Crime

Last week’s fatal shooting in Las Animas Veterans Park – initially reported by police as an attack on a 68-year-old Gilroy man depicted by friends and family as “helpful” and “loving” – is now being examined in an entirely new light, according to court files detailing the event as an act of self defense in the face of violence and racism.

A local restaurant owner was scammed out of nearly $1,000 Feb. 9 after she received a threatening phone call, according to Gilroy Police Department records.

Police have arrested a 25-year-old Cupertino man in connection with an incident that occurred Feb. 1, in San Jose, where the suspect allegedly impersonated a police officer, then sexually assaulted a woman in his vehicle, according to the Santa Cara County Sheriff's Office.

Here's your latest digest of criminal happenings in Gilroy, including an arrest of four alleged burglars, a domestic violence and a child abuse arrest and the booking of a man with three outstanding warrants who was found “passed out” in a bathroom.

The Gilroy Police Department responded to a variety of crimes this week, including murder, false imprisonment, possession of a controlled substance for sale, burglary and causing or permitting a child to suffer. Arrests were recorded in this week's GPD blotter from Feb. 6 through 13.

Morgan Hill Police arrested a teenager Thursday for attempting to rob a bank inside a local grocery store, according to a press release. Officers responded to the Safeway grocery store at Tennant Station about 5 p.m. in response to an attempted robbery of the US Bank inside the store, the press release from MHPD said. The police investigation found that Shawn Circuit, 19 of Morgan Hill, approached the bank desk and handed a note to the teller demanding money, police said. When bank employees “took too long to comply” with Circuit’s demand, he fled the scene. Police identified Circuit from video surveillance inside the store, according to the press release. Several hours later, police found Circuit in front of the CVS store on East Dunne Avenue, and arrested him on suspicion of attempted bank robbery, police said. He was booked at Santa Clara County Jail. Anyone with information about this case can contact MHPD Detective Scott Martin at (408) 779-2101 or the anonymous tip line at (408) 947-7867. 

Nearly two years and more than 15 court appearances since his arrest, murder suspect Antolin Garcia Torres pleaded not guilty Thursday to all charges issued this week by a criminal grand jury, and waived his right to a speedy trial. Garcia Torres, 22 of Morgan Hill, is accused of kidnapping and killing Sierra LaMar who was 15 when she disappeared from her mother’s north Morgan Hill home in March 2012. He appeared Thursday for an arraignment at the Hall of Justice in San Jose - his first court appearance since the Santa Clara County Criminal Grand Jury indicted him with charges related to Sierra’s disappearance and murder. He was also indicted this week on charges that he attempted to assault three women in unrelated incidents in Morgan Hill in 2009. If convicted, Garcia Torres faces life in prison or the death penalty. The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office has not decided if it will seek the death penalty for Garcia Torres, Deputy DA David Boyd said in court Thursday. Garcia Torres’ attorney, Al Lopez of the County’s Alternate Defender’s Office, said Garcia Torres pleads not guilty to all of the charges, and “all enhancements and special allegations are denied.” Lopez then notified Garcia Torres that he has a right to a speedy trial and asked him if he wanted to waive that right - to which Garcia Torres replied he did. The hearing took place in Judge Thang Nguyen Barrett’s courtroom, which was packed with friends and family of Sierra’s, and volunteers who continue to search weekly for her remains or any sign of her whereabouts. Previous hearings have taken place in Judge Sharon Chatman’s courtroom. Thursday’s proceeding was the first hearing in the case since the Criminal Grand Jury indicted him. DA Jeff Rosen decided to take the case to the 19-member body instead of waiting for a public preliminary hearing to determine if Garcia Torres would stand trial for the crimes he is accused of. Rosen’s decision to do that followed more than 15 hearings in which Garcia Torres declined to enter a plea. Rosen added that staff from his office had been presenting their case to the grand jury, behind closed doors, for a few weeks before the indictment was announced. Rosen said earlier this week that he hopes the criminal grand jury’s action will speed up the justice process for Sierra and her family. Garcia Torres has been in custody at the County Jail since his arrest in May 2012. At Thursday’s hearing, Barrett ordered him to remain in custody with no bail. Also at Thursday’s hearing, Garcia Torres filed a motion to seal the transcripts from the grand jury proceedings that led to his indictment. Judge Barrett decided to keep the transcripts sealed at least until a hearing on the matter is held. That hearing is set for April 16 at the Hall of Justice in San Jose. Sierra disappeared while walking to her school bus stop near the intersection of Palm and Dougherty avenues - in north Morgan Hill - the morning of March 16, 2012, according to police. She was a sophomore at Sobrato High School at the time. Her remains have not been found, but investigators think she is dead based on her lack of contact with anyone since that morning nearly two years ago. A core group of volunteers still meet every Saturday to conduct searches of the area, looking for any sign of Sierra’s whereabouts. More than 20 of those volunteers attended Thursday’s hearing, where they recognized the grand jury indictment and Garcia Torres’ long-awaited plea as a sign that justice can finally proceed. “There was a sigh of relief from all the searchers when the indictment came in” earlier this week, said volunteer Renee Figueira outside the courthouse Thursday. “We are going to continue searching every Saturday until we find her.” For more information on the volunteer search efforts, go to www.findsierralamar.com.

Twenty-one months after the arrest of the man who allegedly kidnapped and killed 15-year-old Sierra LaMar of north Morgan Hill, Santa Clara County’s top prosecutor brought the case to the Criminal Grand Jury which “finally” - in the words of the victim’s cousin - indicted the suspect for his alleged involvement in the crime Tuesday.

Detectives with the Gilroy Police Department arrested 33-year-old Jerome Moore, of Gilroy, on Feb. 12 and charged him with the murder of another Gilroy man in what began as a physical confrontation near Las Animas Park and became the city's first homicide of 2014.

Two City of Gilroy Fire Department engines responded to a fire that was started by a burning candle at approximately 1:45 p.m. Wednesday. The fire occurred inside a homeless encampment along the west side of the railroad tracks behind the Gilroy Dispatch newsroom office, located at 6400 Monterey Road.