Suspect in Facebook murder fatally shoots himself after pursuit

An intense national manhunt for an accused killer who posted video on Facebook of a brutal murder in Cleveland ended Tuesday when Steve Stephens fatally shot himself after a police pursuit, authorities said.

Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams said police in Pennsylvania received a tip just after 11 a.m. ET that Stephens' car was seen in a McDonald's parking lot near the city of Erie. Officers found the white Ford Fusion and pursued it for two miles before they forced the car into a spin. Stephens drew a pistol, State Police said.

"Steve Stephens then took his own life," Williams said. "We would have preferred it not ended this way."

Williams said authorities had received more than 400 tips since police say Stephens fatally shot Robert Godwin, 74, on Easter Sunday. Williams said the search was conducted nationwide, and tips came in from as far away as Texas. Sightings had been reported in Pennsylvania.

Erie County, Pa., is about 100 miles northeast of Cleveland. Williams said it was not clear where Stephens was between the time of the shooting and the time his car was found. The investigation was continuing, he said.

"Thank you to the brave @PAStatePolice troopers for their vigilance in pursuing the Facebook killer," Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf tweeted. "Thankful no one in PA was hurt."

Thomas DuCharme Jr., owner and operator of the McDonald’s, told  GoErie.com a drive-thru window attendant thought she recognized Stephens and called police.

DuCharme said Stephens ordered 20 chicken nuggets and a basket of fries, but the workers held off on delivering the fries. He said Stephens got the nuggets  but said he couldn't wait.

“I am pretty sure he figured out that we were on to him," DuCharme said.

Stephens, 37, had been charged with aggravated murder. He claimed to have killed at least a dozen other people, but Williams said there was no evidence to back up the claim. Detectives contacted Stephens on his cellphone shortly after the shooting but were unable to persuade him to turn himself in. That kicked off a frantic search. Police officers and the FBI scoured the city and the region for Stephens to no avail.

Williams said family members of the victim had been notified.

"For them, this is not over," Williams said.

Brenda Haymon, one of Godwin's daughters, told CNN she was making funeral arrangements for her father when she heard the news.

"All I can say is that I wish he had gone down in a hail of 100 bullets," Haymon said. "I wish it had gone down like that instead of him shooting himself."

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Another daughter, Debbie Godwin, told the Associated Press she would have preferred that Stephens remain alive and face prison time.

“If you did it, you have to face your crime," she said.

On Monday, family members said they had forgiven Stephens and urged him to surrender. "We want to wrap our arms around him," Tonya Godwin-Baines, another daughter, told Cleveland TV station WJW.

A son, Robert Godwin Jr., said: "Steve, I forgive you ... I'm not happy (with) what you did, but I forgive you."

Cleveland police said Stephens posted video on Facebook of the apparently random killing of the father of 10 and grandfather of 14. It was later removed. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg said the social media giant was reviewing its protocols for monitoring and removing videos, adding "our hearts go out to the family and friends of Robert Godwin Sr."

The video shows Stephens appear to randomly target Godwin, who was walking on a sidewalk carrying a shopping bag. Stephens orders Godwin to say the name of a woman.

“She’s the reason that this is about to happen to you,” Stephens tells Godwin before pointing a gun at him. Godwin raises his arm to protect himself before he is shot.

The woman, Stephens’ longtime partner Joy Lane, is safe and has been cooperating with police, Williams said. Lane, in a text to CBS News after the shooting, expressed her sorrow to Godwin's family and described Stephens as "a nice guy... he is generous with everyone he knows. He was kind and loving to me and my children."

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson had announced a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest of Stephens. On Tuesday, he said the city was grateful for "closure."

"I want to again give our condolences to the Godwin family," Jackson said. "And thank them for the way in which they handled this great tragedy."

Contributing: Matthew Diebel