OAKLAND, Calf. (KRON) — An East Bay coffee shop owner, Amy Hillyard, has been missing for nearly a month, prompting an extensive search across the Bay Area.
Amy Hillyard was reported missing on March 25. For the first time, her husband, Chris Hillyard, spoke with KRON4 about her disappearance. While police state that no signs of foul play have been found, the case remains under investigation by authorities.
Chris Hillyard expressed the profound difficulty of the situation.
“The constant unknowingness of where my wife is… my best friend… my partner… it’s unbearable,” Chris Hillyard said. “Every morning I wake up and the nightmare starts over again.”
The couple has been together for more than 25 years and shares two daughters, 18 and 20 years old, who are home from college and also grappling with their mother’s disappearance.
“And them not knowing where their mother is is something no child should have to go through,” Chris Hillyard said.
Chris Hillyard describes Amy Hillyard as beautiful both inside and out, and a “light in the community” who loved bringing people together.
“And she loved bring community together, you know, host gatherings at her home, host gatherings at our cafes, organize leadership conferences for women, empowerment,” he said.
On March 25, the day she went missing, the couple had breakfast at home before Hillyard dropped her off at a BART station in Oakland for a therapy appointment in Walnut Creek. She texted him just before 2 p.m. Neighbors also reported seeing and speaking with her while she was walking the dog.
Hillyard returned home just before 3 p.m. and immediately sensed something was wrong.
“I noticed that the back door was open and the dog was out of its crate, which was surprising, and her belongings were on the counter in the kitchen,” Hillyard said. “So I knew something was wrong at that point and I searched the house, I talked to neighbors, and then I went, started searching the neighborhood and then called OPD to file a missing persons report.”
Police began their investigation by asking the public to check surveillance video for any sightings. About a week after her disappearance, surveillance video placed Amy Hillyard near Oakland’s Dimond Park area, a place she was known to frequent for walks and hikes. This led to a large search involving multiple law enforcement agencies and numerous volunteers, but no sign of her was found.
Chris Hillyard explained his delay in speaking publicly, noting he had been “overwhelmed with emotion” and generally shies away from public speaking. However, he emphasized the critical need to find her.
“But despite that, we need to find Amy and bring her home. Amy deserves that. So I want to do everything we can to help her,” Chris Hillyard said.
Police maintain that the case remains under investigation and have not indicated that any signs of foul play have been discovered. Regarding online speculation, Chris Hillyard said, “She left her belongings on the counter and there’s no one indication of anything other than that. She left the home and we don’t know how or why at this point.”
Hillyard also shared that Amy Hillyard had been dealing with depression and anxiety and was seeking help. Volunteers continue to search areas she loves, including hiking trails, but have yet to locate her.
A $10,000 reward has been offered for any information regarding Amy Hillyard’s whereabouts. Inside her coffee shop, a “Tree of Hope” has been set up, filled with notes from the community urging her to come home.
Volunteers are scheduled to meet Saturday at Farley’s East in downtown Oakland to organize another search effort and distribute flyers. Chris Hillyard believes his wife is still out there, stating she has never done anything like this before.
“I love you,” Chris Hillyard said. “Our daughters love you. We just want to know you’re safe.”
All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KRON4. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat information into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KRON4 staff before being published.