center, call 201-6364.
Anyone with information can contact Santa Clara County Communications at 299-2311, or e-mail
ti**@sh*****.org
. Callers can call Sheriff’s Investigators at 808-4500 or the anonymous tip line at 808-4431. Information or tips can also be sent via sccgov.org/portal/site/sheriff or by text at 421-6760.
