With the disheartening break in the case of San Diego’s missing McStay family, people from around the world have taken to social media to express their condolences for the family.

The family of four – father Joseph McStay, mother Summer McStay, and sons Gianni and Joseph Jr. – vanished from their Fallbrook home in February 2010, leaving few clues behind.

Earlier this week, the remains of four people were found in and around shallow graves in a remote, high desert area of Victorville, Calif.

On Friday, San Bernardino County officials confirmed that two of the bodies are those of Joseph and Summer McStay. The other two victims are believed to be their young sons.

The grim discovery brings the McStay family back into the international spotlight.

For more than three years, the open-ended mystery of the missing family of four has baffled law enforcement, relatives and anyone who actively followed the case.

TIMELINE: The McStay Family Mystery

For years, Joseph McStay’s brother, Michael McStay, has managed and updated a website dedicated to finding his loved ones.

A Facebook page has also been dedicated to bringing the McStay family home. However, given the recent developments, the tone of that page has now changed.

Hundreds of people have taken to the social media page to express their sadness and condolences for the family.

“I have been following this case for years. So sorry that they were found like this,” reads one message.

“I am so sorry that this is the way their story ended. I have been hoping that somehow, some day we would hear a different story,” wrote another person.

“This family is ingrained in my heart, and they will remain there always,” reads another post.

On Saturday, page administrators posted the following somber message, in part, to the Facebook page:

“In light of the recent events the focus of this page has been changed from search to remembrance. Please leave messages of condolences, photos memories and mementos here for the family members.”

The messages don’t end there.

A website where people can light a virtual candle in remembrance of a loved one has a section dedicated to the McStay family. By Saturday, hundreds of people across at least 9 countries had left an online candle and message for the family.

As the world mourns the family, investigators are now turning their attention to finding the person or persons responsible for the deaths.

San Bernardino County officials are expected to release autopsy reports on the family, though that could take days. Meanwhile, law enforcement sources say the investigation remains active.

During a press conference on Friday, a sobbing Michael McStay vowed to bring justice to his loved ones.

“We’re going to find this individual, or individuals. I know the sheriff’s department, the FBI, everybody wants to bring this to justice. And, if it’s the last thing I do – I just want to know when it’s over,” he added.

Joseph McStay’s father, Patrick McStay, also spoke out Friday, telling NBC in Houston that he was highly critical of the investigation surrounding the family’s case. He too wants justice.

“You’ve got to be a cold-blooded killer to murder two children. I just want whoever did it prosecuted,” he said. “Found and prosecuted.”

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department has now taken the lead on this investigation. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and FBI – which took over the case earlier this year – will assist as needed.
 

A Chicago man was charged Sunday after he allegedly ran onto the tarmac at O’Hare Airport Saturday.

Chicago Police responded to the disturbance at O’Hare Airport around 3:15 p.m. for a man in an “unauthorized area of the airfield,” according to Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Jose Estrada.

The man was not armed and was taken into custody, Estrada said.

Ardell Walker, 23, of the 5200 block of West Van Buren Street, was charged with felony criminal trespassing in a restricted area and a misdemeanor count of resisting a peace officer, according to authorities.

“The incident had no impact on flight operations and posed no apparent threat to the traveling public,” Karen Pride, spokesperson for the Chicago Department of Aviation, said in a statement.

A witness on a flight from Chicago to Detroit said the man “jumped a perimeter fence and ran toward the plane.”

“[Flight crews] said he jumped a fence, which is about a half-mile away,” said Mario Hernandez.

Hernandez said the flight’s captain said the plane almost hit the man and that he “started waving” in front of the plane.

Police said Walker ran from a responding officer after the officer ordered him to stop and show his hands.

The man fled and the officer pursued him on foot. The chase continued to where an American Airlines flight was taxiing. Walker was ordered to stop and show his hands a second time, but did not. The officer saw the approaching plane and wrestled Walker to the ground, where he continued to struggle, but was eventually taken into custody, police said.

Walker suffered a gash on his leg and was treated at a nearby hospital. The sergeant suffered cuts to his hands and was treated at the police station by Chicago Fire Department officials.
 

At least six people were killed and 54 others were hurt as a series of tornadoes battered Illinois Sunday.

Severe weather and tornadoes ravaged through much of central Illinois Sunday. According to the National Weather Service, at least 10 tornadoes touched down in Illinois.

