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Suspect in Denver-area rampage believed to have authored books previewing attacks

The books, written under the pseudonym "Roman McClay," include the names of some of the real-life victims and a business targeted in Monday's shootings.

Books written by the suspected shooter who killed five people and injured two others in Denver on Monday are now part of the investigation into his rampage.

Lyndon James McLeod, 47, appeared to write a series of books that included details similar to the events of the killing spree. McLeod is believed to have written the books under the pseudonym "Roman McClay," Denver police confirmed to NBC News Thursday.

A website dedicated to the series remained online Thursday, but links to the Amazon store where the books were being sold were no longer working.

In the first novel, "Sanction I," a character named Lyndon stalks a poker party held by a character named “Michael Swinyard” and gains access to a building near Cheesman Park by posing as a police officer. He then fatally shoots everyone at the party and robs them before fleeing with his dog in a van.

A man named Michael Swinyard, 67, was among the victims identified by Denver police.

In his second novel, which also features a character named Lyndon, McClay names Alicia Cardenas as a victim. The book also mentions the tattoo shop she owned, Sol Tribe.

McLeod's alleged rampage began Monday after 5 p.m., when two women were fatally shot and a man was injured in a business near downtown Denver. The business was the Sol Tribe tattoo shop, according to NBC affiliate KUSA of Denver.

Alicia Cardenas, a tattoo artist at the shop, was identified as one of the women killed. Alyssa Gunn, 35, was also killed at the shop, according to police.

Based on a preliminary probe, investigators determined that the McLeod was “targeting specific people,” Denver Police Cmdr. Matt Clark said Wednesday.

McLeod is believed to have gone on a killing spree in the area, evading police multiple times as he terrorized people's homes and multiple businesses. He was eventually killed by police after opening fire at a Hyatt House hotel, where a clerk was fatally shot.

Lakewood Police Agent Ashley Ferris shot McLeod after he opened fire and wounded her. Ferris was stable and recovering with her family, the department said Wednesday.