it didn't serve its purpose (and if you can even entertain the possibility that it did, it did so poorly)
i always wonder how people can actually think and rationalize the way you do right now to defend a game you like doing something objectively bad and stupid. you need to be able to separate your reason from your passion.
The reason people believed it was Erynn was that she's seen wearing similar clothes and it indicates that her phone is ringing in the alley where the girl is lying.
It's actually interesting that you say that the cliffhanger didn't work (presumably because you don't think anyone would believe that it would be Erynn) given that....
rachel disappears from game, blond girl in heels is seen behind dumpster, a character (can't remember which) says something to the effect of "rachel could be dead behind a dumpster for all i care".
now i know you will contest this because you have the mind of a 5 year old and can't read between the lines, but i'll help you and tell you to save yourself the trouble and just trust me. i know you can't figure it out by yourself.
You are actually basing your belief that the the girl is Rachel off less information than those who believed it was Erynn were basing their belief on.
1. Rachel would dissappear from the game for long periods of the game anyway, she works for an airline, she'd spend a lot of time out of town, and after losing her job in town might even have started doing long haul work meaning she'll be out of the country for long periods.
2. Someone who doesn't like Rachel makes an offhand comment about hoping she's dead, this doesn't mean she is dead.
That's far less proof than
1. Girl behind the dumpster is wearing clothes that Erynn has been seen wearing.
2. Phone can be heard faintly ringing in the alley while MC is trying to call Erynn.
For what it's worth I think they're both red herrings, I didn't believe it was Erynn and I don't believe it's Rachel and that the girl behind the dumpster will turn out to be a random girl we know nothing about, possibly one of Ethan's other models so he'll come under suspicion of being the murderer.