Ohio Facebook shooting suspect a 'monster' who 'just snapped'
- Published
Stephens posted a photo on Facebook of his ex-girlfriend, who he blamed for the killing
The man suspected of murdering a grandfather and posting the video on Facebook was a self-described "monster" who blames others for his problems.
Steve Stephens, who worked as a case manager for a children's mental healthcare facility in Ohio, said in another video posted online that he had "just snapped".
The 37-year-old, who police said had no criminal history, spoke of having "messed up" and also complained about gambling debts.
He had faced evictions from two separate flats, according to court records obtained by Cleveland.com, and was sued by a property manager for failing to pay rent.
A court ordered last month that he begin having his wages deducted in order to repay the $1,800 (拢1,400) debt.
"I lost everything I ever had due to gambling at the Cleveland Jack Casino and Erie Casino," he wrote in a post on his now-deleted Facebook page.
Mr Stephens had said it was the fault of his ex-girlfriend, Joy Lane, that he had carried out Sunday's apparently random shooting of a 74-year-old grandfather, Robert Godwin.
His eviction issues arose less than two years after he emerged from personal bankruptcy, in which he had claimed to owe $35,000 for car and student loans as well as credit card debt.
During the process, he had claimed to own about $1,500 in household items, including his clothing, and .
The suspect said he was looking for victims in a video posted on Facebook
In a Facebook video broadcast from his car after the killing, the alleged gunman said: "You see, the thing is, man, I'm 37 and all my [expletive] life, man, I've always been a [expletive] monster, man.
"Always had to prove myself, always had to take the butts of people's jokes. Just killing [expletive], man, and all because of this [expletive] called Joy Lane.
"She put me at my pushing point, man. You know, I was living over there with her, just woke up Friday, I just couldn't take it no more, man.
Mr Godwin was a grandfather and father of nine
"I just left, and yeah, here I am, massacring [expletive]." He laughs.
Ms Lane was placed in protective custody.
Stephens claimed to have killed more than a dozen other people, but police have so far been unable to verify his claims.
In the same video, broadcast from his car, Stephens filmed himself on a phone telling an unidentified person that he feels "built-in anger and frustration".
In another Facebook video rant shortly before the shooting, Stephens also blamed his mother.
Steve Stephens claimed to have killed more than a dozen others
He said he had told her beforehand that he was feeling "suicidal" and planning "to kill some people".
"Didn't care," he said of his mother's reaction.
He said she was "the one who created this [expletive] monster that I am".
"I'm beat," he adds, "I'm tired."
His mother, Maggie Green, told CNN she last saw her eldest child a day before the shooting.
He had told her, "if you see me again, it'll be a miracle", according to Ms Green.