Elaine Park went missing on January 28, 2017, in the area of Dark Canyon, within Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

On February 2, 2017, her vehicle was found south of Corral Canyon Road, located in Malibu, California, on the 26000 block of Pacific Coast Highway. Her belongings such as keys, cash, ID, and laptop were found inside the vehicle.

Search efforts were focused primarily near Corral Beach where her vehicle was located close by. According to The Local, The Voices of Malibu, "The law enforcement narrative in Park’s case immediately suggested she wandered into the ocean to commit suicide however, Park’s mother Susan suggests while she may have had periodic bouts of depression, there was nothing about her behavior to suggest she would commit suicide. By using the “suicide” narrative and releasing the vehicle into the custody of her family, prevented potential evidence the could lead to Elaine’s whereabouts from being processed."