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UPDATE: Body Found in Trash Can is Woman, Not Sierra LaMar

The Alameda County coroner's office is conducting an autopsy today.

A Thursday is a woman, but not Sierra LaMar, the 15-year-old missing teen from Morgan Hill.

"There are a lot of rumors floating around, but what I can say is that this is not the body of a child," said Lt. Jeff Bretzing.

"That's as close to age as I can get."

And police confirmed Thursday night that the victim is female.

The Contra Costa Times is reporting that the homicide victim is a woman with long hair and painted nails

Police discovered the body around 11 a.m. Thursday after a caller reported that a 45-gallon trash can looked suspicious sitting out in the middle of Dublin Canyon Road.

The Alameda County coroner's bureau planned to perform an autopsy on the body Friday morning, coroner's officials said.

Onlookers on Thursday saw what appeared to be a body shrouded in a white sheet being removed by the coroner's office around 3 p.m.

The body, which looked to be that of an adult, was wheeled on a gurney into a van.

shut down part of Dublin Canyon Road while they processed the scene. The Alameda County Sheriff's Department crime lab was at the scene, which was at Laurel Creek Drive and Dublin Canyon Road near The Preserve, a neighborhood in the west part of the city. The trash can was in front of a bank of trees on Dublin Canyon; further back is a single house with a horse corral.

The area teemed with media crews late Thursday afternoon — several television news vans camped in the area while at least three news helicopters buzzed loudly overhead.

Lt. Jeff Bretzing of Pleasanton Police said Thursday said no other agencies are involved with the investigation — just Pleasanton police and Alameda County agencies so far.

Reporters specifically asked if the Morgan Hill Police Department or Santa Clara County Sheriff were involved. But Bretzing said no.

The trash can, which was turned over on the roadway and visible from behind the police tape, did not look to be the same type of city-issued trash bin residents in the area use.

Police descended on the area of the 11000 block of Dublin Canyon Road around 11 a.m. after the caller said the trash can looked out of place.

"We investigate everything in Pleasanton," Bretzing said.

Anyone with information about the case has been asked to call
Pleasanton police at (925) 931-5100.

Bay City News contributed to this report.

For previous coverage of the Sierra LaMar case, refer to the Sierra LaMar Disappearance: Comprehensive Updates and Information page on Gilroy Patch.

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Raymond Ruiz April 13, 2013 at 10:54 pm
It just don't matter how she dresses,whoo her parents are or aren't. Nobody and I mean Nobody hasRead More the right to rape or force a femsle to have sex with her,and then to make matters worse,they posted pictures of her on facebook ! Better we as a community should be asking,what would possess the young guys to do something like this ! That is why We have Our teenagers and kids passwords or no internet period ! As a parent my heart goes out to het and her parents !
Tamra~Kathleen April 13, 2013 at 05:51 pm
The offensive comment we're discussing shows a complete lack of respect for women that permeates ourRead More culture. That this person actually thought this poor young girl had culpability for her attack is a symptom of our societies disregard for women. I'm actually glad he made the comment so we can look at and discuss the problem.
Berto April 12, 2013 at 07:27 pm
From one of the interviews I watched online, it seems that many Saratoga High students knew whatRead More happened at the party and had seen the pictures. How is it that arrests did not follow the assault and the suicide for over 6 months? Could it be that the students who knew information about the felony chose to remain silent? I hope that is not the case; we will surely find out as the details of the case are revealed in the media over the next weeks and months. In the meantime lets make sure we are teaching our kids about the responsibility of living in community and caring about others. God forbid that any of the students have to live with the knowledge that they could have prevented the suicide, or with the knowledge that they helped cover up such a heinous crime.