Police ‘very confident’ body found in Kentucky woods is gunman who wounded five in highway mass shooting

Team of troopers and civilians found body in woods in Laurel County

Police believe a body found Wednesday in the woods of Laurel County, Kentucky, is a likely match for Joseph A Couch, 32, who’s accused of opening fire on the nearby I-75 highway and wounding five earlier this month.

The body, found Wednesday near exit 49 by a team of troopers and civilians, had items “associated” with Couch, Kentucky State Police Col. Phillip Burnett Jr. said in a press conference on Wednesday.

With the discovery, police said they were "very confident this brings the closure in the search for Joseph Couch,” local news station Lex18 reports.

Police have spent the past 12 days hunting for Couch, after he allegedly opened fire on drivers on September 7 using an AR-15-style assault rifle, wounding five.

DNA testing is underway to confirm if the remains match the suspected gunman.

Joseph A Couch was named a person of interest in the shooting along a highway in Laurel County, southern Kentucky (Laurel County Sheriff's Office/A)

One of the individuals who located the body was Fred McCoy. He told Lex18 he was drawn to the area by numerous circling vultures.

"The community needed some relief," McCoy said. "It’s just not us, there’s several people out here that’s been looking...but we just kept coming back."

A $25,000 reward was offered for information leading to the capture or arrest of Couch.

The search for Couch reportedly generated hundreds of tips to law enforcement and covered 28,000 acres of the Daniel Boone National Forest.

When Couch was thought to be at large, several Kentucky school districts closed for in-person learning.

The 32-year-old sent a text vowing to “kill a lot of people” less than 30 minutes before he opened fire, according to his arrest warrant.

“I’m going to kill a lot of people. Well try at least,” Couch wrote in messages to an unidentified woman, then said he would kill himself afterwards.

One of Counch’s neighbors in Knox County told WYMT that the 32-year-old once pointed a gun at him and threw a rock at his dog, all in front of the neighbor’s nine-year-old child.

“I tried reasoning with him but of course there was no reasoning with him”, the neighbor said. “I went and had a warrant for his arrest. After they picked him up I figure they would notify me. Never did notify me of a court date or nothing. Wasn’t even notified of his release, after this man pointed a gun and threatened my life and my child’s life.”

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you