Watch CBS News

Coroner IDs Woman Found Dead In Back Seat Of Rental Car

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A woman whose body was found in the back seat of a rental car in a Jefferson Park alley late last week has been identified, the coroner's office said Monday.

The hometown of Mila Tanese Harper, 29, is still unknown, said coroner's Lt. Joe Bale.

A rental car company employee made the grisly discovery in the alley at Jefferson Boulevard and 12th Avenue around 1 a.m. Friday, said Los Angeles police Sgt. Carlton Brown of the Los Angles Police Department's Southwest Station.

"It's an undetermined death, so far," Brown said. "But it's obviously suspicious in nature."

According to Brown, the rental car company got an anonymous call saying the rental car was in the alley at Jefferson and 12th.

The car was described as a silver Suzuki, Brown said.

"The employee arrived at the alley at around 1 a.m. to find the deceased woman, with her undergarments pulled down below her knees," Brown said.

There was no word on whether the woman was sexually assaulted, Brown said.

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.