LOS GATOS, Calif. -- The Los Gatos/Monte Sereno Police Department is asking for the public's help in locating an area rug believed to have been in the home of Jeanine Harms the night she disappeared nearly two years ago.

The 42-year-old Los Gatos woman was last seen in public on July 27, 2001, at the Rock Bottom Brewery in Campbell. Police believe she later returned to her Chirco Avenue home accompanied by a man she met at the brewery earlier in the evening.

The man reported last seeing Harms asleep on her living room couch between 12:30 a.m. and 1 a.m. on July 28, according to police. An investigation into another man she had been seen with earlier in the evening proved fruitless as well, as did tips that came in after the case aired on the television show "America's Most Wanted" in August 2001. The Police Department has since classified the case as a homicide.

Now, police believe the rug they are looking for was in Harms' living room in the early evening on the night of her disappearance. When officers entered her home to investigate, Harms' friends alerted them to the fact the rug was missing.

Investigation revealed the rug was purchased at the Home Express in West San Jose's Westgate Mall in 1999 or 2000 and was given to Harms as a gift. Home Express has since gone out of business and has been unable to provide more information about the rug.

Police believe a number of similar rugs were sold at the store during the same time period. Harms' rug was rectangular, about 5 inches by 7 inches, mostly red with an intricate multi-colored design and white fringe along both sides.

While detectives will not say why for fear of compromising the investigation, they are asking anyone with similar rugs purchased from Home Express in 1999 or 2000 to contact Detective Steve Walpole (408) 354-6825.