SANTA CLARA COUNTY (BCN) — One of the three women who prosecutors are alleging a Morgan Hill man attempted to kidnap in 2009 testified in his murder trial in a San Jose
courtroom Tuesday morning.
Antolin Garcia-Torres, 25, has been charged with the three attempted kidnappings as well as the murder of 15-year-old Sierra LaMar, who has not been seen since March 16, 2012.
Annette Walters spoke openly and confidently about her March 19, 2009 attack, in which her assailant sneaked in after her as she got into her SUV and, from the backseat, restrained and punched her repeatedly.
Around 11 p.m. on March 19, 2009, Walters got into her Toyota Land Cruiser after picking up groceries at the Safeway store on Tennant Avenue in Morgan Hill, where a 17-year-old Garcia-Torres worked at the time.
Seconds after getting in, her assailant “casually” climbed into the backseat, according to former Morgan Hill police Officer Demetrick Caballero, who responded to the reported attack at 11:24 p.m.
Walters’ assailant appeared to be right-handed, she said, judging by the way he punched her.
Caballero dusted for fingerprints in the car, but did not find any that were usable as evidence, he said.
A stun gun found in the back seat of Walters’ SUV has been much discussed in the case so far, as well as a 9-volt Duracell battery found inside which contained Garcia-Torres’ thumbprint.
The trial is scheduled to continue on Wednesday morning.