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Pennsylvania State Police investigate a car and probable suicide of the Cleveland Facebook killing suspect in Erie, Pa. on April 18. The car was stopped near Buffalo Road and Downing Avenue. [GREG WOHLFORD/ERIE TIMES-NEWS]

(Greg Wohlford)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Steve Stephens, the man accused of killing a random 74-year-old man and posting a video of the shooting, was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound Tuesday in Erie, Pennsylvania, according to news reports citing Erie police.

Stephens was in a McDonald's parking lot in Erie shortly after 11 a.m. today when someone spotted him and called in a tip, Cleveland police Chief Calvin Williams said at a press conference addressing Stephens' death.

Troopers gave chase when Stephens fled. He stopped a short while later, then shot himself when troopers approached the car, Williams said.

Williams said police searched the area around Erie on Sunday after officials first received reports of a cell phone ping there.

"We were in the process today of going back to do a more-thorough search when this transpired," Williams said.

Police say they do not know where Stephens was prior to Tuesday's sighting at the McDonald's and they do not know if someone was harboring him, Williams said.

Cleveland police are sending officials to Erie now to glean more details from Pennsylvania authorities.

Stephens' Facebook posts revealed that he had some familiarity with Erie as he wrote about his gambling losses at casinos there and in Cleveland. The city of Erie became the focus of intense speculation as law enforcement referenced a "pinged" cell tower early in the investigation before Stephens shut off his phone.

Law enforcement in Cleveland scheduled a noon press conference to update on the case. Cleveland.com will cover the press conference on Facebook live.

Or, if you can't stream it live, refresh this post for the latest updates from the press conference.

The Pennsylvania State Police reported on Twitter that a trooper found Stephens and his white Ford Fusion Tuesday morning, and that he shot and killed himself after a brief pursuit.