GIO, THANK YOU. >>> WE'RE GOING TO TURN NOW TO A HORRIFIC STORY, A FAMILY KILLED, A HOME SET ON FIRE IN CALIFORNIA. AND NOW, AUTHORITIES SAY A FORMER TROOPER FROM VIRGINIA HAD DRIVEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO GET TO THAT HOME, LOOKING FOR THE TEENAGE DAUGHTER HE ALLEGEDLY MET ONLINE. HERE'S PIERRE THOMAS. >> Reporter: TONIGHT, AUTHORITIES ARE LAYING OUT A CLEARER PICTURE OF WHAT LED TO A TRIPLE MURDER AND FIRE AT THIS FAMILY HOME IN RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA. POLICE SAY IT ALL BEGAN 2,500 MILES AWAY WITH VIRGINIA POLICE OFFICER AND FORMER STATE TROOPER AUSTIN LEE EDWARDS. THE 28-YEAR-OLD ALLEGEDLY POSING AS SOMEONE ELSE, AND LURING A SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TEENAGE GIRL INTO AN ONLINE RELATIONSHIP. A SCHEME KNOWN AS CATFISHING. POLICE SUSPECT EDWARDS TRAVELED ACROSS THE COUNTRY, SHOWING UP AT THE HOME OF THE GIRL'S GRANDPARENTS, KILLING THE COUPLE, MARK AND SHARIE WINICK, AND THE GIRL'S MOTHER BROOKE. >> WE HAD A GRANDMOTHER, GRANDFATHER, AND A MOTHER OF THIS TEEN MURDERED BY THIS SUSPECT WHO -- WHO TRAVELED FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY FOR MOST LIKELY WOULD BE THE SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF THIS TEENAGER. >> Reporter: AUTHORITIES RESPONDING TO A CALL ABOUT A DY TRISZ TRESSED GIRL RACING A AWAY WITH A MAN. A SHERIFF'S CHOPPER TRACKING THE CAR. EDWARDS ALLEGEDLY LEADING POLICE ON A HIGH-SPEED CHASE, ENDING IN A SHOOTOUT WITH A POLICE S.W.A.T. TEAM IN THE MOJAVE DESERT. THE SUSPECT KILLED, BUT THE TEENAGE GIRL WAS RESCUED UNHARMED. >> THIS IS JUST A VERY TRAGIC EXAMPLE OF HOW DANGEROUS THOSE INTERACTIONS CAN BE. >> Reporter: DAVID, POLICE SAY THIS IS A PAINFUL REMINDER TO PARENTS ABOUT HOW THEY MUST TRY TO BE AWARE OF WHO THEIR CHILDREN ARE COMMUNICATING WITH ONLINE.