Cleveland Facebook Killing: Steve Stephens Found Dead In Pennsylvania (UPDATE)

CLEVELAND, OH —The search for Steve Stephens, the man who allegedly murdered another and posted the killing on Facebook, ended Tuesday in Pennsylvania when the suspect shot and killed himself, police said.

Stephens allegedly attacked Robert Godwin Sr. on Easter Sunday, shot him dead and then proceeded to upload the video of the killing to Facebook. According to police, the suspect claimed to have committed multiple other homicides, though that has not been verified. As of Monday, April 17, police say they have not found any additional victims or incidents connected to Stephens.

Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams had said that "no stone will be left unturned." He also vowed that law enforcement would follow up on every tip that is submitted. The FBI, ATF, and US Marshals were offering $50,000 for tips and information that help lead to Stephens arrest, Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson said Monday afternoon.

>>>Click here for our latest coverage on the manhunt for Steve Stephens.

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From our original story posted Sunday:

Law enforcement says there are currently no credible leads or tips on Stephens' whereabouts. "Friends or acquaintances of Stephens who may be in conversation with him or who may be withholding information from law enforcement are reminded that not only are you not helping this individual, it is also a felony to harbor a fugitive. Please contact law enforcement with any information," the Cleveland Division of Police said on Monday evening.

"We want Steven to turn himself in, but if he doesn't we will find him," Williams said on Monday morning.

Williams said all investigative tools will be employed in the search.

"The FBI is assisting CPD on the active investigation involving suspect Steve Stephens," a spokesperson for the FBI in Cleveland told Patch. "The FBI will provide additional personnel, investigative techniques and various resources to this ongoing situation."

Stephens is black, just over 6-feet tall and bald with a full beard. He is wearing a dark blue and gray or black striped polo shirt. He was driving a white Ford Fusion with a temporary tag. Police are warning residents not to approach Stephens if you see him and to call 911.

“This is a horrific crime and we do not allow this kind of content on Facebook," a Facebook spokesperson said in an emailed statement to Patch. "We take our responsibility to keep people safe on Facebook very seriously, and are in touch with law enforcement in emergencies when there are direct threats to physical safety.”

Police said Stephens broadcast the murder on Facebook live, however, according to a Facebook spokesperson, a video of the murder was uploaded to Facebook after the fact and the alleged killing was not live streamed on the social media site. Stephens did post a live video at one point.

Williams said that Cleveland Police Department detectives made contact with Stephens via cell phone early in the investigation. However, they were unable to convince Stephens to turn himself in. At an evening press conference on April 16, city officials said there had not been an official sighting of Stephens since the murder occurred at around 2 p.m.

"We're not putting the city on lockdown," Williams said. "People just need to be careful and watch out for one another. There has not been an official sighting of him since this happened. "

Williams added that police had checked hundreds of leads since the murder happened.

"We want to communicate to Stephens that we know who he is and he will eventually be caught," Mayor Frank Jackson said at the press conference. "He need not do any more harm to anybody, any innocent people. Any concerns or problems he's having, we're here to have a conversation with him."

Police have since released a photo of Stephens' car and are asking anyone who sees it to call 911.

The Ohio Department of Transportation has shared pictures of Stephens' car with its Twitter followers. Digital highway signs in the Cleveland area have also been updated to aid in the search.

Joy Lane, who says she is Stephens' longtime partner, sent a text message to CBS News saying she had been in a relationship with Stephens for several years. She also apologized and sent prayers to victims of Stephens' attacks.

"He was kind and loving to me and my children. This is a very difficult time for me and my family. Please respect our privacy at this time,” Lane said in her text message.

Tonya Godwin-Baines, Robert Godwin Sr.'s daughter, told Fox 8 that the murder of her father was not Lane's fault and that the woman was in her family's thoughts and prayers. Godwin-Baines also urged Stephens to turn himself in and said she forgives him for what he did.

Williams said that Godwin's murder has motivated him and other law enforcement. "It is personal," he said during a Monday afternoon press conference.

Williams and Jackson held a joint press conference also urging Stephens to turn himself in. You can watch that conference below.

Cleveland State University asked students to shelter in place or stay away from the campus but have since removed the shelter in place warning. Case Western Reserve University also asked students to stay indoors if they are on campus.

Chris Mosby and Kara Seymour contributed reporting.

Patch will update this breaking news story.

Image via Cleveland Police