Officials say the fatal shootings of a three people found in a car along U.S. 41 in southwest Florida may be connected to the killing of a woman in Miami.

The bodies of a man, woman and a girl were discovered shot to death in a car in Collier County near the Miami-Dade County line on Thursday.

Authorities received a call of a Chevy Malibu parked along the road around 9:30 a.m. A witness told police he could see a woman inside and thought she was asleep. When he returned around noon, he went over to investigate. He noticed blood in the car and called 911.

Miami police spokesman Lt. Freddie Cruz told reporters his department was contacted by Collier County authorities to check on the well-being of a woman. When officers went to her apartment on Northwest 51st Avenue, they found her dead from apparent stab wounds.

"It's a puzzle we're putting together, all I can say is it's a tragic incident," Cruz said.

Neighbors said a family had lived in the apartment for many years.

"The police never go to that building, never," neighbor Celia Ruiz said. "I don't know what happened. I'm surprised, very surprised."

Collier County investigators said the people in the car died in a murder-suicide.

The identities of the victims have not been released.