An employee spotted Stephens' white Ford Fusion in the drive-thru of a McDonald's near Erie and called authorities.
Stephens fled and Pennsylvania State Police troopers gave chase. One officer performed a "PIT" maneuver, a strategic way of ramming a car to disable it.
"As the vehicle was spinning out of control from the PIT maneuver, Stephens pulled a pistol and shot himself in the head," police said.
For two days, authorities across the country scrambled to find Stephens, the man wanted for the death of Robert Godwin, a self-taught mechanic and grandfather of 14.