Crime & Safety

Le Family to Hold Search Parties Friday and Saturday

Hayward police have arrested Giselle Esteban, 27, on suspicion of murder in the case of missing nursing student Michelle Le, but no remains have been found.

More than a week after a Union City woman was , family and community members are resuming search efforts to find her.

Search parties are scheduled for Friday and Saturday. On both days, volunteers will meet at 8 a.m. at 25350 Cypress Ave., Hayward. The searches, led by the , will last until 5 p.m. Search locations will be announced the morning of the searches.

According to MichelleLeMissing.com, volunteers will be broken into morning and afternoon groups. The last group must register before 2 p.m. 

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Le, a 26-year-old San Mateo resident, went missing May 27 during a break from her clinical rotation at the Hayward Kaiser hospital. Friends said she went to grab something from her car, which was parked in a garage at the facility, but never returned.

Her family continues to maintain hope despite the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office filing murder charges against Giselle Esteban, 27, following . Esteban, who was originally scheduled to enter a plea last Friday, will appear in court again Monday.

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At a press conference last week, police investigators said various pieces of compelling evidence, including DNA evidence, surveillance footage and cell phone records, have led them to believe Esteban was "responsible for Michelle's demise.”

While the arrest pushes the investigation of Le’s disappearance forward, police have still not found Le’s body and said the investigation will not be complete until she is found.

Meanwhile, Le’s family continues to hope for her safe return.

“Our primary concern was, is and will always be to find Michelle and bring her home with us,” Le’s cousin Krystine Dinh told reporters last week. “At this point, she is still missing and we will fight to bring her home every day until we have her with our family again.”

Search party volunteers must be at least 18 years old and bring photo identification. Individuals are advised to dress appropriately by wearing long pants and boots or sturdy, closed-toe shoes. Volunteers who don’t meet the requirements may assist in the command center or distribute fliers.

A $100,000 reward for information leading to Le’s whereabouts remains in place.

The Hayward Police Department has set up a tip line for anyone with information that could help with the case; that number is 510-293-5051.

People may also call Hayward police at 510-293-7033 if they have information on Le's disappearance.

For more information or to make a donation to the Le search campaign, visit www.michellelemissing.com.


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