Authorities responded to the area of University Drive and Beach Tree Lane at about 11 p.m. Tuesday after the woman's husband found her silver Honda Civic.
The woman has been identified as 29-year-old Anna Oung of Long Beach. Police say the woman, who works as an engineer in the area, never returned to her Long Beach home after work. Her husband filed a missing persons report about an hour before the body was found. He had been out looking for her when he found her vehicle, police said.
"When we arrived, we found her car apparently unoccupied. However, it was locked, and he did not have keys, so we assisted him in getting the car open to look for any evidence of where she may be," said Julia Engen of the Irvine Police Department.
Police opened the car, and then found her body inside the trunk of the car. Police say there were visible injuries on the body, but they did not elaborate. They are not calling it a homicide yet, only saying it is suspicious. A coroner will determine the official cause of death.
Police are asking the public for help gathering information. Anyone with information is urged to call the Irvine Police Department at (949) 724-7200.
NOTE: Police earlier said the missing persons report was made five hours prior to the discovery of the body, but now they say it was one hour before.