A series of crashes left one person dead and forced the California Highway Patrol to close Otay Lakes Road near State Route 94.

Cal Fire officials said three accidents happened along Otay Lakes Road around 10:45 a.m. Sunday southeast of Jamul. 

In one crash, a motorcyclist was killed on the scene. It's unclear what caused the crash. 

A second collision involved a bicyclist struck by a vehicle. The bicyclist was airlifted to the hospital for unknown injuries.

The CHP closed Otay Lakes Road as they investigated the crashes.

William White was fired from his job as D.C.'s insurance commissioner one day after he questioned the president's proposed healthcare fix, NBC News has confirmed.

The D.C. city government has named Chester A. McPherson (White's former deputy) as the new acting insurance commissioner.

White told NBC News that on Thursday he released a statement reacting to the president's announcement which read in part: "The action today undercuts the purpose of the exchanges, including the DC Health Link, by creating exceptions that make it more difficult for them to operate."

White said on Friday, one of the mayor's top deputies called White into his office and told him he was being let go. "The only thing I was told was that the mayor wanted to go in a different direction and my services were no longer needed,” White said in a telephone interview. "I was asked to leave on Friday and I did."

When asked if he thought his firing was directly linked to his statement on healthcare, White replied, "Anyone who looks at this can draw their own conclusions. My statement came out on Thursday and by Friday [at] 4:15, I was out."

As for his reaction, White said: “I was disappointed. I really liked my job with this department and as far as I'm concerned it's one of the best departments in the District of Columbia. We did an excellent job and those are excellent people. They were a great team and I felt privileged to work with them and to work for Mayor Gray.”

“I’m disappointed that I won't be able to complete all of what I was trying to do. I understand the mayor has every right to change his mind and I respect that. From that standpoint I have nothing but good things to say about the district and department and I wish everybody well. Chester will do a great job. "

So far the mayor's office has not responded to NBC's request for comment but the Insurance Commissioner's Office released this statement confirming McPherson's new role:

Deputy Mayor Hoskins Appoints Chester A. McPherson as Acting Commissioner of Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking McPherson Served as Deputy Commissioner of Market Operations

 

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Victor L. Hoskins today announced the appointment of Chester A. McPherson as acting Commissioner of the Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB). McPherson has served as the Deputy Commissioner of Market Operations for DISB since August 2011. He begins his new role effective immediately.

"Chester McPherson's extensive management and leadership background make him an ideal candidate to lead the Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking," said Deputy Mayor Hoskins. "His work in both the public and private sectors as a financial-services professional and as a federal and state regulator of the securities markets will be instrumental as the agency continues to move forward with its mission and goals."

As Deputy Commissioner of Market Operations, McPherson develops strategic plans and implements policies and programs that uphold District laws, enhance consumer protection and ensure efficient and effective financial services regulation in the District of Columbia. Before joining DISB in 2011, McPherson served as a legislative counsel with the Council of the District of Columbia. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance from Baruch College at The City University of New York and a Juris Doctor and Master of Laws from Georgetown University Law Center. McPherson is a member of the bar of the District of Columbia and the State of Maryland. A resident of the District for 21 years, he currently resides in Ward 5.
 

Chula Vista police are looking for two people with dementia who walked away from their homes, according to officials.

Police say the two cases are unrelated.

72-year-old Norma Lea Luikart was last seen around 7:45 a.m. Sunday at an adult care facility in the 400-block of East Oxford Street in Chula Vista.

According to officials, Luikart has only lived at the facility for a month and doesn’t know her address. Besides dementia, she also has a history of seizures.

Luikart is described as 5-foot-2 and 180 pounds with blue eyes and gray, wavy hair. She was wearing a brown jacket with flowers, a brown long-sleeve shirt and green pants with pink stripes when she went missing.

Meanwhile, 80-year-old James Author Marsh was last seen early Sunday morning near the 400-block of East H Street, about 24 hours after walking away from his home. Officials say he has Alzheimer’s Disease and diabetes.

According to the missing person bulletin, Marsh is 5-foot-9 and 130 pounds with brown eyes and black hair. He left home wearing a brown and yellow Padres jacket, blue and red pajama pants and blue slippers.

If you spot either of these people, you’re asked to call the Chula Vista Police Department at 619-691-5151.

A 46-year-old man was shot by police in New Jersey Saturday after authorities say he attempted to run over an officer with his car.
 
