The incident was first reported Sunday around 10:30 p.m. when a family reported a missing relative and a vehicle stolen from the 2500 block of Santa Ana Street in Huntington Park.
Sheriff's deputies responded and say they found signs of foul play at the scene.
The stolen vehicle was found early the next morning in Rosemead, along with a man described as the son of the missing woman.
At around 6:30 a.m. investigators found the body of the missing woman in a dumpster not far from the home where she was reported missing in Huntington Park.
The woman has been identified as Teresa Pasillas Iniguez, 66.
A person of interest was being detained pending the investigation.
The coroner's office is working to determine her cause of death.
Anyone with information is asked to call the the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.
Anonymous information can be provided to Crime Stoppers at (800)222-TIPS.