New details released on disappearance of Bay Area coffee shop owner, per report

Amy Hillyard has been missing since March 25.

Madilynne Medina/SFGATE   

In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Chris Hillyard said his wife disappeared while recovering from depression and anxiety. (The Chronicle and SFGATE are both owned by Hearst but have separate newsrooms.)

Amy Hillyard was grappling with the death of a close friend, along with the death of a family dog, while also caring for relatives, according to her husband. He told the outlet his wife was on medication and attending regular therapy at the time of her disappearance, and that she was “doing all the right things to heal.” He added that being without her medication is “dangerous” for his wife.

On the day she disappeared, she had attended a therapy session and walked her dog, according to her husband. In the afternoon, around 3:15 p.m., Chris found her phone, wallet and handbag at their home, with the back door open.

“There’s no real explanation for why she has gone missing. She did not leave a note behind or any other clues,” he told the Chronicle.

The couple co-own the popular Farley’s Coffee, with locations in Oakland and San Francisco. Amy’s disappearance has led to an outpouring of support from family and friends. The Oakland Police Department, the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office and volunteers conducted a search at Skyline Gate hiking trail on April 2.

Volunteers are planning to canvass East Bay neighborhoods on Saturday to raise awareness of the situation and the ongoing search for Amy.

Amy Hillyard disappeared on March 25. She was last seen in surveillance footage near Dimond Peak around 4:30 p.m. She stands 5-foot-4 and is 120 pounds with blond hair and hazel eyes. She was last seen wearing a white short-sleeved shirt, light-colored jeans and white sneakers with black stripes.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Oakland police at 510-238-3641.