WHITTIER — Officials released the name Wednesday of a woman whose body was found in the back seat of a car in an unincorporated county area near Whittier Monday.
Jeannine Escoto, 29, was found dead in the back of a BMW parked in the 11700 block Santa Gertrudes Avenue, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Lt. Larry Dietz said. Her city of residency was not listed with coroner’s officials.
Escoto’s cause of death remained undetermined Wednesday as investigators carried out forensic testing, Dietz said. Those tests may take up to two months two complete
Sheriff’s Sgt. Raul Gama said people passing by called 9-1-1 after noticing a strange smell and seeing the body in the back of the vehicle.
Officials initially said the body may be related to a missing person’s case from Pico Rivera, however it was not clear Wednesday if that was the case.