AMY HILLYARD: SIX MONTHS AFTER MOM VANISHED, A MAJOR NEW CLUE COULD CHANGE THE SEARCH

Six months after Amy Hillyard walked out of her Oakland home and disappeared without her phone or wallet, investigators say a new digital clue has given her family fresh hope — revealing hiking trails that had not previously been searched.

Amy Hillyard, a 52-year-old mother and co-owner of Farley’s Coffee, vanished from Oakland, California, on March 25, 2026.

For months, her family, police, private investigators and hundreds of volunteers have searched for answers.

Now, a forensic examination of digital records from Amy’s home computer has identified eight hiking trails she researched shortly before she disappeared.

Five of those trails had not previously been searched.

Investigators are now preparing to examine the newly identified areas.

AMY LEFT HOME AND NEVER RETURNED

Amy was last seen at around 2 p.m. on March 25 near the 500 block of Radnor Road in Oakland.

According to Oakland police, she was considered at risk because of medical conditions.

She was described as 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing about 120 pounds, with blonde hair and hazel eyes.

Police initially said she was last seen wearing a tan-colored top and tan pants.

One of the most puzzling aspects of the disappearance is that Amy reportedly left without her phone and wallet.

Since then, investigators have worked to establish where she may have gone after leaving her home.

But despite extensive searches and reviews of surveillance footage, there has been no confirmed sighting of her since that day.

THE DIGITAL DISCOVERY

The latest breakthrough came after private investigator Steve Fischer, who was hired by Amy’s family, conducted what he described as a deep forensic examination of her digital devices and computer records.

Investigators discovered that, on the morning before Amy disappeared, she had spent approximately 30 to 33 minutes researching eight different hiking trails.

The routes stretched from the Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park area in Oakland toward Berkeley.

Investigators had previously been aware of three of the trails and had already searched them.

But five others had apparently remained outside the search effort.

Those locations are now receiving renewed attention.

Fischer described the discovery as the biggest break in the case since he became involved.

However, he stressed that there are no guarantees the new information will lead investigators to Amy.

The discovery simply gives search teams specific areas to investigate rather than searching without a clear direction.

“WE’RE NOT SEARCHING BLINDLY”

The newly identified trails are reportedly located about five miles from Amy’s home.

Some extend for several miles, with certain routes reaching roughly six and a half to seven miles.

According to Fischer, Amy was an avid hiker and had previously walked all but one of the newly identified routes.

That history has made the information particularly significant to investigators.

Fischer said the new locations were previously “not on our radar”, but the digital evidence has now given search teams a reason to concentrate on them.

A volunteer search effort was being organized to examine the trails, with drones and other resources also being used as investigators continue looking for potential clues.

THE FAMILY HAS NEVER STOPPED LOOKING

Amy’s husband, Chris Hillyard, has repeatedly said the family will continue searching for her.

The couple co-owns Farley’s coffee shops in Oakland and San Francisco, businesses that have become closely associated with their family and community.

In a video released to mark six months since Amy disappeared, Chris said that despite the efforts of police, private investigators and hundreds of volunteers, the family still did not know what happened after Amy left their home.

He said investigators were expanding drone searches in parks where Amy loved to hike and reviewing aerial photographs for possible evidence, including clothing or other clues.

“We will stay the course,” Chris said.

The family has also cre