A fugitive is dead from a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound after allegedly killing four people and seriously hurting a fifth during a domestic violence spree, US police have said.

Officers found Mavis Christian Jr, 52, in his car during a manhunt after shootings on Saturday at three locations in Memphis, Tennessee, in which three women and a teenage girl died.

Police were called to reports of a shooting on the 100 Block of Howard Drive at 9.22pm and found a woman, who was declared dead at the scene, with a gunshot injury.

Investigators linked the killing to two other shootings – with a woman and 13-year-old girl killed and 15-year-old girl critically wounded in Field Lark Drive and another woman shot dead in Warrington Road, police said.

Police believed Christian to be responsible for all three shootings and began a search involving local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.