Archived Updates

In honor of Missing Persons Month, we will be gathering in hope for Amy and in solidarity with all families searching for loved ones. Please save the date for Bring Amy Home: A Vigil of Hope & Awareness Honoring Amy Hillyard and all Missing Persons in Oakland on Monday, May 25th from 7:00-8:00 pm PT at Mandana Plaza Park (600 Mandana Blvd. Oakland, CA).  

This will be a space for connection, reflection, and gratitude as we continue the work of bringing Amy home. We will come together to recognize the extraordinary care and effort so many of you have given, support one another, and hold Amy and her loved ones in our hearts. The evening will include time for connection, expressions of gratitude, and quiet reflection.

 As part of Missing Persons Month, we will also honor other missing individuals in our Oakland community and stand together in raising awareness for all families seeking answers.

A flyer with additional details will be coming shortly. Once it is available, please help us spread the word by sharing it with your networks and on social media. Media will also be invited to attend and help amplify awareness as our community comes together in support.

 We hope you will join us.

April 23, 7:00 pm

Today, Amy Hillyard’s husband, Chris, and her sister, Alexandra, participated in multiple media interviews to raise both local and national awareness in the ongoing effort to bring Amy home safely. Media engagements included:

    •    “Missing” with Marni Hughes – A national program that goes beyond the headlines to examine missing persons cases across the country. The segment featuring Amy is scheduled to air on Friday, April 24 at 8:50 a.m. PT on NewsNation Live. 

    •    “Surviving the Survivor” with Joel Waldman– A nationally recognized podcast providing live analysis of trending true crime stories and breaking news. Today’s episode featuring Amy is now available HERE.

    •    San Francisco Chronicle – Reporter David Hernandez interviewed Chris and Alexandra to discuss the latest developments in the search for Amy. The updated article will be shared once published.

April 22, 11:00 am

In their meeting with the Oakland Police Department yesterday, Amy’s husband, Chris, and her sister, Alexandra, learned that Amy’s case is one of 80 open missing-persons cases currently being investigated by OPD. According to OPD, 1,500 people are reported missing each year in Oakland. With so many searches underway, it often falls on the shoulders of family, friends, and volunteers to stay engaged and continue to push for answers. Chris and Alexandra were approached by two programs with national reach that specialize in the search for missing people: Missing with Marni Hughes (a NewsNation cable news show) and Surviving the Survivor (a podcast on YouTube). They will be taping interviews with these programs in hopes of getting more attention to Amy’s story and generating new clues to solve the mystery of her disappearance. Stay tuned. We will update this site when these programs become available.

April 21, 5:15 pm

Media coverage of volunteer efforts over the weekend (April 18-19) resulted in several new tips regarding Amy’s whereabouts, and the family quickly set about searching new locations and following up on leads that Amy was spotted in Marin County, Sonoma County, San Francisco, and other areas outside of Oakland. They also met today with Oakland Police Department officials who confirmed that they consider the search for Amy a priority case, and are also following up on credible tips to the Oakland Police Department’s Missing Persons Unit at (510) 238-3641. 

Amy’s husband, Chris, and her sister Alexandra have been asked to participate in national podcasts/broadcasts that are focused on finding missing people. We will update you with more specific information about these national media opportunities and when they might air.

April 18, 2026 2:00pm

The community showed up today at Farley’s East in Oakland in support of the Hillyard family, volunteering to continue the search for Amy, walking trails that she frequented, and distributing new flyers in neighborhoods. Welcomed by Amy’s sister, Alexandra, the volunteers shared a sense of optimism and hope, captured by local media covering the event. Both husband Chris and Alexandra were interviewed by reporters, hoping for the kind of media coverage that broadens the search and keeps all eyes on the lookout to bring Amy home safely

April 17, 2026 4:00pm

Volunteers in the Bring Amy Home community will be gathering at Farley’s East in Oakland tomorrow, Saturday, April 18th, to kick off a new search for Amy, who has been missing for more than three weeks. After coffee and time together in the community, volunteers will fan out across neighborhoods and some of Amy’s favorite hiking trails to distribute posters with Amy’s picture and the announcement of a $10,000 reward for information leading to her safe return.  “Amy and I always talked about how Farley’s is more than just a place to grab a cup of coffee. It’s a place for community. I’ve been so grateful for the support of the community in the effort to bring Amy home. It’s only fitting to gather at Farley’s to express my deep appreciation and continue the search for her,” says Chris Hillyard.

April 15, 2026 2:30pm

As the search for Amy enters its fourth week, her sister Alexandra released a video that is posted on this website and has been sent to media and all volunteers to share on their social media platforms. Alexandra talks directly to her sister, in hopes that her message of love will help to bring Amy home.  Alexandra, who lives in the Bay Area, is identified by her first name only in the interest of privacy for her two small children who miss their Auntie Amy and are too young to understand the turmoil facing the family. Meanwhile, volunteers have redesigned flyers, now promoting the $10,000 Reward for information leading to Amy’s safe return, and will be canvassing neighborhoods with those new flyers.

