Boyfriend a Suspect in Killing : Crime: Police say they lack evidence to arrest him in the death of Cal State Fullerton student Cathy Torrez. Lawyer says client has been harassed ‘for months.’

The former boyfriend of Cal State Fullerton student Cathy Torrez, who was found stabbed to death in the trunk of her car last February, is a suspect in the murder, police said Monday.

Sam Lopez, 24, of Placentia “is one of the suspects we are looking at closely,” Police Chief Manuel Ortega said. “There is not enough evidence to arrest him, but we are continuing to investigate.”

Lopez dated Torrez off and on since the two attended Valencia High School. He lives several houses down the street from Torrez’s family, and his brother, Armando, is married to Torrez’s older sister, Tina Lopez.

Sam Lopez’s attorney, Roland G. Rubalcava, said police either should charge his client or leave Lopez alone. “They have been harassing him for months,” Rubalcava said. “I have no idea why they think he did it. They must have some reason, but I don’t know.”

Torrez’s body was found stuffed in the trunk of her Toyota, parked at Placentia Linda Community Hospital, last Feb. 19. The 20-year-old honor student had been missing since Feb. 12 and was last seen by co-workers as she left for home from her job at a Sav-On Drug Store on Yorba Linda Boulevard.

Police said they took the unusual step of announcing they had a suspect they could not arrest in hope of prompting someone who knows something about the case to come forward.

“We hope someone will come forth with something they have been holding back, or didn’t know was significant,” Ortega said. “We’re doing this close to the anniversary (of Torrez’s death) because maybe people will see how this has affected the family.” Ortega said investigators first looked at Lopez as a possible suspect because Cathy Torrez apparently had tried to break off their relationship shortly before she disappeared.

“He was one of only two boyfriends we were aware of, and the other one was in the hospital at the time of the murder,” Ortega said. Police searched Lopez’s home on Chapman Avenue and removed some shoes and other items, Rubalcava said.

“His family cooperated at first, then it got to the point where they called me because they were terrified,” Rubalcava said. “The police were trying to get Sam to confess. It was ridiculous.”

For Torrez’s family, the news that police may have identified a suspect brings both relief and more anguish. “It’s very hard,” said Mary Bennett, Torrez’s mother. “I want this over with, but I have to think about how it affects my other daughter. I’ve already lost one daughter; I can’t afford to lose any more.” Tina Lopez said she tries not to think about who killed her sister, but knowing that police suspect her brother-in-law has made it hard to share her grief with family and friends.

“Not only did I lose a sister, but with the possible suspect being who the police say it is, it makes it even harder,” Lopez said. “I don’t talk about it much because I don’t want to cause anyone anymore pain.”