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Chief Calvin Williams says Steve Stephens has 'deep issues' despite the calm demeanor he may have had when he shot and killed a stranger. USA TODAY
This handout photograph obtained April 17, 2017, courtesy of the Cleveland Police shows Steve Stephens who police are searching for after authorities said Stephens murdered a man and put the video on Facebook on Sunday, April 16, 2017. Officials in Cleveland said the suspect, 37, shot his 74-year old victim at random. (Photo: Cleveland Police via AFP/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND — In the wake of the video of a fatal shooting being posted on Facebook on Sunday, chances are many Facebook __news feeds contain incorrect information.
A manhunt is underway for Steve Stephens, who is a suspect in the death of Robert Godwin, 74, in Cleveland.
Some social media posts say Stephens was on his way to Akron, Ohio. Others said he was spotted in Painesville or Lorain, Ohio, among other places throughout the region.
However, Cleveland police said these details are false.
To urge the importance of only following accurate updates, Cleveland police issued a warning on Twitter late Sunday stating "misinformation in emergencies is dangerous."
Please stay tuned to @CLEpolice feeds for accurate and updated info. Misinformation in emergencies is dangerous. All press releases posted.
— Cleveland Police (@CLEpolice) April 17, 2017
Law enforcement officials said Monday they searched numerous possible locations for Stephens, but have not found him.
Related:Police chief on suspected Facebook killer: 'We will find him'
Where is Stephens?
A recurring Facebook post said Stephens' cellphone pinged in Erie, Pa.
Early Monday morning, police in the city of Erie — and the Pennsylvania state police — both said this was unconfirmed information.
Stephens' current whereabouts remain unknown. While he could still be in Ohio, authorities have put neighboring states on alert to keep watch for Stephens.
"As far as we know, right now, we don't know where he's at," said Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams. "The last location we actually had him was at the homicide at 93rd Street just north of St. Clair. Anything else right now is kind of speculation. Again, we have investigations going all over this country trying to pinpoint his actual location."
The number of victims
Although Stephens claimed to have killed more people, Cleveland police say there is only one victim confirmed. That man has been identified as Godwin.
As of Monday morning, there were no additional victims.
The Facebook video
Although authorities initially said Stephens streamed video of the murder live on Facebook, that is not true. A spokesperson with Facebook confirmed that while Stephens had posted a Facebook Live video at some point Sunday, the murder itself was not live.
Related:Cleveland police: Suspect posted killing video on Facebook
GoFundMe accounts
Dozens of GoFundMe pages were created to raise money for the victim's family.
During Monday's __news conference, Cleveland police said those GoFundMe accounts were scams.
Authorities said the family had not set up any charitable opportunity as of yet, urging the public not to donate any money to GoFundMe until further notice.
However, GoFundMe executives said Monday that they have spoken with both the organizer behind this campaign and members of the victim's family.
"We’ll guarantee the money will be deposited directly into the family’s bank account," a representative from the company told WKYC-TV via email Monday morning.
While there may be multiple GoFundMe pages already established, the company's directing people only to this page.
"Regardless, all funds raised for the Godwin’s will be transferred directly to the family," the representative continued. "It’s important to remember that our platform is backed by the GoFundMe Guarantee, which means funds are guaranteed to go to the right place."
Confirmed details
Stephens is wanted for aggravated murder in the shooting death of Godwin in Cleveland on Sunday.
Stephens was last seen driving a white 2016 Ford Fusion with temporary Ohio tags of E363630.
Stephens, 37, is described as a 6-foot 1-inch African-American man, who weighs 244 pounds and is bald with a full beard.
The offices of local behavioral agency Beech Brook, where Stephens works, were closed Monday.
Officials with the group said Stephens has been employed with the organization as a youth mentor and a vocational specialist since 2008.
The Ohio chapter of the National Association of Social Workers posted on its website that Stephens is not a licensed social worker in the state.
Follow Ryan Haidet on Twitter: @RyanWKYC
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