Cleveland Facebook murder suspect Steve Stephens has been found dead inside his car. According to the confirmation from the police, the suspect committed suicide.
According to a report from Go Erie , Stephens was found dead inside the white Ford Fusion on Buffalo Road. State police had been tailing Stephens’ car as it approached the city of Erie. Reportedly, the Cleveland Facebook murder suspect shot himself around 11:10 a.m. on Tuesday.
The Pennsylvania State Police have also tweeted the news.
“Steve Stephens was spotted this morning by PSP members in Erie County. After a brief pursuit, Stephens shot and killed himself.”
Steve Stephens was spotted this morning by PSP members in Erie County. After a brief pursuit, Stephens shot and killed himself.
— PA State Police (@PAStatePolice) April 18, 2017
Erie local newspaper reported that Stephens died near a site, which was once an elementary school. Police have blocked off the school grounds and they are also present at the scene, the report added.
Steve Stephens was the suspect of the horrific random killing of an elderly man on Easter day. The Cleveland Facebook killer shot the man and left him bloodied on the ground and videotaped the whole thing. It was initially believed that he posted the video live on Facebook, but it has since been confirmed by the social media giant that Stephens recorded it before publishing it. The graphic video was up on the platform for three hours before it was removed.
“This is a horrific crime and we do not allow this kind of content on Facebook. We work hard to keep a safe environment on Facebook, and are in touch with law enforcement in emergencies when there are direct threats to physical safety.”
In the video, Stephens can be heard blaming the death of the elderly man, identified as 74-year-old Robert Godwin Sr., on a woman named Joy Lane. Steve was heard asking the man to mention the name of Joy Lane before pulling the trigger on him. The Cleveland Facebook murder suspect also claimed to have killed 13 people and planned to kill more until the police would stop and catch him. The Cleveland Police have yet to confirm the killings.
#BREAKING #PA Police say #Facebook suspect Steve Stephens shot, killed himself after pursuit. $FB #twitter #crimes https://t.co/8r11G5qf01
— Beverly A. Pekala (@PekalaLaw) April 18, 2017
Authorities had been on a nationwide manhunt for Steve Stephens and even received assistance from the FBI. Many have wondered why it was hard to trace Stephens’ car, considering most of the cars these days are equipped with GPS trackers. In a news conference on April 18, the police explained that Steve’s car didn’t have a GPS tracking system. Chief Calvin Williams of the Cleveland Police confirmed that the first thing they did to check on Stephens’ car is to contact its dealership.
Before Steve Stephens’ death, he was reportedly seen from Baltimore to Philadelphia. The police have also received hundreds of anonymous tips but their search had been futile. They had searched all over Cleveland including abandoned homes.
As previously reported, the Facebook Cleveland murder suspect blamed everything on a Joy Lane, who was initially reported to be his wife. The woman has since confirmed that she was his longtime girlfriend. In a text message to CBS , Joy Lane expressed her grief for the family of the victim. Joy also posted on Facebook that she was working with the police to help with the case.
Before his death, the FBI suspected that Steve Stephens was either dead or is hiding in someone else’s house. The FBI also expressed its confidence that the case will soon be closed.
The hunt for Steve Stephens has ended. The Cleveland Mayor’s Office has planned to have a news conference at noon , WKYC reported. The news conference will be streamed live on the news site and on its Facebook page. More details will be available after the said conference.
[Featured Image by Spencer Platt/Getty Images]
