Authorities discovered a body Friday morning near Aromas, but on Monday still had few details about the victim.
While authorities do not appear to have much confirmed at this point, Santa Clara County Sgt. Jose Cardoza said it is premature to speculate about the possibility it could be a missing person such as Sierra LaMar, the 15-year-old Morgan Hill teen who went missing March 16.
Witnesses passing by in the area called 911 to report seeing what they believed was a body off Cannon Road. San Benito County sheriff’s deputies responded and immediately requested outside help, said Sgt. Jose Cardoza with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, which is assisting a short-staffed San Benito County department on the case with a crime scene investigation unit and media communication.
Cardoza said he could not confirm whether the victim was a male or female, or an estimated age. He also did not have information on a condition, such as the length of time the body may have been there. He said part of Cannon Road was considered a crime scene and has been blocked off to traffic as investigators continue their work.
Santa Clara County sheriff’s deputies were called in because the San Benito sheriff’s department is short staffed, officials said.
The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office charged 21-year-old Antolin Garcia-Torres, of Morgan Hill, in the kidnapping and murder of Sierra LaMar, even though her body has not been found.
