Police in Cleveland, Ohio, have issued an aggravated murder warrant for 37-year-old Steve Stephens, who is accused of fatally shooting 74-year-old Robert Godwin Sr. in Cleveland and broadcasted the murder in a Facebook live video on Sunday (April 16).
AGGRAVATED MURDER WARRANT ISSUED FOR STEVE STEPHENS, BM 37 https://t.co/gvJpqaCOPb pic.twitter.com/v8Jkcmb4cy
— Cleveland Police (@CLEpolice) April 17, 2017
UPDATE Homicide suspect Steve Stephens’ actual vehicle has Ohio Temp tag E363630 pic.twitter.com/tE3r5u4BNN
— Cleveland Police (@CLEpolice) April 17, 2017
According to various reports from The Associated Press, the video shows the point-of-view of the shooter as he gets out of a vehicle and approaches an elderly man, later identified as Godwin, walking down the sidewalk carrying a plastic shopping bag. Authorities said Steve Stephens pulled up to a roadside in his Ford Fusion in east Cleveland about 2 p.m. Sunday and said in the video: “I found somebody I’m about to kill.”
“I’m about to kill this guy right here; he’s an old dude,” Stephens said as he approached Robert Godwin Sr., who was out looking for aluminum cans on the sidewalk.
“Can you do me a favor?” Stephens said to Godwin before asking him to say the name Joy Lane.
“Joy Lane?” Godwin responded.
“Yeah,” Stephens replied. “She’s the reason why this is about to happen to you.”
The camera spun around and Godwin’s body was on the ground soaked in blood.
The interaction lasted less than a minute.
The victim can be seen lying motionless and bloody on the pavement before the suspect returns to the vehicle.
According to WTOL 11 News in Cleveland, Stephens, 37, is employed at Beech Brook, a behavioral health agency headquartered in Pepper Pike, with an office on Woodland Avenue in Cleveland. Beech Brook has served more than 18,000 children and families this year, according to its website.
“We are shocked and horrified and we don’t know anything more about it. We hope and pray that he is arrested as soon as possible and we hope and pray for a resolution quickly,” said Nancy Kortemeyer, a spokesperson for Beech Brook.
His Facebook page has since been shut down.
Here’s the alleged killer confessing the murders now and authorities holding a press conference on the manhunt.
Our condolences to the victims and their families.
Watch on #Periscope: Media Update Steve Stephens Facebook Shooter Investigation Status https://t.co/QhbkSEkZFz
— Cleveland Police (@CLEpolice) April 17, 2017
