Kentucky State Police announced that they believe they have found the body of Joseph A. Couch, the man suspected of a recent shooting spree on Interstate 75.
The body, discovered by a couple livestreaming their search for Couch, was found in a wooded area near Exit 49 in Laurel County.
Colonel Phillip “PJ” Burnett of the Kentucky State Police confirmed that the body appears to match the description of Couch, a 32-year-old resident of Woodbine, Kentucky. The identification is supported by clothing items found at the scene. The body is being transported to the state coroner’s office in Frankfort for official identification and to determine the cause of death.
The couple, Fred and Sheila McCoy, were broadcasting their search on their YouTube account “Hatfield McCoy Museum Adventures” when they came across the remains. They had been actively looking for Couch and alerted state troopers upon making the discovery. The McCoys’ livestream captured their reaction upon finding the body, which led to police being called to the scene.
The search for Couch had been intense and involved various law enforcement agencies. Couch is accused of opening fire on September 7 on Interstate 75, injuring five people and causing several car accidents. An AR-15 rifle and a small silver SUV registered to Couch were recovered earlier in the investigation. Police have been using drones, helicopters, and search dogs to locate him.
Authorities initially believed Couch had fled into the dense woods near the highway. The discovery of the body comes just one day after Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and other officials announced an increased focus on finding Couch and addressing the ongoing search.
While police have not yet determined a motive for the shooting, they have ruled out road rage as a factor.
FOX News, the Washington Post, and New York Post contributed to this report.
