Body Believed to Be Kentucky Highway Shooting Suspect Found by Authorities
The body, which has not been identified, was discovered on Wednesday in Laurel County, where Joseph Couch, 32, allegedly shot at passing vehicles on September 7.
Note: This article has been updated to include additional information..
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Authorities have discovered a body in southeastern Kentucky, which they believe belongs to the man wanted for shooting and injuring five individuals on an interstate highway earlier this month.
The unidentified body was found Wednesday afternoon near Exit 49 of Interstate 75 in Laurel County, where Joseph Couch, 32, is alleged to have fired upon vehicles on September 7, according to Kentucky State Police Commissioner Phillip Burnett Jr. The body was located by two troopers and two civilians in a heavily wooded area behind the exit, Burnett mentioned during a news conference on Wednesday night.
“There were items found with the body that we currently believe belong to Joseph Couch,” Burnett stated. An investigation is underway at the scene, and the body will be sent to the coroner in Frankfort, Kentucky, for identification on Thursday, Burnett added.
This finding follows a nearly 12-day manhunt, during which over a dozen local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies searched wide areas of rugged, forested terrain in the Daniel Boone National Forest, where authorities suspected Couch was hiding.
“We are confident that this discovery wraps up the search for Joseph Couch,” Burnett declared.
On Tuesday, officials revealed that search efforts in the forest would be reduced, and resources redirected to nearby communities. Following the shooting, police received more than 400 tips, most indicating activity outside the forest.
Body Found by Kentucky Couple and State Troopers Near Shooting Location
Around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Kentucky State Police were informed that two troopers and two civilians had discovered a body in close proximity to the shooting scene, as reported by Burnett.
Troopers had been conducting searches in the area throughout the day and noticed vultures flying overhead, Burnett explained.
“They followed the direction of the vultures,” Burnett noted. “As they explored the area, they began to smell what seemed to be decomposing flesh.”
The troopers met a couple, Fred and Sheila McCoy, who were also searching for Couch. According to Burnett, the team quickly found the body.
The Lexington Herald-Leader reported that the McCoys, who produce content for YouTube, broadcasted the moment they found the body.
Kentucky State Police announced on social media around 4:18 p.m. that a body had been located and that identification efforts were underway. This announcement came about an hour after the McCoys posted on YouTube stating they had discovered Couch’s body after an extensive search, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader.
Burnett confirmed that the couple will receive a $25,000 reward for their assistance, including $15,000 from Laurel County Crime Stoppers and an additional $10,000 from a private contributor.
Overview of the Kentucky Highway Shooting Incident
Laurel County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched around 5:30 p.m. on September 7 after reports of a gunshot victim on I-75 near Exit 49 and U.S. Route 25, roughly eight miles north of London, which is located about 75 miles south of Lexington. When they arrived, they found several vehicles parked on the highway with shattered windows and visible bullet impacts.
Authorities discovered twelve vehicles that had been fired upon on both sides of the highway, with five individuals sustaining injuries—though all survived, according to officials.
The incident caused an extensive closure of the highway while law enforcement searched for the suspect. That same night, the Laurel County Sheriff’s Department identified Couch as a person of interest, later classifying him as a suspect the following day as more evidence surfaced.
Authorities located Couch’s vehicle on the night of the incident, and on September 8, they found an AR-15 in the wooded area near Exit 49 of I-75, along with fully loaded magazines. At that time, authorities suggested that the weapon might have been used in the shooting.
A nearby gun shop employee confirmed to the police that Couch had purchased an AR-15 along with 1,000 rounds of ammunition on the morning of the shooting, according to an affidavit from the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office. The firearm found by police matched the description of what Couch bought that day.
Additionally, Couch allegedly sent a text message to the mother of his child less than an hour before the incident, indicating his intention to “kill a lot of people” and mentioned plans to take his own life afterward, as detailed in the affidavit.
Background on Joseph Couch
Couch was a former member of the Army Reserves and lived just south of Laurel County in Whitley County, as stated by Gilbert Acciardo, spokesperson for the Laurel County Sheriff’s Department.
Officials had offered a $35,000 reward for information leading to Couch’s capture, and the U.S. Marshals Service labeled Couch as a fugitive.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Jackie Steele, the prosecutor for Laurel County, charged Couch with five counts of attempted murder and five counts of first-degree assault for his actions during the shooting.