The three-day search for Steve Stephens ended this morning with Stephens killing himself after a brief pursuit by Pennsylvania State Police near Erie. Stephens was accused of randomly shooting and killing an elderly Cleveland man on Easter Sunday and posting the gruesome video on Facebook.
The post included a rambling statement out his gambling debts and other ways his life was falling apart. Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams says he had been hoping Stephens would be captured alive.
“We would like to have brought Steve in peacefully and really talk to him to find exactly why this happened because there may be other people out there who are in similar situations who we can help by finding out why he did what he did and what kind of drove him to this.”
Williams noted that the family of the victim, Robert Godwin, Sr., have been forgiving and urged the community to follow their lead.