According to officials, officers responded to reports of an erratic driver in Fairfield at around 5:30 p.m. and when they arrived Jefferey Harris, of Lafayette, rammed his pickup truck into a police squad car and then attempted to hit an officer with his vehicle.

The officer opened fire, striking Harris in the head.

Harris was airlifted to a hospital where he was listed in stable condition with a graze wound to his forehead. He has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault, possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose and eluding police.

Information on an attorney for Harris wasn't immediately available.
 

Former Oakland Raider Thomas Howard was one of two people who died Monday morning in a crash on in Oakland, CSN Bay Area has confirmed.

A BMW, which is believed to be Howard's, was driving at speeds of up to 100 mph, rear-ended a semi-truck along Interstate Highway 880 and flipped over the truck and the center divide crashing into an oncoming Honda, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Howard was drafted by the Raiders in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft and spent four seasons with the team. After being waived by Oakland in 2010, he spent the 2011 and 2012 seasons with Cincinnati.

He signed with Atlanta in October, but was released on Nov. 13.

An officer told NBC Bay Area that the drivers died after the 1 a.m. accident on 880 at 5th Avenue. The other victim was a  65-year-old man from Hayward, according to the CHP.

The officer said he isn't sure why the BMW was traveling so fast in the northbound lanes. But the accident was horrific, leaving all the vehicles involved nearly unrecognizable.

Dozens packed on to the Pier in Pacifica today for a yearly tradition--the first Sunday of crab season.

Veteran and novice crabbers flung out fishing line and cages, hoping to bring home some fresh crab.

Professional fishermen, who headed out this weekend are hoping to sell their catch for $3 per pound wholesale.

That is up from about $2.25 last year.

MORE: Crab Season Opens Amid New Regulations

Police say they busted a brothel across the street from a Moreno Valley elementary school and arrested the man who they believe was in charge.

Margarito Gomez, 46, of Los Angeles was arrested last Wednesday and booked into jail on suspicion of pimping, operating a brothel and managing a prostitute, the Moreno Valley Police Department said in a news release. Gomez was freed on bond.

The brothel was in the 25100 block of Dracaea Avenue, across the street from Sunnymead Elementary School.

Moreno Valley police made four arrests in a sting operation targeting those associated with the brothel.

Gomez is set to appear in court Jan. 8.

A human trafficking investigation will be conducted to see if there are any cases related to the suspected brothel.

Police urge anyone with more information to call the Moreno Valley Police Department at 951-955-1700.

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• Slain Check Cash Clerk Mourned
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Suspects turned a gun on an officer during a suspected DUI traffic stop in Poway Saturday evening, sheriff's officials said.

With fewer than two minutes to play, Philip Rivers and Company couldn't do enough to beat the Miami Dolphins at Sun Life Stadium in Florida Sunday.

Rivers did his best to engineer a game-winning drive, but time expired before the Chargers could score the needed touchdown…and any chance at the playoffs may have expired with it.

The game, exceedingly important because of the wild card implications behind it, brings San Diego to 4-6 on the season. Although not mathematically out of it, the Chargers made it tougher on themselves with the loss.

Sunday was characterized by (mostly) poor defense by the Chargers-- missed tackles, blown coverage and costly penalties-- but a solid rushing game from San Diego, with 154 yards on the ground. Running back Ryan Mathews finished the game with 19 touches for 127 yards, including a career-high 51-yard rush.

The Dolphins scored a field goal on their opening series, a 76-yard drive full of missed tackles and coverage by the Chargers' defense.

Rivers was intercepted on the Chargers opening drive, just as San Diego was nearing the red zone. A few plays later, Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill was intercepted by cornerback Johnny Patrick, and the Chargers were able to score a touchdown on their second possession of the game.

A roughing the passer call on Corey Liuget negated a goal line forced fumble in the second quarter, which would have stopped the Dolphins from scoring a touchdown moments later. Liuget hit Tannehill a good few seconds after Tannehill released the ball.

Going into halftime, the Chargers would even the score with a field goal, after a touchdown was negated due to Rivers' crossing the line of scrimmage before throwing the ball to Antonio Gates.

Miami scored again, in the third quarter, on a 39-yard pass from Tannehill to tight end Charles Clay. The Chargers responded on the next drive with a 50-yard-field goal by kicker Nick Novak.

With eight minutes left to play, Dolphins kicker Caleb Sturgis hit a 37-yard field goal, to bring the score to 20-16, Miami. Miami would maintain the lead.

