Her body had no form of identification on her possession, although at the top of the cliff, investigators discovered a half consumed can of Coca-Cola, a purse containing small change, a packet of cigarettes, matches, and two maps of Southern California.

[7] Investigators contacted the taxi firm written on the map found at the top of the cliff from where the woman had either fallen or jumped to her death; they subsequently spoke with a driver who informed them he had provided transportation to a female who matched the description of the decedent[3] sometime between 3 and 4 a.m. on September 20.

The woman had asked to be picked up from a Unocal Station in Mission Viejo in southern Orange County,[8] requesting to be driven to Laguna Beach, or as far as the $18 she had in her possession would take her.

[4] This driver further informed investigators he had dropped the young woman off at the Chart House near the intersection of Cove Road and Scenic Drive, and that he had last seen her walking in the direction of the cliff where her body was later found.

Investigators would also discover that the woman had earlier entered a nearby Hampton Inn and asked a clerk if there were any "high end hotels" in the area.

[6][7][n 1] In efforts to trigger recognition from those who may have seen the victim in life, a composite drawing of the woman was created by a forensic artist from the Orange County Police Department.

[11][n 3] The Orange County Sheriff's Department Coroner Division subsequently contacted surviving relatives of Holly Glynn and obtained DNA samples for formal comparison with the Dana Point Jane Doe.