April 13, 2026 3:30pm

Amy Hillyard’s family is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to her safe return home. In announcing the reward, Amy’s husband, Chris Hillyard, shared:

“We truly believe someone out there has seen Amy, may know where she is, or has information that could help bring her home. Despite the tireless efforts of hundreds of volunteers over the past two weeks, we are still searching for answers. The Oakland Police Department (OPD) continues to follow up on leads, and we hope this reward encourages anyone with information to come forward. If you know anything, no matter how small it may seem, please contact the OPD’s Missing Persons Unit at (510) 238-3641. Your information could make all the difference in bringing Amy home.”

April 11, 2026 3:30pm

Today, more than 70 volunteers braved the rain and fanned out across multiple neighborhoods, knocking on doors and distributing flyers in the effort to bring Amy home. Hoping that the weather would actually work to their advantage by finding people at home, they canvassed the neighborhoods of Montclair (including business districts), Crocker Highlands, Glenview, and Cleveland Heights, engaging with neighbors to ensure that the entire community knows who Amy is and how they can support the search. Organizers say they connected with about 1,500 people who offered both support and words of hope. Volunteers drove in or flew in from Sacramento, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Lake Tahoe, and Austin, Texas, to join dozens from local neighborhoods. The day began with a candle lighting ceremony and ended with optimism that the results of today’s canvassing would bring new videos to the Oakland Police Department for review

#BringAmyHome

April 10, 2026 3:30pm

The Oakland Police Department has assured us that it continues to work on the search for Amy, and we hope that recent media attention will produce more quality leads and tips. If you have any information about Amy’s whereabouts, please contact the OPD’s Missing Persons Unit at (510) 238-3641. Meanwhile, volunteers will be canvassing neighborhoods tomorrow (Saturday) morning, rain or shine, distributing flyers and knocking on doors to broaden outreach with the goal of bringing Amy home.

April 9, 2026 6:00pm

The video message from Chris was picked up by a lot of media and was the basis for a story today posted by People magazine. In addition, the San Francisco Chronicle ran an in-depth story this afternoon that will bring more attention to the efforts to bring Amy home. Meanwhile, volunteers are planning another event on Saturday morning, April 11, to canvass more neighborhoods with flyers to keep awareness strong and the community focused on the search for Amy.  More details will be forthcoming in tomorrow’s update post.

April 6, 2026  6:00 pm

As OPD continued to investigate over the weekend, their diligence produced hours of additional videotape to be reviewed. Investigators canvassed several blocks where cameras were present on homes, buildings, and businesses, and they extended the radius of that search today. It is especially important to obtain video from cameras before that video is automatically erased or overwritten. Also today, local media requested interviews in order to keep Amy’s story out in the public eye. We are especially grateful to Tejal Patel who made time to speak with reporters today, while still helping to organize the growing community of volunteers—now numbering about 400! The media in Sacramento is also covering the search as Amy went to UC Davis and has friends and family in the area.#BringAmyHome

April 5, 2026 3:50 pm

On this Easter Sunday, our family wants to express our deepest gratitude to the Oakland Police Department, the dedicated investigators working tirelessly on Amy’s case, and the hundreds of volunteers who continue to give their time, energy, and hope to help bring Amy home.

During this holiday weekend, Amy’s friends and supporters have continued their efforts to review hours of video footage, searching BART stations and surrounding streets, and distributing flyers throughout the East Bay. We are also thankful for the local media who have helped keep Amy’s story visible and in the hearts and minds of the community. While this is a day traditionally centered on hope and renewal, our hope remains steadfast: that Amy will be found and brought home safely.We ask the public to continue sharing Amy’s information, remain vigilant, and report any tips to the Oakland Police Department. Every effort matters. Every lead counts. Thank you for standing with us. #BringAmyHome

April 4, 2026 3:40 pm

During this holiday weekend, dozens of Amy’s friends are taking time to continue the search. They are combing through hours of tapes to see if they can spot Amy at BART stops or on streets throughout Oakland, and continuing to flyer throughout Oakland.  Investigators with OPD also plan another video canvass this weekend and continue to follow up on information reported to OPD.

April 3, 2026 1:30 pm

On April 2, 2026, the Oakland Police Department (OPD) and the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Unit (ALCO SAR) were deployed to Skyline Gate to search a wide area to help bring Amy home. This is one of Amy’s most beloved places to hike and walk. They searched for hours, but did not find her. Amy’s family and friends are incredibly grateful for law enforcement’s commitment and remain hopeful the search will continue until Amy is brought home. Amy’s husband, Chris, released the following statement: “As more time goes by without Amy, the agony of her absence is devastating. We are still holding on to hope, thanks to Amy’s community of friends and volunteers who continue to search every day. They are a source of strength to our family and me.”