The Iraqi-born British father who was gunned down with his family in the French Alps in September, attempted to drive off while under fire, according to French newspaper Le Monde and reported by Reuters.
Flowers left near the scene of the shooting in France
French police believe Saad al-Hilli, who was killed alongside his wife and her mother near the village of Chevaline, attempted to escape the gunfire, but his car became trapped on an embankment, allowing the gunman to shoot the occupants at close range.
Al-Hilli's two daughters survived the slaughter, even though the older girl was brutally hit around the head with a gun as she tried to escape. Her 4-year-old sister managed to save herself by hiding under her mother's skirt in the backseat.
Police are still unsure as to exactly when father-of-three Sylvain Mollier, a French cyclist also found dead at the scene, was killed but suspect he may have died after being struck by Al-Hilli's BMW.
The motive for the murders remains unknown, however French police now suspect the killer was working alone and did not use a firearm consistent with a professional killer.
According to the 7-year-old survivor, both she and her father were outside the car when the shooting started, however her father tried to flee under fire before the car became trapped on the verge.
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One seven-year-old girl was critically injured and a four-year-old survived unharmed, hiding under the bodies of her parents and grandmother.