Christopher Dorner Believed Dead After Shootout With Police

It was a day of reckoning. The end of ten days of terror. And police believe a killer once on the loose is now dead. These images tell the story. The charred foundation, all that's left of a cabin in... See More

It was a day of reckoning. The end of ten days of terror. And police believe a killer once on the loose is now dead. These images tell the story. The charred foundation, all that's left of a cabin in the woods, set ablaze. About police believe that christopher dorner was inside. While in another part of southern california, police lay one of his victims to rest, one of their own. His widow, in a moving embrace by his casket, covered with a flag. We begin tonight's coverage with abc's cecilia vega now. Cecilia? Reporter: Diane, good evening. I'm standing at the one-time police command post, the heart of that manhunt for christopher dorner. Right over my shoulder, those houses right there, we now know that's where dorner was holed up just as of yesterday. Neighbors telling us he very well may have been hiding in plain sight. From a barrage of gun fire to a rush of flame -- to that shell of a house now nothing left by rubble. Shut down the freeway for the subject we're looking for. Reporter: Dorner's run from the law began to unravel here. Police say dorner broke in and yesterday, when two unsuspecting women came by to clean, he allegedly tied them up, took their car and then sped off. One of the women broke free and managed to call the police. Dorner was once again on the run. Chased by police, he abandoned the stolen car, then up the road, police say dorner car jacked this man. Dorner jumped out of the snow at me, gun drawn, big, long rifle. I wasn't going very fast, so, i just stop and put my truck in park and put my hands up. He pointed his gun at me and said, I don't want to hurt you, just get out and start walking up the road and take your dog. Reporter: Dorner raced off again, this time, a fish and game warden spotted him and that officer engaged in a life or death shootout. Dorner realized he had been recognized, rolled down his window, held the pistol out the window and shot. Miraculously, never hit the two during his run yesterday. One of them, fatality. The former navy reservist then holed himself up in a cabin and here, in these usually quiet mountains, an intense fire fight broke out. Police say they fired tear gas into the cabin in an apparent to force dorner out. Burn the gas! Burn the gas! eporter: THEN CAME THE Flames. We have fire. He might come out the back. One shot fired from inside the residence. Reporter: By nightfall, the cabin burns to the ground. Inside, they discovered a lone, charred body. Reporter: Authorities now turn their attention to forensic telss to positively identify that body. 12 los angeles police department families remain under police protective watch, fearful of dorner's threat to go after 24e78, diane. And I' sure that fear remain until that positive identity on that body comes back. All right, cecilia, thank you. And I want to bring in abc's chief justice correspondent pierre thomas, who has been working the phones to learn more aboue power of dorner's weapons. What have you learned, pierre? Reporter: Good evening, diane. Sources say facing dorner was like faces a hit man. Once source told me police believe dorner bought oxygen tanks used in scuba diving in order to breathe in the event of a tear gas attack. Dorner apparently was dressed for war in combat gear. Remember, he was not only a fo former cop, but also former military. An expert marksman to boot. His arsenal, an assortment of rifles and possibly explosives. In short, my sources say this man was lethal. Someone they knew going in had a death wish, diane. And there's more to come on all of this. Thank you, pierre. As we said today, police paid a solemn farewell to one of their own. The first officer killed in the rampage. Dozens of patrol cars leading the procession for the funeral of police officer michael crain. Crain was a former marine, dad to 10-year-old ian, 4-year-old kaitlynn. His wife regina talked about their lives together. He was just too good. Everything seemed too perfect. Report As we said, an emotional and solemn ceremony today.