Woman found dead in car identified by coroner’s office

A 68-year-old woman from Palm Desert was found dead in a car Wednesday afternoon in the Olive Garden parking lot on Highway 111.

The Riverside County Coroner’s Office identified the woman on Thursday as 68-year-old Phyllis Maloney. The coroner is still doing multiple tests to determine the exact cause of her death, but officials are looking into the possibility that heat was a factor.

The Olive Garden is located in the 72200 block of Highway 111, which is at the base of the popular Bump and Grind hiking trail.

Deputies and firefighters were called to the scene just after 4 p.m. Based on the clothes Maloney was wearing at the time, authorities had reason to believe she may have been hiking earlier in the day.

KESQ and CBS Local 2 heard from Maloney’s husband on Thursday afternoon, and he said his wife was at a Jazzercise class in the morning; not hiking. He also said he and his wife had just returned from a long trip to Asia.

Deputy Armando Munoz said foul play isn’t suspected in Maloney’s death and the investigation is ongoing.

KESQ and CBS Local 2 will deliver more details as the investigation moves forward.