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Posted on Sun, Jul. 28, 2002 story:PUB_DESC
Group mourns for missing woman
DOZENS GATHER TO MARK PASSING OF YEAR SINCE DISAPPEARANCE

Mercury News

Dozens of friends, family members and people who never even knew Jeanine Sanchez Harms gathered for a tearful candlelight vigil at dusk Saturday to mark the one-year anniversary of the 42-year-old Los Gatos woman's disappearance.

The event on the lawn at Los Gatos' civic center was a remembrance of the loving daughter and loyal friend who vanished without a trace a year ago on July 27 after going home from a Campbell bar with a man she had met that evening.

Candles were lighted, one person to the next, in support -- maybe remembrance -- of the gregarious, dark-haired woman who had loved to go to clubs and dinner parties and had a large circle of friends.

Those friends and co-workers from her longtime job at Fujitsu Corp. in Sunnyvale have spent the last year mounting fundraisers, putting up fliers and billboards, and pressing the media to write stories to keep Harms' face before the public.

So far, the case has stumped police, who also have poured thousands of hours into the investigation, but have not been able to crack it.

Los Gatos-Monte Sereno police Chief Scott R. Seaman, who came to the job four weeks ago, said the case is the department's top priority and he plans to give it a fresh review.

``The department shares in the Sanchez family's loss, and we are deeply committed to answering the question of what happened to Jeanine,'' the chief said. ``We are committed to doing everything we can to try to solve this case.''

Harms' friends and family also vowed to pour new vigor into their efforts to find out what happened to her. They are hoping to use some of the $15,000 gathered at fundraisers to hire specially trained dogs to do more searches and to work with a psychic.

Large posters with Harms' photo stood at the front of the crowd, showing her with the broad smile friends always remembered.

The year anniversary has been difficult for Harms' parents, Georgette and Jess Sanchez, who are tortured by gruesome thoughts of what may have happened to the daughter. They were close to their daughter and would speak on the phone with her several times a day.

``This is a hard day for us,'' Georgette Sanchez said. ``I've been quite nervous and my hands have been shaking. I just want it to be over with.''


IF YOU'RE INTERESTED

Anyone with information about Jeanine Sanchez Harms' disappearance is urged to call the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department at (408) 354-8600 or to visit the Web site http://www.findjeanine.com/.


Contact Connie Skipitares at cskipitares@sjmercury.com or (408) 920-5647.
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