Employees at a McDonald's franchise may have played a role in helping to catch the man who became the subject of a nationwide manhunt after he posting a video to Facebook of that appeared to show him kill an elderly man.

Steven Stephens was spotted at a McDonald's drive-thru in Erie, Pennsylvania on Tuesday moments before committing suicide, according to numerous reports.

He reportedly requested a large order of fries and 20 chicken nuggets, but employees who recognized him apparently purposely stalled him so they could alert law enforcement.

SEE ALSO: Learn more about the pursuit that led to Stephens' death

The manager of the local fast-food restaurant said Stephens refused to wait for the fries, which employees told him were taking a long time to prepare, and rushed off with only his nugget order.

Police rushed to the scene and soon pursued Stephens in a high-speed chase with the time bought by the employees' efforts, before he committed suicide in his car.

Stephens, wanted for the death of 74-year-old Robert Godwin, had led police in a cross-country chase since he apparently posted the video of the violent crime to Facebook this past weekend.

Police report that Stephens shot himself in the head after being rammed by police during the final high-speed chase.

"We're grateful that this has ended," Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams said on Tuesday.

RELATED: See photos of most outrageous mugshots and crimes

