Joseph Couch dies near London, Kentucky in fatal highway shooting incident
Joseph Couch dies near London, Kentucky in fatal highway shooting incident
Fatal Kentucky highway shooting death of Joseph Couch – Obituary
Authorities believe they have found the body of Joseph Couch, the suspect accused of wounding five people in a shooting along Interstate 75 in Kentucky. The body, discovered Wednesday near London, Kentucky, was identified through personal belongings found at the scene, according to Kentucky State Police Commissioner Phillip Burnett Jr. A weapon was also recovered at the location, but the cause of death will be officially determined after an autopsy.
The discovery may mark the end of an extensive nearly two-week search that had put the residents of the area on edge. Laurel County Sheriff John Root expressed hope that the community could return to normalcy following the grim find, as fear had gripped the county during the search for Couch.
Couch’s body was discovered near Exit 49 on I-75 by troopers who were in contact with local couple Fred and Sheila McCoy. The McCoys, who were searching with a group near the interstate, captured the moment on their YouTube channel, Hatfield McCoy Museum Adventures. The couple followed the smell of decay, which led them to the body, ending their 30-minute live stream shortly after the discovery.
This finding comes nearly two weeks after a violent incident on September 7, when five people were injured and multiple vehicles were damaged in a shooting near the same exit on I-75. Joseph Couch, 32, of Woodbine, Kentucky, was quickly identified as a suspect after authorities found a vehicle registered in his name close to the scene. Authorities later revealed that Couch had sent threatening messages indicating his intent to harm people and had purchased a rifle and 1,000 rounds of ammunition on the day of the shooting.
As the search intensified, Kentucky State Police conducted an extensive operation, covering over 28,000 acres in the nearby Daniel Boone National Forest. Cameras were set up in the woods to monitor the area, and search teams were temporarily pulled back to bolster patrols in nearby communities as schools reopened.
Kentucky State Police Trooper Scottie Pennington had previously suggested that Couch might eventually emerge from the woods if he ran out of resources. He noted that if Couch had died, searchers would look for signs like vultures gathering overhead, which ultimately led to the body’s discovery.
The investigation into the events leading up to Couch’s death continues, as authorities work to piece together the final details of this tragic series of events.
Joseph Couch dies near London, Kentucky in fatal highway shooting incident Fatal Kentucky highway shooting death of Joseph Couch – Obituary Authorities believe they have found the body of Joseph Couch, the suspect accused of wounding five people in a shooting along Interstate 75 in Kentucky. The body, discovered Wednesday near London, Kentucky, was identified…
Joseph Couch dies near London, Kentucky in fatal highway shooting incident Fatal Kentucky highway shooting death of Joseph Couch – Obituary Authorities believe they have found the body of Joseph Couch, the suspect accused of wounding five people in a shooting along Interstate 75 in Kentucky. The body, discovered Wednesday near London, Kentucky, was identified…