Divers Search Reservoirs Again for Sierra LaMar

Dive teams plan a follow-up search on Chesbro Reservoir located in the foothills west of Morgan Hill in an effort to locate evidence tied to the disappearance of 15-year-old teen Sierra LaMar.

Members of the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office dive team used high-resolution sonar for the first time last Friday, but nothing had been found of evidentiary value by day's end, Sgt. Jose Cardoza of the Sheriff's Office said. Divers intend to return sometime this week after images gathered using new sonar equipment are analyzed.

The reservoir had been scanned during previous searches with outdated equipment, . 

The new sonar scanners, , provide better quality images, allowing divers to distinguish areas and objects more clearly than before.

Investigators believe Sierra was linking him to the teen’s disappearance. The girl has been missing since March 16.

Cardoza said that divers also scanned San Felipe Lake June 22, which he described as a "small body of water located on state route 152, just east of Bloomfield."

Divers had not previously searched the lake and nothing of value to the case turned up during this initial search, he said.

With more water searches expected throughout this week, Cardoza said he didn't know exactly how many divers would be participating. Though there are 12 members of the Sheriff's dive team, the number that actually jump in the water varies daily, he explained.

"This is not a full-time unit so not everyone is able to go out everyday," he said. "They might be called on patrol or may have other duties. It could be as little as three or four divers one day and more than 10 the next."

Detectives have turned their attention to Chesbro and Uvas reservoirs as of late, re-scanning the latter with the new sonar equipment a few weeks ago. Focus has shifted to these two sites because of the several days after her March 16 disappearance.

Nothing significant to the case was turned up during the most recent Uvas search, Cardoza said.

While detectives hope subsequent water searches do reveal new clues to LaMar's location, Cardoza mentioned that a bone was found by a volunteer during an organization-led search several weeks ago at Anderson Reservoir. That bone was sent to the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner/Coroner's Office, where forensic testing determined it belonged to a deer.

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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