Further DNA tests identify body found in Laurel County as I-75 shooter Joseph Couch

The body found in Laurel County earlier this week is believed to be that of Interstate 75 shooter Joseph Couch.

Kentucky Chief Medical Examiner Dr. William Ralston and the State Police Crime Lab used DNA extracted from bone marrow to confirm Couch's identity, officials said Friday afternoon.

Officials said yesterday that initial tests were inconclusive, but an autopsy found the cause of death was a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

“We thank everyone involved in the search and are grateful that no one else was injured,” said Governor Andy Beshear. “We will continue to be there for those injured and for the Laurel County community as it recovers from this tragic situation.”

Couch is accused of shooting five people in Laurel County near Interstate Exit 49 on Sept. 7, sparking a massive manhunt in the Daniel Boone National Forest. His body was discovered Wednesday by Kentucky state troopers and two civilians, Fred and Sheila McCoy, searching the woods near where he shot at 12 vehicles earlier this month.

While he was missing, Couch was charged with five counts of attempted murder and five counts of first-degree assault.

There were no fatalities in the shooting.

Although state police could not initially confirm that the body was Couch, items found with the body indicated his identity, they said Wednesday evening. The medical examiner's office will also conduct a toxicology test.

“Due to the extreme decomposition of the body, DNA testing on soft tissue was inconclusive, but today we were able to make a positive identification using bones from the suspect,” Ralston said. “I would like to thank the Medical Examiner's Office and the KSP Crime Lab for their cooperation and diligence in obtaining a positive identification so that the state can move on from this tragic situation.”

A manhunt involving 14 agencies lasted 10 days as officers combed 28,000 acres of the Daniel Boone National Forest on foot and with the help of dogs, drones and helicopters.

Couch had sent text messages to a woman before the shooting, writing, “I'm going to kill a lot of people,” and adding, “Well, I'm going to at least try,” an affidavit said. He said he planned to kill himself afterward.

After the shooting, police found Couch's vehicle and later found an AR-15 rifle that Couch is believed to have used in the crime. He purchased the weapon at a store in London just hours before the shooting.

The McCoys had been searching the woods for several days and livestreaming their search for Couch. Along with several KSP officers, they found the body after noticing vultures and a strong odor in the area.

For their efforts, the McCoys receive $25,000 of the reward money.