Cleveland Facebook Killer

[William Parcher]

From DailyMail. Not confirmed...

A tip came in shortly after 11am Tuesday that a car matching the description of Steve Stephens' white Ford Fusion was parked outside a McDonald's near Erie, Pennsylvania, Cleveland, Ohio Police Chief Calvin Williams said at a press conference.

When cops responded to the fast food restaurant, Stephens got in his car and fled the scene.

A short pursuit ensued, but eventually cops cornered Stephens on a stretch of Buffalo Road, near a old elementary school, where he came to a stop.

Officers were walking over to arrest Stephens when he shot himself inside his vehicle around 11:10am...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-killer-Steve-Stephens-committed-suicide.html

 

[William Parcher]

Is that an easy $50K for the McDonald's tipster?

 

[LTC8K6]

Other reports say that he shot himself when the police PIT maneuvered his car during the chase.

http://start.att.net/news/read/arti...est_facebook_video_slaying_suspect_went_to-ap

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PIT_maneuver

 

[William Parcher]

Well, that old rascal.

She's 34 and has two sons with him. They've been together for 18 years, so she was 16 when it started. Never married.

Unconfirmed info on the tip: It was McDonald's staff that recognized the killer as he waited at the drive-thru for McNuggets and fries. They called cops and stalled him by saying his fries weren't ready. He screamed that he needed them Nuggets right away and then sped off just as cops arrived.

 

[DragonLady]

I like "fecesmouthed mommyraper!!!!!"!! Or "urine soaked squeebaby!!"!!!

Sure; that works.

For a few minutes this latest jerk had the whole world's attention, then discovered that didn't solve any of his problems.

I think treating them like utter losers in the press - preferably by refusing to give them a single extra word beyond whatever needs to be said to apprehend them- will help prevent the next one from seeing violence as a way to gain notoriety or fame.

It only takes a little bit of thought to rearrange the way these things are reported to put all the emphasis on the victim in favor of the killer.

 

[William Parcher]

Sure; that works.

For a few minutes this latest jerk had the whole world's attention, then discovered that didn't solve any of his problems.

I think treating them like utter losers in the press - preferably by refusing to give them a single extra word beyond whatever needs to be said to apprehend them- will help prevent the next one from seeing violence as a way to gain notoriety or fame.

It only takes a little bit of thought to rearrange the way these things are reported to put all the emphasis on the victim in favor of the killer.

It's not clear that this guy sought notoriety or fame. It seems that he wanted to emotionally devastate his girlfriend who had just broken up with him after years in a relationship. He could have just shot her, but instead wanted her to live and feel responsible for him shooting a random innocent fellow. The idea is that he wouldn't have shot that guy if she wouldn't have broken up with him.

He doesn't really care if the whole world knows about it (via the press). He only wants to make sure his girlfriend knows and so it happens via Facebook.

He could have instead only killed himself while blaming her for it. This has happened many times as well with others who snap after a breakup. They aren't after fame, they want to hurt the one who hurt them and also end their own devastating pain forever.

It's really more about personal revenge, rather than fame, IMO.

 

[fuelair]

It's not clear that this guy sought notoriety or fame. It seems that he wanted to emotionally devastate his girlfriend who had just broken up with him after years in a relationship. He could have just shot her, but instead wanted her to live and feel responsible for him shooting a random innocent fellow. The idea is that he wouldn't have shot that guy if she wouldn't have broken up with him.

He doesn't really care if the whole world knows about it (via the press). He only wants to make sure his girlfriend knows and so it happens via Facebook.

He could have instead only killed himself while blaming her for it. This has happened many times as well with others who snap after a breakup. They aren't after fame, they want to hurt the one who hurt them and also end their own devastating pain forever.

It's really more about personal revenge, rather than fame, IMO.

Once again this is the kind of situation where I happily wish there was really a hell for such as it. They deserve it far more than those doing the usual crap xtians think you will go to hell for!!!!!

 

[BStrong]

Upon learning that the press was calling him silly names, the killer became infuriated and randomly killed another...

Anybody twisted enough to pull off some of the things we're seeing before our eyes isn't acting rational to begin with.

If being called a impotent loser gets him to make a mistake that leads to their capture or death I'm all for it.

 

[NoahFence]

At the price of more human lives?

 

[The Norseman]

At the price of more human lives?

No. Less.

 

[BStrong]

At the price of more human lives?

OK.

Let's go to no name at all. No photos of the suspect unless they're not in custody. Would that be objectionable if instead of "stop me before I kill again" turns into "I want my 15 minutes of fame now or I'll kill again?"

 

[fuelair]

Not surprising, is it? They're dealing with a very painful incident. Still trying to make sense of it, come to grips with it.

This and maybe the one after this post (your part I mean) also!!!

