The search for a California coffee shop owner who has been missing for nearly two weeks has intensified, as her husband expresses profound grief over her absence. Amy Hillyard, a well-known figure in her local community, was last seen in Oakland on March 25, and her family is appealing for information to help locate her.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/amy-hillyard-040626-4c2424c17bf8473ebfbcf8fb5c2466b0.jpg)
Chris Hillyard, Amy’s husband, shared his heartbreak in a statement issued through a dedicated website. “As more time goes by without Amy, the agony of her absence is devastating,” he remarked. The emotional appeal, made on April 3, highlighted the community support they are receiving, stating, “We are still holding on to hope, thanks to Amy’s community of friends and volunteers who continue to search every day.”
The 52-year-old Amy Hillyard was reported missing after being last seen around 2 p.m. on March 25, in the vicinity of Radnor Road, according to the Oakland Police Department. Described as a white woman, approximately 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighing around 120 pounds, she has blonde hair and hazel eyes. On the day she vanished, witnesses said she wore a white short-sleeved shirt, light-coloured jeans, and white sneakers with black stripes. Police officials have underscored that she is considered “at risk due to medical conditions.”
Hillyard co-owns Farley’s coffee shops in both Oakland and San Francisco, businesses that have been integral to the local community. In addition to her entrepreneurial role, she is actively involved in her daughter’s choir, making her disappearance more shocking for those who know her.
In the days following her disappearance, search efforts have extended well beyond her immediate surroundings. Law enforcement agencies teamed up with dozens of friends and family members to comb through local parks, including Dimond Park, where video footage had allegedly shown Hillyard around 4:30 p.m. on the day she went missing.
Efforts continued on April 2, with rescue teams conducting a thorough search around the Skyline Gate staging area, a popular trailhead known to be one of Hillyard’s favourite hiking spots. The search was described as fruitless, with volunteers and law enforcement exploring the area for hours without any success in locating her.
In the wake of Amy’s disappearance, her friends rallied together to scour additional security footage from public transport and streets in Oakland, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. Investigators are also pursuing leads through various video sources to aid in the search.
The coffee shop chain Farley’s, founded in the 1980s by Amy’s father, released a heartfelt statement via social media, expressing their support and concern. “Our hearts go out to Amy and her family and friends during this difficult time,” the post conveyed. They described Hillyard as a passionate member of the Oakland community for over twenty years and urged anyone with information to reach out to the police.
As the community continues to unite in their efforts to find Hillyard, the Oakland Police Department’s Missing Persons Unit is urging anyone with potential information to contact them directly at (510) 238-3641.
The outpouring of support from both her family and the wider community reflects the impact Hillyard has made through her long-standing presence in the area. As the search progresses, hope remains among her loved ones and the community that she will return safely.