Indian River deputies continue searching Oslo Preserve for evidence of Susy Tomassi, who has been missing for 12 days

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY— About 15 deputies combed through the Oslo Preserve Wednesday, retracing their steps in an attempt to find any evidence of a local restaurateur who has been missing since March 16.

Assunta "Susy" Tomassi, 73, who lives in St. Lucie County, was seen leaving the frame of surveillance footage from the South Vero Square plaza about 6 p.m. that Friday as she continued walking south. Her husband, Patrick Tomassi, said she was sitting on the patio outside the nearby Quilted Giraffe — the restaurant they own together— while he went inside to make a phone call. When he returned, she was gone.

More: Still no sign of Susy Tomassi in Vero Beach

More: Search for missing St. Lucie woman Assunta Tomassi enters 2nd week

Deputies have searched through the Oslo Preserve, a 298-acre densely wooded area that borders the plaza, using bloodhounds and cadaver dogs, along with the Sheriff's Office helicopter and boats to search the Indian River.

Fourteen deputy cars lined Oslo road Wednesday morning as deputies continued to look through the area on the north side of Oslo Road starting at 8 a.m., traveling all the way north to the preserve's edge and all the way south to the Indian River.

About 50 volunteers headed a citizen's search for Susy Tomassi March 21. The group combed through the area south of Oslo Road.

More: Volunteers searching heavily wooded areas for Assunta Tomassi, missing since Friday

Still, no new evidence of the woman, known to have dementia, has turned up, according to Maj. Eric Flowers, spokesman for the Indian River County Sheriff's Office. Tips have taken investigators as far north as North Carolina and south as Miami.

Susy Tomassi's family is offering a $5,000 reward for the woman's safe return.

Anyone with information about Susy Tomassi's disappearance is urged to call the Sheriff's Office at 772-978-6240 or 772-360-5813.