HAYWARD, Calif -- After reviewing parking lot surveillance video and collecting forensic evidence from her abandoned car, Hayward police have concluded that a missing student has been murdered.

"We realize that this is the worst possible news that the family and friends or anyone would want to have, said Hayward Police Captain Darryl McAllister. "But despite everybody's hopes, our efforts for Michelle have now turned to efforts of recovery."

McAllister said evidence collected from Le's car, surveillance video from the parking garage at Kaiser Permanente hospital where she was last seen as well as information collected from search warrants and interviews all point to murder.

"All of these things that we've considered to make this determination, conclusively tell us that this is a homicide," said McAllister.

The Le family spent more than an hour at Hayward police headquarters Monday night, learning about the evidence that has turned this missing person's case into a homicide case.

Family members emerged from the meeting shaken with their heads hung low. Gratitude to those who helped search for Michelle was all her father Son Le could express.

"Thank you for all your support," said Le.

So far, police said they have questioned at least 25 people in connection with the case. While investigators identified several persons of interest in Le’s disappearance back on May 27, they have made no arrests. Police said they were focusing on rural areas of the East Bay as they look for her body.

Meanwhile, the Le family announced earlier Monday that the reward for information on her whereabouts had grown to $65,000.

Two organizations connected to Michelle Le – Samuel Merritt University and Turner Construction Company -- informed her family earlier that day that they had upped the reward for information from $45,000 to $65,000.

"Our family members are incredibly thankful for this donation and appreciative of Samuel Merritt University and Turner Construction," said Le's brother Michael in a press release. "One-hundred percent of the funds will be used towards finding Michelle and keeping the spirit of her search alive.

Le attends Samuel Merritt and she's worked as an part-time accounting clerk at Turner Construction for the past five years, according to the release.

The money was budgeted for the reward and the purchase of fliers, billboards and t-shirts to aid in the search.

In the meantime, investigators said they have identified several "persons of interest" in the disappearance of Le but they have not made any arrests by Monday afternoon.

Hayward police were scheduled Monday evening to provide a media update of the day's search efforts.

The day before, Le's family expressed frustration with the pace of the Hayward police investigation, and called for the FBI to take over.

The 26-year-old vanished on May 27th from Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Hayward where she was doing clinical rounds as part of her course work.

Anyone with information that could help locate Le was asked to call Hayward Police Department at 510-293-7000.