Daughter of Steve Stephens' murder victim hits out at NINE "fraudulent" GoFundMe accounts set up in his name
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A woman whose 74-year-old dad was shot dead by Cleveland Facebook killer Steve Stephens has hit out at the "fraudulent" online fundraising appeals in his name.
There were at least nine GoFundMe pages claiming to raise cash for the family of Robert Godwin Snr, who was shot dead at point blank range in footage later posted on Facebook.
The random killing sparked a police manhunt spanning five US states - and Stephens claims to have killed more than a dozen other victims .
Mr Godwin's daughter today hit out at the "fraudulent" GoFundMe appeals set up in his name.
Debbie Godwin said on Twitter: "My father Robert Godwin Sr was murdered in cold blood via FB Live. People have set up GoFundMe accounts fraudulently. Please stop it."
(Photo: Behind__News/Twitter)
She also said on Facebook: "We do not nor will be starting a GoFundMe account for our father Robert Godwin Sr. If you are asked to donate to a GoFundMe account, please know it is not us."
It is unclear if the GoFundMe pages have been set up by 'frauds' seeking to exploit the tragedy or genuinely well-meaning strangers.
(Photo: Facebook)
One GoFundMe page, which has raised more than $24,000, says: "I cannot imagine the pain his family is going through right now. I am just a kid from Arizona who unfortunately saw this video on Facebook and wanted to help."
Another appeal, which has seen been taken down, claimed to have been set up by the victim's own grandson.
Mr Godwin was killed as he collected aluminium cans on a street in his neighbourhood, one of his sons said.
(Photo: CLEpolice/Twitter)
The victim was described as a kind and caring father-of-nine who would "give you the shirt off his back".
Stephens' mother claimed he was "shooting people" because he was "mad with his girlfriend", Joy Lane.
The pair had recently split, according to reports, and Stephens named his ex in the video and in an accompanying Facebook post.