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Manhunt for Steve Stephens Ends In His Suicide In Erie, PA

Steve Stephens, the man accused of uploading a video onto Facebook of him murdering 74-year-old Robert Godwin Sr. on Easter Sunday, has committed suicide.

Stephens shot himself to death after a brief pursuit, the Pennsylvania State Police confirmed on their Twitter page.

The suspect was the center of a multi-state manhunt after he murdered a man in cold blood in Cleveland, Ohio, and uploaded the video onto Facebook. His cell phone was last pinged in Erie, Pa., where police told GoErie.com he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound as he drove a white Ford Fusion at 11:10 a.m.

An update provided by PSP revealed an “alert citizen” spotted Stephens traveling less than two miles away from the police’s Troop E headquarters shortly after 11 a.m. Troopers canvassed the area and located Stephens soon after. Marked police vehicles pursued the suspect for about 2 miles when troopers attempted to immobilize his vehicle.

“As the vehicle was spinning out of control … Stephens pulled a pistol and shot himself in the head,” the statement read. “A patrol trooper involved with the pursuit could not stop in time and slid into Stephens’ vehicle causing minor damage. No injuries to law enforcement or members of the public were reported.”

This story is developing.

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