 

[fuelair]

Anybody twisted enough to pull off some of the things we're seeing before our eyes isn't acting rational to begin with.

If being called a impotent loser gets him to make a mistake that leads to their capture or death I'm all for it.

Well if he really is an impotent loser then he certainly cannot give a ****!!!!



(I trust we all see what I did there!!!!!)

 

[newyorkguy]

Some in the Godwin family express forgiveness for Robert Godwin's killer. These kinds of incident's seem to be in the news a lot. Is there anyone who hasn't imagined being in the shoe's of the family, wondering how we would react? If I could manage it, I'd probably want to forgive the killer. At least I have always hoped that, if it ever happened, if I found myself in that horrible predicament, I don't want to hate the killer. I don't want to carry around a lot of hate inside me. I don't want to carry around a load of bitter anger. Those kinds of negative emotions will hurt me and it won't do any good, anyway.

I would want to concentrate on the victim, how much I loved them, how much I would miss them, how hard it is knowing I'll never see them again. But I know that's not easy to do.

 

[mgidm86]

Some in the Godwin family express forgiveness for Robert Godwin's killer. These kinds of incident's seem to be in the news a lot. Is there anyone who hasn't imagined being in the shoe's of the family, wondering how we would react? If I could manage it, I'd probably want to forgive the killer. At least I have always hoped that, if it ever happened, if I found myself in that horrible predicament, I don't want to hate the killer. I don't want to carry around a lot of hate inside me. I don't want to carry around a load of bitter anger. Those kinds of negative emotions will hurt me and it won't do any good, anyway.

I would want to concentrate on the victim, how much I loved them, how much I would miss them, how hard it is knowing I'll never see them again. But I know that's not easy to do.

Forgiveness is bull, at least in this type of situation.

VERB

1. stop feeling angry or resentful toward (someone) for an offense, flaw, or mistake

I don't know that people can just turn off emotion no matter how much they claim that they can. Not like that.

As in, "Hey, ya my child was raped and killed last week but I forgive the guy!" You may eventually be able to deal with it and accept it, but to just forgive someone right after a heinous crime? I don't believe it.

When I hear someone in the news say they "forgive" their child's killer or some such, I immediately think it's some Christian (because Christianity and forgiveness seem to go hand in hand) who either thinks it's what they are supposed to do and they want to impress others, or that they are just deluding themselves so they can feel good.

Forgiveness for something this serious - I think it's self-deluded bullcrap.

 

[Checkmite]

I wonder if that "we have no info on an Erie ping" thing was about not letting Steve know that they know where he is. I wonder if the initial report came from an unauthorized leak that wasn't supposed to happen.

Maybe, but it's hard to judge how likely that is. It's being reported that police located and engaged the shooter because a fast food worker spotted him in a parking lot and called them; I imagine the response would've been the same whether they were already canvassing the area or had no idea where he was.

 

[fuelair]

Earlier today the victim's family said they forgive Steve and want to hug him.

Also the 75 year old victim leaves behind a 35 year old girlfriend lover. They have been an item for at least 10 years.

If I were part of that family I have to admit I would want to hug him too. Tightly around the neck until his eyes and tongue popped out.

 

[Belz...]

This whole narcissistic Youtube/Facebook culture is really slamming home the fact that we are just animals in clothes, and actually pretty bad animals at that, say compared to dogs. Or any other animal.

No, all the other animals are just as bad. They're just not as good at being bad.

 

[fuelair]

If I were part of that family I have to admit I would want to hug him too. Tightly around the neck until his eyes and tongue popped out.

Itz mad skilz - we haz it!!!

 

[Scordatura]

It's not clear that this guy sought notoriety or fame. It seems that he wanted to emotionally devastate his girlfriend who had just broken up with him after years in a relationship. He could have just shot her, but instead wanted her to live and feel responsible for him shooting a random innocent fellow. The idea is that he wouldn't have shot that guy if she wouldn't have broken up with him.

He doesn't really care if the whole world knows about it (via the press). He only wants to make sure his girlfriend knows and so it happens via Facebook.

He could have instead only killed himself while blaming her for it. This has happened many times as well with others who snap after a breakup. They aren't after fame, they want to hurt the one who hurt them and also end their own devastating pain forever.

It's really more about personal revenge, rather than fame, IMO.

From what I know of the case it looks like you nailed Stephens' motive - to get back at his girlfriend. I read some of his Facebook posts and even before he shot Godwin he was posting vitriolic stuff about her. The guy was over the top pissed at her.

If I were part of that family I have to admit I would want to hug him too. Tightly around the neck until his eyes and tongue popped out.

I'll never understand how people can "forgive" an asshat who murdered a loved one - I see this all the time, including parents forgiving killers of their children. Maybe I'm just not as evolved as some people. In any case I'm glad the dude did away with himself - saves time and money in the court system.