Dana Turner last contacted her sister on September 22 when the two spoke on the telephone. Turner's sister contacted the Chesapeake Police Department the following day after Turner's vehicle was located on the Avis Rental Car parking lot (Battlefield Boulevard North).

In and of itself, the car in the rental business' parking lot might not be unusual. Turner had been a regular customer at that Avis for about a year. What made the situation especially strange is that besides the car she owns being there, a car Turner rented recently had been returned. Neither detectives nor Avis workers are sure who dropped off the rental. Whoever returned it did so after regular business hours. The fuel gauge was on "E" and the car wasn't particularly clean, which is out of character for one of Turner's returns. (Information retrieved from NamUs.gov)