The biological father of missing Morgan Hill teen Sierra LaMar, Steve LaMar of Fremont, is a registered sex crimes offender, according to the state Megan’s Law web site. But deputies do not consider him a suspect in the disappearance of Sierra LaMar, 15, who has been missing since Friday morning.
“(Steve LaMar) has been very cooperative and forthcoming with any and all information requested from him,” Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Lt. Troy Smith said. “We are still looking into the case at this time and there has not yet been any indication that a crime has occurred.”
Investigators are still in the process of interviewing area sex crimes offenders, as well as any teens in Morgan Hill and Fremont who might know anything about Sierra.
The Megan’s Law entry for LaMar does not give the date or details of his criminal conviction, but says he is registered for the offense of lewd or lascivious acts with a child younger than 14.
Sierra LaMar, a Sobrato High School sophomore, has been missing since she left for school Friday morning, about 7:15 a.m., according to police and her mother. Her family reported her missing that evening after learning that she did not attend school that day.
Deputies found LaMar’s cell phone Saturday night in a field on the northeast side of the intersection of Scheller Avenue and Santa Teresa Boulevard – about three-quarters of a mile from her house. The phone was found in the opposite direction of the route she normally walks each morning to catch a Morgan Hill Unified school bus at Palm and Dougherty avenues in north Morgan Hill.
Yesterday, the sheriff’s office and its Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement team began to contact all Megan’s Law registrants in the area, according to Sgt. Jose Cardoza. Investigators want to determine the registrants’ whereabouts at the time the teen went missing.
There are currently about 267 active sex offense registrants in South County, including 101 in Morgan Hill, Cardoza said.
LaMar moved to Morgan Hill in October 2011 with her mother, Marlene LaMar and her mother’s boyfriend. She moved to the area from Fremont, where Sierra attended Washington High School.
Interviews conducted yesterday with teens from Morgan Hill and Fremont who know LaMar did not turn up any significant leads or information, Cardoza said. Interviews with more teens are planned for today.
Investigators are also running forensics on LaMar’s cell phone and her laptop computer, which they recovered from the bedroom of her home, Cardoza said. Furthermore, deputies will revisit LaMar’s neighborhood, contact area residents again, and canvass her mother’s home in Morgan Hill in the ongoing investigation.
A prayer vigil for the missing teen will take place at 8 p.m. at the Morgan Hill Presbyterian Church 19670 DeWitt Ave.
Anyone with information on the case can contact Santa Clara County Communications at (408) 299-2311. During normal business hours callers can call Sheriff’s Investigators at (408) 808-4500 or the anonymous tip line at (408) 808-4431. Information or tips can also be sent via the Sheriff’s Office website at: http://www.sccgov.org/portal/site/sheriff/
The Sheriff’s Office requests any email tips to be sent to: ti**@sh*****.org.
Information can also be submitted by text at (408) 421-6760.
For previous reporting on Sierra LaMar and her disappearance, click here.
