The Search for Missing Morgan Hill Teen Continues

Despite continual interviews and the diligent work of multiple county investigative teams, 15-year-old Sierra LaMar of Morgin Hill remains missing. Sierra, a Sobrato High School cheerleader, has been missing for six days and a lack of solid leads have left authorities stumped over where she could be.

County investigative teams, including the Special Operations Unit, Search and Rescue and various local, state and federal agencies, have united in the search for Sierra.

Over the course of three days hundreds of people have been interviewed and authorities have been reviewing tips—around 150 of them—of possible sightings and potential leads relayed via phone and email, Sgt. Jose Cardoza of the Santa Clara Sheriff’s Office wrote in a prepared statement released Wednesday.

Forensic examinations of the teen’s phone have been conducted, but failed to reveal any information that would offer insight into Sierra’s disappearance.

“Latent print examinations have also been conducted on [the phone] and have not revealed any new leads,” Cardoza wrote. “Sierra’s cell phone will be submitted to the county crime lab for additional testing.”

When news first broke of Sierra’s disappearance on Saturday, authorities were questioning whether the , but Cardoza said investigators didn’t see signs that are common in a runaway situation: There hadn’t been any fights at the home or any sign that LaMar was unhappy.

“Everything was the status quo at home,” Cardoza said.

Sierra’s sister Danielle reportedly told Fox News that she doesn’t believe her sister would run away.

"She's always in contact with family and friends. She wouldn't leave everyone out of the loop," Danielle LaMar stated in a Fox News article.

Others have questioned whether abduction could explain the teen’s disappearance. was reportedly found in a field a few miles away from her home, but police dogs lost the teen’s scent in the driveway of her home, the Fox News article states.

However, investigators have not uncovered any evidence on her cell phone suggesting foul play.

"The cellphone was intact, it wasn't broken," Cardoza said. "There's no evidence to lead to a crime after that."

As a precaution, the Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement task force began conducting physical interviews with active sexual assault registrants in the South County area—all 267 of them.

Sierra's father, , even publicly disclosed his registered sex offender status to police, who said he is not a person of interest in Sierra’s disappearance.

“I anticipated that this unfortunate piece of my background might surface in the media,” LaMar states in a KTVU article. “I immediately disclosed this history to the police on the very first day of the investigation into my daughter’s disappearance, in the interests of openness, truthfulness, and cooperation.”

Despite the lack of evidence, authorities are maintaining their search efforts. Sheriff’s investigators will continue to interview Sierra’s friends and classmates from both high schools today, Cardoza wrote. The SAFE task force will also continue to contact the known 290P (sexual-assault) registrants in the area.

“They have contacted all 290PC registrants within a 10-mile radius of Sierra’s mother’s home and will now start focusing outside the 10 mile radius to include the rest of the 290PC registrants in the South County area,” Cardoza wrote.

Here’s an up-to-date list provided by the Sheriff’s Office detailing the search efforts that have taken place thus far and the agencies involved:

• On Tuesday, authorities interviewed over 50 students from both Sobrato High School and Washington High School.

• Over 100 people have been interviewed, and more interviews are currently in progress. Those interviewed include: family, friends, classmates, neighbors, 290PC registrants, school officials, bus drivers, field workers in the South County area, and transients in the South County area.

• Authorities are following up on the 150 leads received via phone and email. All tips are being prioritized based on the information provided and are all being followed up on.

• Santa Clara County Agencies assisting in the search: Investigations Division, Special Operations Unit, Civil/Warrants Division, Patrol personnel, SAFE task force, Search and Rescue and air support unit.

Anyone who has any information about Sierra's whereabouts is asked to send tips to tips@sheriff.sccgov.org. Tipsters can also call sheriff's investigators at (408) 808-4500 or the anonymous tip line at (408) 808-4431.

Are you Patched in? Get the FREE Patch newsletter each morning. Register here.