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Family ramps up search for missing coffee shop owner, mother of two, urges public to check cameras
By Stepheny Price
Published March 31, 2026
The family of a missing Oakland business owner is ramping up search efforts across the East Bay, calling on residents to review security footage as volunteers and law enforcement widen the hunt.
About 60 people from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office joined the search, which began around 8 a.m., with mutual aid teams from Contra Costa and Marin counties also assisting, as well as volunteers, according to KTVU.
Amy Hillyard, 52, disappeared March 25 around 2 p.m. after she was seen walking along Radnor Road in Oakland’s Cleveland Heights neighborhood, according to authorities. Nearly a week later, her whereabouts remain unknown.
"The search to bring Amy home continues, and we remain hopeful," family friend Sarah Wachs told Fox News Digital. "We’ve had hundreds of people come together to look for Amy."
BELOVED COFFEE SHOP OWNER, MOTHER OF TWO DISAPPEARS NEAR HOME, URGENT SEARCH UNDERWAY
A missing person poster for Amy Hillyard is displayed in Oakland, Calif., as police search for the at-risk 52-year-old woman. (KTVU)
Oakland police said Monday Hillyard's family had asked for another search, SFGate reported.
Authorities have classified Hillyard as an at-risk missing person due to a medical condition. Wachs told Fox News Digital she is dealing with a health condition that may leave her disoriented and in need of help but declined to share further details to protect her privacy.
According to Wachs, search efforts now include Oakland police, the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office and neighboring search-and-rescue teams. Volunteers have been combing hiking trails, canvassing neighborhoods and checking in with local businesses in hopes of finding any trace of Hillyard.
The family is now urging residents, particularly in Cleveland Heights, Lake Merritt, the Lakeshore District and Crocker Highlands, to check home surveillance systems for possible sightings beginning the afternoon she vanished.
Hillyard is described as 5-foot-4 and about 120 pounds with blonde hair. Police recently clarified she was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, light blue jeans and white sneakers with a black stripe, updating an earlier description of different clothing.
Authorities have classified her as an at-risk missing person due to a medical condition and issued an endangered missing alert Sunday evening, sending notifications to mobile phones across the East Bay days after her disappearance.
A neighbor told KTVU that Hillyard left without her cellphone and has not been heard from since.
NANCY GUTHRIE DISAPPEARANCE SPARKED HARROWING 12-HOUR ODYSSEY FOR SAVANNAH
Amy Hillyard with a dog in an undated photo. The 52-year-old has been missing since March 25. (Emily Hillyard family)
As concern grows, missing-person flyers have spread throughout Oakland and San Francisco, appearing near Jack London Square, along Grand Avenue and at the Powell Street BART station, SFGate reported. Posters have also been displayed at Farley’s East coffee shop, the East Bay café Hillyard co-owns with her husband.
Despite the expanding search, her husband said the family is still searching for answers.
"Missing since 2 p.m. Wednesday. That’s all we know," Chris Hillyard said in a message to SFGate.
Amy Hillyard seated at a restaurant in an undated photo. Authorities say she is considered at risk. (Emily Hillyard family)
The case has resonated deeply in the community, where friends describe Hillyard as a connector and leader.
"She’s the kind of person that collects people, brings people together," friend Serena Khaira said at a vigil Sunday, according to KTVU. "When you have a problem, she’s generally the first person you reach out to."
Amy Hillyard co-owns Farley’s coffee shop in Oakland. (Farley's East Facebook)
In addition to co-running Farley’s Coffee, Hillyard operates a consulting practice and has advised leaders at major organizations, including Apple, Gap, Electronic Arts and the Marine Mammal Center, according to her website. She has also been deeply involved in nonprofit and community work, serving on boards and leading pro bono efforts.
Hillyard serves as board president of the Piedmont East Bay Children’s Choir. In a statement to KTVU, the organization said her disappearance has shaken the community.
"This is incredibly difficult news for our close community. Amy is such an important part of our organization, and our hearts are with her and her loved ones as we hope for her safe return," the group said.
Amy Hillyard, a coffee shop owner and mother of two, holds flowers in an undated photo. (Emily Hillyard family)
Farley’s Coffee is a deeply rooted family business with a long Bay Area history. Founded in 1989 by Roger Hillyard in San Francisco’s Potrero Hill neighborhood, the café was named after his grandfather, Jack Farley, who disappeared in the 1920s.
The business was later passed to Roger’s son, Chris, and Amy, who helped expand it into the East Bay and local airports. The company describes itself as a community hub built on connection, tradition and shared space, values that many say Hillyard embodied.
Amy Hillyard with prepared food in an undated photo. Friends say she brought people together. (Emily Hillyard family)
In a statement, the business said, "Our hearts go out to Amy and her family and friends during this difficult time. She has been a passionate and active member of the Oakland community for 20-plus years. We hope that she returns safely, and we appreciate any information."
Hundreds of people gathered near Lake Merritt over the weekend for a candlelight vigil, underscoring the growing urgency and widespread concern surrounding her disappearance.
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Anyone with information is urged to contact the Oakland Police Department. The family is also asking those with possible video or tips to come forward as the search intensifies.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Oakland Police Department for updates on the search but did not immediately receive a response.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/family-ramps-up-search-missing-coffee-shop-owner-mother-two-urges-public-check-cameras