michelle le's family organizing large-scale search this weekend

An update on the search for missing nursing student Michelle Le, who has been missing since May 27... Sadly, Hayward authorities have classified the case as a homicide investigation. But her family is not giving up hope, and is asking for the public's help: Michelle Le's family asks for volunteers to search.

It's been three weeks since Michelle disappeared, but her family is still hoping she's alive, and won't stop until she's found. They're organizing a large-scale three-day search across areas of the East Bay this weekend, and are encouraging people to volunteer:

Le's family is asking for volunteers to help search areas of the East Bay from Friday to Sunday. Investigators already searched Niles and Palomares canyons in Southern Alameda County last week, but found nothing. Police say the areas they want covered are specific spots based on the evidence collected so far, including Le's cell phone records.

"From our interviews, our phone forensics, the FBI, as well as an independent contractor, as well as our own personnel in house, have all come up with ideas of what the phone forensics mean and we're following up with that," said Hayward Police Lt. Roger Keener.

Le's extended family from San Diego has come up to the Bay Area to help with the search. Experts with the Klaas Kids Foundation will also be on hand to train the volunteers expected to show up.

"We're staying positive and optimistic and like we say every day, it's not over until it's over," said Dinh.

Volunteers are being asked to check in between the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 25350 Cypress Avenue, which is a Buddhist church in Hayward. People who want to help out must be at least 18 years old and present a valid I.D. Volunteers must also wear a long sleeve shirt, long pants and closed-toe shoes.

To protect the integrity of the search areas, the exact locations won't be disclosed ahead of time.

More here: Volunteers search Niles Canyon for Michelle Le. Here's the statement from Michelle Le's family. For further information about the search effort, go to website and Facebook page her family has set up. Anyone with information about Michelle's disappearance is asked to call Hayward police at (510) 293-5051.