A Rainbow man is expected to face charges for killing his passenger in a rollover, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Sometime Saturday into Sunday, Gregorio Ruiz, 46, lost control on Rice Canyon Road in Fallbrook. The 1989 Toyota pickup truck he was driving landed on its roof at the bottom of an embankment, according to officials.

Crews discovered the truck around 7:30 a.m. Sunday, with Ruiz and the deceased passenger trapped inside. CHP said the passenger was not wearing a seat belt.

Ruiz is being treated at Palomar Medical Center.

The passenger’s name won’t be released until his family has been notified, but he is described as a 52-year-old man from Rainbow.

Officials believe alcohol played a role in the crash.

Rice Canyon Road was closed for about five hours while crews investigated and removed the wreckage.

Check back for updates.
 

Police are looking for the man who raped a woman in Central Park after walking with her into the park and sitting on a bench with her early Sunday.

The woman was walking on 88th Street near Fifth Avenue around 3:30 a.m., on her way to visit someone at a nearby church that houses homeless people, when the suspect approached her, according to the NYPD. They started talking and were seen on surveillance video walking together. They entered the park near 100th Street and walked along a bike path before sitting down on a park bench.

The suspect then turned violent, police say, dragging the woman onto the grass and raping her. She was eventually able to get away and the suspect fled in the opposite direction.

It's not known if the victim knew the suspect before Sunday. She told police that the man's first name was Omar.

Park-goers who saw police investigating the scene said they were surprised and disturbed to hear about the assault in a usually safe area.

"It's so wonderful to to have this place and something like this...it breaks your heart," said Elizabeth Wilson.

Anyone with information about the attack is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS or visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com.

Crowds at The Dallas Zoo witnessed a violent attack Sunday where two male lions killed a lioness.

A spokesperson at the zoo told NBC DFW that at about 2 p.m. one male lion lashed out and killed a 5-year-old female lion named Johari in the "Giants of the Savanna" exhibit. Another male joined in once the attack started. The males are named Denari and Kamaia.

No people were injured, but many witnesses were stunned.

“You could see this lion holding the other one down," said witness Michael Henshaw. "There was no blood, but it held her down for about 10 to 15 minutes til she was lifeless."

“We were right there at the front of the glass," said Dylan Parker. "It was just traumatic. You could see the larger male lion kind of attacking the smaller lioness, and they were just going at it nonstop.”

Lynn Kramer, vice president of animal operations and welfare at the Dallas Zoo believes the male "went right for her [Johari's] throat."

“We think he just grabbed her by the throat and it was very quick," said Kramer. "I’ve been in the zoo business for over 35 years. I’ve worked at five major zoos, and I’ve never seen a cat kill another cat before.”

Zoo officials said this is the first time anything like this has happened.  They also said this is the first time they've seen any "alarming" aggressive behavior from the lions. These lions have all lived together since the exhibit opened three years ago.

The male lions completed a demonstration for visitors Sunday at 10 a.m.

Zoo officials told NBC DFW there is no chance that the male lions who attacked will be euthanized. Meanwhile, they were placed in their individual rooms and fed dinner.

They also said the lions didn't attack for food.

On Monday, it's likely the two remaining females will be roaming their exhibit but the males will be kept away.

After months of pictures and Tiger Cam video, the public got its first real peek at the National Zoo's Sumatran tiger cubs.

Bandar and his sister, Sukacita, playfully pounced on one another and their mom, Damai, during their first official outing Monday.

Earlier this month, the duo passed their swim reliability test, proving they were ready to take on the terrain of their outdoor habitat. During the test, the cubs, then 13 weeks old, were able to keep their heads above water and climb onto dry land.

• WATCH THE TIGER CUB'S SWIM TEST

Five-year-old Damai gave birth to the cubs Aug. 5; they are her first litter. Their father is the zoo's 12-year-old male tiger, Kavi.

"It's taken more than two years of perseverance getting to know Damai and Kavi and letting them get to know each other so that we could reach this celebratory moment," said zoo biologist Craig Saffoe shortly after the cubs' birthday.

• WATCH THE ZOO'S TIGER CUB CAM

Sumatran tigers are a critically endangered species. It is estimated that between 400 and 500 exist in the wild. There are 65 Sumatran tigers living in accredited zoos in North America in addition to these cubs.

The zoo's tigers can be seen at the Great Cats exhibit from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., daily, but he zoo says the cubs will likely be out Monday for one or two hours.

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