LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) – Authorities believe the body found in the area of the I-75 mass murder is that of Joseph Couch.
According to Kentucky State Police, the body was found near Exit 49.
Officials say officers are still investigating the crime scene and are waiting for a positive identification, but items found at the scene, including a gun, lead them to believe the body is Couch.
“We are very confident that the search for Joseph Couch will be concluded tonight. I want to thank all partners for their cooperation in bringing this to a successful conclusion,” said Commissioner Burnett. “The people of Laurel County can sleep much easier now that this manhunt is over.”
According to police, Joseph Couch opened fire on I-75 near exit 49 in Laurel County on September 7. Five people were shot and survived. Authorities have been searching for him ever since.
We know of a YouTube channel that was in the woods and live-streamed when the body was found. WKYT’s Jeremy Tombs had the opportunity to interview the couple. Fred and Shelia McCoy said they had been searching for Joseph Couch for the past six days and it all started as an idea for a “date night”:
The McCoys found Couch in the woods right after an encounter with two police officers on Wednesday afternoon around 3:30 p.m. The couple is receiving a $25,000 reward for their efforts.
The discovery of the body came a day after Governor Andy Beshear and Kentucky law enforcement leaders announced they would redeploy some of the forces involved in the manhunt into the community.
The manhunt has been a real challenge for local authorities. We’re told authorities received hundreds of tips and searched over 28,000 acres of the Daniel Boone National Forest.
This is an evolving story.
All rights reserved.
