Given a Car's Title - now what, little advice/help Options

[creis]

Ok so long story short, my gf's aunts nabor ran into financial issues and basicly gave up, gave away all belongings and went to live with someone else, this included her 3 cars... The lady gave a box of random stuff to the aunt and she gave it to my g/f's mom who went though it and found the title to one of her cars, probably not placed there by mistake as it was right on top. she gave me the title so now I have a singled (realeasing all intersted in the car by the only owner) title to a 94 Mit. Eclipse GS. so here is where I would like some help... What do/should I do, I dont know the old owner, and she does not no me and she is gone. The title is singed but not filled out to any spacific owner, and another catch its registered in California (its a cali title with an address in Fontana CA. (she lived a little south of tacoma with the 3 cars so dont konw what thats about) My first thought was to mail the title to the person its registered too in the hopes there still at that address and be done with it, but on the other had it is obvouse they did not want the car as its released. another catch being I have no idea where the car is, and what shape its in. I can tachnicly become the registered owner but I deff dont want that unless its in my driveway and worth the fee/tax. (listed as sold for $500.) (and I absolutly dont want to do anything illigal) It would be kinda neet to get the car but I dont want any kind of hassle for it, if she gave it to someone else and got a new title or something, Can I go to the dept. of licesncing and check? is there any way to find the car first? should I just shread the title and forget it or mail it to the old owner? Yet another option is oddly enough I'm going to Cali (San Jose) early december for work so its not imposible to go there in person but its a 350 mile drive from where I'm staying .

[njccmd2002]

car fax?

maybe it was wrecked, it will tell you the last location. google the vin number. Call the lady.

[creis]

carfax cost $29.00 and googleing the vin just told me the make and modle (the title is calls it a 1994 MITS 2H, dont have any number or current address for the lady, which reminds me the tile is notin her name leads me to belive (complete guess) that she bought the car from the guy and did not change the title over to her name.