Nearly three weeks after Amy Hillyard, the 52-year-old co-owner of popular Farley’s Coffee shops in Oakland and San Francisco, vanished on March 25, 2026, investigators say one particular surveillance clip could hold the key to understanding what happened during her afternoon walk in Cleveland Heights.

In the haunting footage, Amy is seen walking calmly and alone along a familiar neighborhood street. She passes the camera’s view in an ordinary, unhurried manner. Then, just seconds later, the same camera records nothing but an empty sidewalk — with no sign of her continuing onward or turning aside.

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The Critical Clip and the “Empty Sidewalk” Moment

Oakland Police Department (OPD) investigators have reviewed dozens of surveillance cameras across the neighborhood, including private doorbell systems and public footage. The most compelling piece remains this single clip, believed to be from the vicinity of her movements near Radnor Road or approaching the Dimond Park area.

Amy appears composed, wearing her light-colored or tan top and pants, moving at a normal pace with no visible signs of distress or interaction with anyone else. The abrupt transition to an empty frame — where pedestrian and vehicle activity may continue in the background but Amy is simply no longer visible — has become central to the investigation. Police continue to analyze whether she entered a blind spot, changed direction into a less-monitored area, or if something else occurred in those brief seconds.

This “last frame” aligns with earlier reports of footage placing her near Dimond Park around 4:30 p.m. that day, after she left her home on the 500 block of Radnor Road around 2:00 p.m. Her phone and other belongings remained at home, adding to the mystery.

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A Day That Began Ordinarily

Amy had breakfast with her husband Chris before he drove her to a train station for a therapy appointment in Walnut Creek. She later texted him that she had returned home. What happened in the hours that followed — from her departure for a short walk to the final confirmed movements — remains unclear.

The neighborhood around Cleveland Heights and Dimond Park is a mix of quiet residential streets, greenery, and trails that locals know well. Amy’s family has noted she was navigating depression and anxiety following personal losses, including a close friend and one of the family dogs. She was on medication and classified as “at risk” due to a medical condition. Authorities emphasize there is currently no evidence of foul play, abduction, or any crime.

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Who Amy Hillyard Is to Her Community

Together with Chris, Amy built Farley’s Coffee into a cherished Bay Area staple — warm, community-focused spots that bring people together. Beyond the cafés, she worked as a consultant and was known for her kindness, energy, and ability to “bring out the best in people,” as Chris recently described.

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Chris Hillyard has spoken publicly in recent days, releasing video messages about the family’s pain while expressing deep gratitude to the hundreds of volunteers and the broader community. “The agony of her absence is devastating,” he said, yet he and their two daughters continue to hold hope that Amy will be found safe. He called her presence a “superpower” that made others — and him — better people.

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Ongoing Efforts: Searches, Video Canvassing, and Community Support

Volunteers, OPD, and Alameda County Sheriff’s Office teams have searched Dimond Park trails, Skyline Gate at Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, and other areas multiple times. Friends have spent countless hours reviewing private surveillance tapes and checking BART stations for any additional sightings.

Candlelight vigils, including one at Lake Merritt, have brought the community together. Missing person posters remain visible across Oakland, and the family maintains updates through dedicated pages encouraging tips and continued vigilance with home cameras.

The Weight of That Final Frame

In an age when neighborhoods are dotted with cameras, the sudden emptiness in the seconds after Amy passes the lens feels especially poignant. Investigators hope enhanced analysis or additional nearby footage will clarify what happened immediately after that moment — whether she continued into park trails, turned onto another street, or experienced a medical event that took her out of view.

No confirmed sightings have been reported since March 25. The absence of her medication since that day adds urgency to the search.

How You Can Help

Anyone with information, particularly video from March 25 in the Cleveland Heights, Radnor Road, Dimond Park, or surrounding areas, is urged to contact the Oakland Police Department’s Missing Persons Unit at (510) 238-3641.

Description recap: Amy Hillyard, 52-year-old white female, 5’4”, 120 lbs, blonde hair, hazel eyes. Last seen wearing a tan-colored top and tan pants (some reports note a white short-sleeved top, light-colored jeans, and white sneakers with black stripes). She may appear disoriented due to her medical condition.

The Bay Area community that Amy helped nurture through her cafés and her caring spirit remains united in the effort to bring her home. That single surveillance clip — calm steps followed by an empty sidewalk — stands as both a clue and a call to action.

Every additional reviewed frame, every shared tip, and every volunteer’s persistence could make the difference. If you have any information that might connect to those critical seconds on March 25, please come forward. Amy Hillyard’s family, friends, and the wider community are holding onto hope for her safe return.