Ex-Cop Tied to 3 Murders Remains at Large Despite Massive Manhunt

Updated at 10:15 p.m. Thursday

Three law enforcement helicopters flew above the Big Bear area Thursday night in search of the fired Los Angeles Police Department officer suspected in the revenge slayings of a Cal Sate Fullerton basketball coach and her finance in Irvine and the early morning ambush killing of a Riverside police officer.

The truck belonging to Christopher Jordan Dorner was found burning just off a forest road in the area late today, authorities said.

All the areas where someone could have walked away from the truck were being searched by ground, Cindy Bachman of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said at a 9 p.m. news conference.

"I'm not aware of any evidence found near the truck, nor am I aware of any explosives," Bachman said.

Bachman said she was not aware of any vehicle having been stolen since the burned out truck was discovered.

Deputies have gone to about half of the 400 vacation homes in the area and there were no signs of forced entry at any of them, Bachman said.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department provided two of the helicopters used in the search, while the other came from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

The truck’s discovery has prompted the lock-down of the Bear Valley School District and the temporary closure of Bear Mountain Resort as authorities conduct a door-to-door search for Christopher Jordan Dorner. A tow truck was brought in to take the vehicle out of the area, with armed officers surrounding the truck.

Investigators plan to search through the night, weather permitting. Authorities mounted an extensive manhunt in California and Nevada searching for Dorner, who is also a former naval reservist believed to have been involved in shootings this morning in Corona and Riverside. One Riverside police officer was killed and another wounded. He also is wanted for the apparent revenge slayings of a Monica Quan, and her fiance in Irvine, Keith Lawrence.

Quan is the daughter of former LAPD Capt. Randy Quan, whom Dorner blames for his firing. Dorner worked for the LAPD from Feb. 7, 2005, until Sept. 4, 2008, but was fired for allegedly making false statements about his training officer.

Randy Quan represented him during his hearing.

In a multi-page manifesto posted online Monday, Dorner said he didn't mind dying because he already died when he was fired from the LAPD, according to officials.

"I never had the opportunity to have a family of my own ... [so] I am terminating yours," Dorner wrote to Randy Quan.

LAPD said its Metropolitan squad was sent to protect the people mentioned in Dorner's manifesto.

Police discovered the bodies of Monica Quan and Lawrence around 9:10 p.m. Sunday in Irvine. The two, who recently became engaged, were found dead in Lawrence's Kia at the top of the five-story parking structure for the building where they lived.

Monica Quan, 28, was in her second season as an assistant coach for the Cal State Fullerton women's basketball team after holding a similar position at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks. Lawrence, 27, was working as a patrol officer at USC's Department of Public Safety. He joined the department in August, said Carl Marziali, USC's assistant vice president of media relations.

Both died of multiple gunshot wounds, according to the Orange County coroner.

The attack in Corona began early Thursday near the Magnolia Avenue exit from northbound Interstate 15. When officers saw someone in the truck resembling Dorner, the truck took off, and the officers followed it as it entered I-15. Later, the suspect opened fire. It is unclear whether the suspect was injured during the shooting, but one officer was grazed, according to authorities.

Later Thursday, two officers in Riverside were ambushed and one died. Another remains in surgery.

One of the officers—a 34-year-old, 11-year veteran of the force —was killed. Authorities chose not to release the slain officer's name to protect the family. The wounded Riverside officer, who is 27 years old, underwent surgery and is expected to fully recover, Riverside police Chief Sergio Diaz said.

Law enforcement officials throughout California have held news conferences informing the public about Dorner. Nevada authorities are also looking for him as he apparently owns a house nine miles from the Las Vegas Strip.

Gov. Jerry Brown also released a statement and ordered Capitol flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of the officer.

"Anne and I were shocked and saddened to learn of the senseless attack on a Riverside police officer that resulted in his death this morning," he said. "We join his family, friends, co-workers and the Riverside community in mourning his death and in honoring his sacrifice."

Around 10 a.m. Thursday, San Diego police and military personnel locked down and searched Naval Base Point Loma and a nearby hotel following a reported sighting of a man matching the description of Christopher Jordan Dorner. No suspect had been found as of 11:30 a.m., officials said.

Authorities began looking for the 33-year-old suspect in San Diego about 2:30 a.m., after a badge and wallet containing his identification was found along Harbor Drive, near Lindbergh Field. His clothes were also found in a dumpster in National City, according to a U-T report.

It was not immediately clear what agency the badge might represent or if it was legitimate, but the ID was clearly Dorner's, SDPD Officer Frank Cali said.

CNN reporter and talk show host Anderson Cooper apparently received a package from Dorner too. Cooper said via Twitter the package contained a note, DVD and a "coin shot thru with bullet holes.''

He is 6 feet tall and weighs 270 pounds. He had been driving a gray 2005 Nissan Titan pickup, California license plate 7X03191 or 8D83987 before the vehicle was found torched in Big Bear.

Anyone encountering Dorner should consider him "armed and extremely dangerous" and should not approach but instead call 911 immediately, police said.

A tip line has also been established: 949-724-7192.

-City News Service contributed to this report