Oakland, California — Nearly three months after a beloved Bay Area mother, wife, and business owner disappeared without a trace, her family and supporters are launching a renewed effort to uncover what happened during the hours leading up to her disappearance.
Amy Hillyard, 52, co-owner of Farley’s Coffee in San Francisco, was last seen on March 25 while walking her dog near the 500 block of Radnor Road in Oakland. Since then, family members, friends, volunteers, and investigators have been searching for answers in a case that continues to puzzle both loved ones and authorities.
Now, a private investigative team hired through community donations believes surveillance footage from the area may provide the breakthrough everyone has been hoping for.
Private Investigators Focus on Missing Video Evidence
Thanks to support from friends, customers, and community members, enough money was raised through fundraising efforts to bring in professional investigators to assist with the search.
The team is now conducting a detailed review of neighborhoods surrounding the area where Amy was last seen. According to investigators, they are specifically looking for surveillance footage recorded after 2 p.m. on the day she disappeared.
Steve Fischer of Search Investigations, LLC, said he is convinced critical evidence exists somewhere within available video recordings.
“With 100% certainty, I believe there is a piece of surveillance that contains a clue.”
Investigators are encouraging homeowners, apartment managers, and business owners to review footage, even if they do not believe it contains anything important.
According to the team, footage showing no activity can be just as valuable as footage showing movement because it helps narrow down possible routes and timelines.
Search Expands Across Multiple Oakland Neighborhoods
The renewed effort includes reviewing footage from several neighborhoods near Amy’s last known location. Investigators are requesting surveillance recordings from areas including:
- Cleveland Heights
- Park Boulevard corridor
- MacArthur Boulevard vicinity
- Trestle Glen
- Crocker Highlands
The investigative team has also been conducting in-person visits throughout the area.
Using drones, mapping technology, and information gathered by volunteers, investigators are retracing potential routes Amy may have taken after leaving her home.
“Amy’s friends and volunteers have done a remarkable job building maps, going door-to-door, searching park trails,” Fischer said.
He added that the information collected by volunteers is helping investigators focus their search efforts more effectively.
Timeline of Amy Hillyard’s Disappearance
According to Amy’s husband, Chris Hillyard, she attended a therapy appointment on the day she vanished. After returning home, she sent him a text message around 1:40 p.m. confirming she had arrived safely.
Surveillance footage later showed Amy leaving with the family dog and speaking with a neighbor during her walk. When Chris returned home around 3:15 p.m., he found something unsettling.
Amy’s cellphone, keys, and personal belongings had been left behind inside the house, and the back door was open.
She has not been seen since.
Family Shares Concerns About Mental Health Struggles
As the search has continued, Chris has spoken publicly about challenges Amy had been facing in recent months.
According to her family, she had been coping with significant emotional stress following several personal losses and had sought professional help for anxiety and depression.
Those circumstances contributed to authorities classifying her as an at-risk missing person due to medical concerns. Despite ongoing speculation, Oakland police say there is currently no indication that a crime occurred.
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In a statement, the department said:
“At present, there is no evidence of abduction, kidnapping, or any other crime associated with her disappearance.”
However, investigators continue to actively pursue leads and review evidence as the search remains ongoing.
Community Remains Determined to Find Answers
Amy’s disappearance has deeply affected family members, friends, customers, and neighbors throughout the Bay Area community.
As private investigators continue searching for surveillance footage and potential new leads, supporters remain hopeful that a missing piece of evidence could finally explain what happened after Amy walked out the door that March afternoon.
For now, loved ones continue urging anyone with information or video recordings from the area to come forward as efforts to bring Amy home continue.
What are your thoughts on this case? If you live in the area, have you checked old surveillance footage that could help investigators? Share your thoughts respectfully in the comments below.
