Woman has been missing from Oakley for a month, volunteers continue search
OAKLEY, Calif. - Teams of volunteers fanned across eastern Contra Costa County Friday, including the Sand Creek Trail in Brentwood looking for any trace of 24-year-old Alexis Gabe of Oakley who has been missing for a month.
"I just live nearby. I'm a little older than Alexis. That could be me. I feel obligated to do something," said Oakley resident Mary Abusafieh.
The search is being run by an organization that knows about searching for missing people: The KlaasKids Foundation.
"The family came in and asked us to help. And we decided that the best way we can do that is to conduct these community searches," said foundation head Marc Klaas.
Gabe has not been seen since January 25 and was reported missing the next day.
Her family later found her car with the keys in the ignition, abandoned on a dead-end street in Oakley. They said Gabe has no connection to that street.
Police have searched Alexis' boyfriend's house. Her family said she was last seen there, but so far, no arrests and police are saying little about the investigation.
"A well-organized volunteer effort is able to back law enforcement up and work with law enforcement as we are doing here, to be able to search the appropriate places and hopefully find a resolution," said Klaas.
The KlaasKids Foundation is named for Polly Klaas, a then 12-year-old girl abducted from her Petaluma home in 1993, and later found murdered.
The foundation has since helped in hundreds of cases nationwide. The group is training local volunteers so that additional searches can continue as long as needed
"These guys are like family now. They are looking for Alexis like she is their own. It means a lot to my family," says Gwyn Gabe, the brother of the missing woman.
The search is scheduled to continue on Saturday and Sunday.
Organizers are expecting at least 200 volunteers.
But they are encouraging anyone who wants to help, to join them in the search.