Authorities are still looking to apprehend the person who shot dead an elderly man on Easter Sunday and later posted video of the horrific murder to Facebook.
The search for 37-year-old Steve Stephens, who has been charged with the aggravated murder of 74-year-old Robert Godwin in Cleveland, has widened to five surrounding states.
CNN reported that authorities in Pennsylvania informed them Stephens’ phone had pinged in the city of Erie. But local police later denied having any knowledge of the ping.
The Cleveland Police Department shared several images of Stephens, the car he was last spotted in, and the tag number to social media in hopes of receiving help in identifying his location.
Actual photo of Steve Stephens, homicide suspect's, actual vehicle. Please call 9-1-1 if seen. Plate not yet available. pic.twitter.com/hn8a8nQEAP
— Cleveland Police (@CLEpolice) April 16, 2017
UPDATE Homicide suspect Steve Stephens' actual vehicle has Ohio Temp tag E363630 pic.twitter.com/tE3r5u4BNN
— Cleveland Police (@CLEpolice) April 17, 2017
If you see Steve Stephens dial 9-1-1. If you have tips about the crime or his whereabouts please call the FBI tipline 1-800-Call FBI
— Cleveland Police (@CLEpolice) April 17, 2017
“Stephens is a black male who is 6-foot-1 and weighs 244 pounds. He was last seen wearing a dark blue and gray or black striped polo shirt. He was driving a white Ford Fusion with temporary license plates,” Cleveland police said, adding that he is considered “armed and dangerous.”
-> Stephens uploaded a video Sunday afternoon in which he spoke of a romantic relationship gone wrong while explaining how he was going to kill someone. The video, eventually removed by Facebook, showed Stephens getting out of a car and walking up to Godwin and shooting him in the head.
-> Godwin’s son, Robert Godwin Jr., said that his father was simply walking home after enjoying an Easter meal with his family when he was killed.
https://twitter.com/RepMarciaFudge/status/853846523876192256
-> Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams stated that the family has made the CPD aware of several bogus GoFundMe sites purporting to be the family and soliciting money.
-> In an additional video, Stephens stated that he had killed “15 people,” but police have no evidence to support the claim.
