Oakland coffee shop owner Amy Hillyard missing for 6 months; family seeks answers

The family of missing Oakland coffee shop owner Amy Hillyard renewed their call for answers leading to her return, six months after she disappeared.

Chris Hillyard, Amy's husband, posted a video providing an update on the search. The couple owns Farley's East coffee shop in downtown Oakland and Farley's, a coffee shop in San Francisco's Potrero Hill neighborhood.

"Despite the efforts of police, private investigators and hundreds of volunteers, we still don't know what happened to Amy when she left our home on the afternoon of March 25th," he said. "The private investigator who has worked on missing person cases across the country called Amy's disappearance one of the most perplexing cases he has ever worked on."

Chris said investigators expanded their use of drones in the parks where Amy loved to hike. Investigators and volunteers are reviewing the photos for clothing or other potential clues.

"So we all keep looking for Amy by any means available. We will stay the course," he added.

According to police, Amy Hillyard was last seen at her home near Lake Merritt around 2 p.m. on March 25. She is considered at-risk, as she was taking mental health medication when she went missing, and had also left behind her phone and wallet.

Police describe Amy as 5'4" tall, weighing 120 pounds, with blonde hair and hazel eyes. She was reportedly last seen wearing a tan-colored top and tan pants.

The Hillyard family is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to her safe return.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Oakland Police Department's Missing Persons' Unit at 510-238-3641.