William "Blaine" Hodges, a U.S. Postal Service employee, is convicted of embezzlement in Roanoke, Virginia. But before he can report to prison, the Hodges family home is found on fire and the entire family is found dead inside. Mom, Teresa Hodges, has been strangled, and Dad, Blaine Hodges, and his daughters Winter and Anah have all been shot in the head. Although the crime scene appears to be a murder-suicide, the coroner rules that out quickly: Blaine Hodges was not only dead before the fire was set, but his body had already started to decay. As the police interview friends and family, Blaine's best friend, Earl Bramblett, zooms to the top of the suspects list, and then the police find his storage unit filled with audiotapes...