The search has expanded beyond Ohio for a killer who shot a Cleveland grandfather walking home from his son and daughter-in-law’s Easter celebration and broadcast the crime in a Facebook video.
Steve Stephens, 37, wanted in the shooting of Robert Goodwin Sr., was last seen driving a 2016 white Ford Fusion with the temporary tag E363630. A $50,000 reward is being offered in his capture.
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
This afternoon, several schools in Philadelphia were briefly on lockdown after police there received “multiple” 911 calls about what people believed to be sightings of Stephens in West Fairmont Park. “At this time, there is no indication that the subject is at our location or anywhere in the city of Philadelphia,” Philly police said in a statement.
“This is a hideous criminal & the Ohio Highway Patrol has made all resources available to Cleveland in its response,” tweeted Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
Stephens worked at Beech Brook, a behavioral health agency for children, as a youth mentor and vocational specialist since 2008. He bought the car used in the attack from a KIA dealer earlier this month without trading in the Hyundai he previously drove, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. He did not have a previous record and holds a concealed carry firearms permit.
On Sunday afternoon, Stephens was driving while filming a Facebook post. “Found me somebody I’m going to kill, this guy right here, this old dude,” he said before approaching 74-year-old Goodwin, who was walking in 600 block of East 93rd Street. Stephens asked the father of nine and grandfather of 14 to say the name “Joy Lane” — the name of Stephens’ girlfriend, who is now in protective custody and cooperating with police.
“She’s the reason this is about to happen to you,” Stephens said, pulling a gun on the elderly man. “How old are you?” he asked the confused victim before shooting Goodwin in the face.
RIP #RobertGoodwin… a gentleman who was gunned down in cold blood by #StevenStephens yesterday after leaving an easter part with family. pic.twitter.com/7LKpH6rBiv
— Keith L. Bell (@kbellwether) April 17, 2017
Stephens claimed on social media to have killed up to 15 people, but law enforcement said they didn’t have evidence to back up that claim.
“We’ve checked several locations that were either in the [Facebook Live] post itself or from information we got. So far, there are no more victims tied to Steve and this incident,” Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams said at a press conference today.
“What happened today is senseless,” Williams said in a message to Stephens. “I know, Steve, that you have a relationship with some of our clergy in Northeast Ohio. I encourage you to give them a call and then call us and turn yourself in.”
Stephens is considered armed and dangerous. He is 6 feet, 1 inch tall, 244 pounds, African-American, bald with a full beard, and was wearing a blue-and-black striped polo shirt in his Facebook video. Tips can be directed to 911 or 1-800-Call-FBI.
Williams also cautioned well-wishers that several GoFundMe accounts set up in the name of helping the Goodwin family were not connected to the family.
Goodwin was a retired foundry worker who enjoyed fishing in Lake Erie, his family said. His daughter Debbie Godwin said he was supported by his retirement plan, but enjoyed collecting aluminum cans to turn in for the recycling cash and to stay busy.
Goodwin was “a great man, a sweet man,” his daughter told the Plain Dealer. “All my life, all I’ve ever known for my dad to be [is] a provider.”
I just spoke with a man and woman who said the man killed in the FB live video was their 78 year old father @cleveland19news pic.twitter.com/Gpf3EUafLM
— Shanice (@ShaniceDunning) April 16, 2017
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