Belmont incident not connected to Ylva Hagner missing person case

(KRON) — A discovery made in Belmont’s Twin Pines Park generated curiosity as community members wondered if something had been uncovered in connection to the Ylva Hagner missing person case.

A crew was working on a creek improvement project Thursday when they made a “discovery” that triggered coordination with law enforcement, cultural resource specialists, and tribal representatives, city officials said. A portion of the park was blocked off to the public.

City officials confirmed on Friday that nothing found in Twin Pines Park was connected to Hagner’s 1996 disappearance in Belmont. “Law enforcement has determined that this discovery is not associated with this past case,” city officials wrote.

Ylva Hagner vanished on Oct. 14, 1996. Hagner, a Palo Alto resident and Stanford University student, was last seen at her workplace at 1070 Sixth Avenue in Belmont, FBI investigators said.

At the time of her disappearance, she was 42 years old, 5’6″ tall, weighed 110 pounds, had red hair, and spoke with a Swedish accent.

Hagner’s Honda Civic was found three days later abandoned by Day Inn Motel in San Carlos, according to the FBI. Her keys were still in the ignition, and her purse was missing, the FBI said.

Hagner was reportedly dating Thomas Pressburger at the time of her disappearance. Two years ago, FBI agents and police officers searched a house on Farm Hill Boulevard that was bought by Pressburger in 1996.

Belmont city officials declined to release further details about what exactly was found in Twin Pines Park Thursday. “While we understand there may be questions, details about the specific nature of the discovery will not be disclosed to protect the site and prevent unauthorized access. We kindly ask for the community’s understanding as we prioritize both legal compliance and cultural sensitivity,” officials wrote.