The autopsy, performed by a certified forensic pathologist, involved a thorough examination of the body's external and internal features. The process included:

Autopsy analysis of her stomach contents showed she had recently eaten a ham dinner with corn. This was later traced to the Lima Diner , where a waitress remembered seeing her with an unidentified man. Technological Breakthroughs

Evidence suggested she was shot first while standing near the road—evidenced by a blood spot on the ground—before being dragged into the cornfield, where she was shot a second time in the back and left for dead.

She had several fillings and a prior tooth extraction, suggesting she came from a family with the means for dental care. A gap in her upper right teeth was likely a result of the attack.

Law enforcement investigation determined that the decedent had been seen earlier that day in the company of a male individual later identified as James "Jimmy" H. DeBerry. The subsequent investigation and medical examination revealed that the decedent had been the victim of a homicide involving blunt force trauma and strangulation.