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/.