$50,000 reward in search for Facebook murder suspect Steve Stephens

original story

By Jen Steer, WJW

CLEVELAND -- (WJW) -- There is now a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of accused killer Steve Stephens.

Stephens, 37, shot and killed a man on East 93rd Street in Cleveland Sunday afternoon, Cleveland police said. The murder was posted on Facebook.

The FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and U.S. Marshals provided the money for the reward.

“We definitely want to get it resolved as quickly as possible. The victim's family deserves it,” Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams said.

Williams said investigators have no reason to believe that Stephens is no longer driving his white Ford Focus. There is typically a crime involved if a suspect switches vehicles during a manhunt, Williams said.

According to the police chief, authorities searched several locations tied to the suspect and recovered weapons and other items. Williams declined to give specifics on those exact locations.

He told reporters investigators contacted people Stephens has been speaking to and those individuals are cooperating with police.

Williams also said there is no truth to reported sightings of the suspect in Philadelphia. On Sunday night, the Cleveland Division of Police warned residents in surrounding states to be on alert for Stephens.

The victim, 74-year-old Robert Godwin Sr., was the father of 10. His family issued a plea to Stephens to surrender to police.

While Stephens claimed on Facebook to have killed more than a dozen people, Cleveland police emphasized there are no other known victims.

Anyone with information about the suspect's whereabouts should call 1-800-CALL-FBI. If you see Stephens, do not approach. He is considered armed and dangerous.