Steve Stephens Dead: Black Lives Matter Supporters Claim ‘Facebook Killer’ Is Government Hoax, Blame Trump

In the wake of the death of “Facebook Killer” Steve Stephens, many are doubting the facts of this odd case, with the most vocal skeptics being supporters of the Black Lives Matter organization. Many took to Twitter to question the story, focusing on a range of topics from Stephens’ apparent lack of motive to the long length of time that it took the police to find him. Some users even alleged that President Trump is behind the killing.

As reported by the Inquisitr, many viewers of Robert Godwin Sr.’s brutal slaying on Facebook questioned the details presented in the video, including the shape of the blood splatter and the color of the blood. Others claim that they did not hear Godwin’s body hit the ground after he was shot. Explanations for why the government would plan such a hoax are varied. Some claim that this was a distraction from world events while others claim it is just another government setup meant to demonize firearms. Stephens was, in fact, a concealed carry permit holder. But perhaps the most surprising theories are coming from BLM advocates.

In the aftermath of the killing, many right-wing pundits smugly asked why the slain elderly man’s black life did not matter to the organization, painting the lack of response to Steve Stephen’s brutality as hypocrisy. Defenders of BLM claim that they exclusively focus on police brutality, not all cases of violence. In a USA Today interview on why they don’t protest black-on-black crime, supporter Franchesca Ramsey stated, “Black Lives Matter isn’t just about the loss of life, which is always terrible. It’s about the lack of consequences when black lives are taken at the hands of police.”

This Steve Stephens situation was organized by the government. Where are the other 14 bodies? Lol shit don't seem right

— Coney Soprano (@PerrierRosewood) April 18, 2017

I just had to talk to em right so I could keep it moving. #BlackLivesMatter but always try to prevent from becoming a statistic.

— Coney Soprano (@PerrierRosewood) April 25, 2016

But BLM protests have not exclusively focused on killings of black individuals by police officers. According to the Daily News, the organization held a demonstration outside of a vigil for Timothy Caughman, a black man who was stabbed with a sword by a white army veteran. The stories of Caughman’s murder by James Jackson and of Robert Godwin Sr. by Steve Stephens are strikingly similar. Both victims were elderly black men who were viciously attacked, seemingly at random. Why was there a demonstration for one and not the other?

Some may point to the group’s racial agenda, which may be more focused on the killer’s race than his profession. In Stephen’s case, the victim was killed by a black person, while in Jackson’s case, the victim was killed by a white person, who was labeled a white supremacist by police. However, one need only look to Twitter to find an explanation. Some supporters simply believe that Steve Stephens was not at fault for the murder, with many choosing instead to believe that the killing, the chase, and the whole story was a Trump-led government conspiracy meant to distract the American people from international tensions with Syria and North Korea.

This isn’t the first time that BLM claimed a high-profile murder at the hands of a black man was really a hoax. In 2015, after Vester Lee Flanagan II killed his two coworkers, cameraman Adam Ward and reporter Alison Parker, on live television, some supporters claimed the violence was a conspiracy to cover up Flanagan’s alleged anti-racist work at NBC. According to the Daily Mail, Flanagan bought a gun after the Charleston Church killings and accused Parker of making “racist comments.”

This latest awkward story for Black Lives Matter has many questioning whether the group cares more about image than facts. While it may be true that Steve Stephen’s slaying of Robert Godwin Sr. served to dominate the news cycle for the past few days, there is no way to tell for sure if this was a calculated plan or simply a side effect of a mad man’s actions.

[Featured Image by Kevin Hagen/Getty Images]