Looking back on the 12-day long manhunt for Joseph Couch in Laurel County

LONDON, Ky. ( FOX 56 ) — It’s been more than 24 hours since the body thought to be that of the I-75 gunman, Joseph Couch, was found in the woods near where the shooting took place.

Now, the 12-day manhunt has ended, and many people in Laurel County slept a little better last night knowing Couch is no longer a threat.

“People of Laurel County can rest easy, much easier, knowing that this manhunt has now come to a conclusion,” said Kentucky State Police Commissioner Phillip Burnett Jr.

Those are words the people of Laurel County have been waiting for nearly two weeks to hear.

It was a 12-day nightmare for many people in the area. Schools and churches closed, as hundreds of law enforcement officials searched over 28,000 acres of the Daniel Boone National Forest for Couch.

“I’m glad that it’s coming to an end. I’m glad that our children are able to go to school now and, you know, not have to worry about this,” said relieved Livingston resident Kayla Bradley.

On Tuesday, authorities announced they were shifting their search focus from the woods to having a heavier police presence in communities. But it was private residents Fred and Sheila McCoy who found Couch’s body on Wednesday. They were live streaming on YouTube at the time they found the body.

“Whatever it was, we were gonna find it, whether it was a human or whether it’s a raccoon or what. We were going to see what all the vultures was there for,” said Fred.

Today, Gov. Beshear recognized the team effort that went into bringing this case to a close.

“I want to thank everybody who’s been involved. I want to thank everybody who’s who worked so hard to create plans to keep the community safe while we thought there was a threat,” Beshear said.

An autopsy revealed the cause of death to be a self-inflicted gunshot to the head . Examiners expect to test DNA extracted from bone tomorrow, hoping to get a positive ID. Although police have said evidence at the scene makes them certain it is Couch.

Laurel County Sheriff, John Root, reflected on the outcome of the case just hours after the body was discovered.

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“As a family, as his mother and brothers and friends of him, I don’t think they agree with what he did, but that’s their blood and that’s their family. And yes, I will reiterate, I want prayers for the victims and also prayers for that family. He’s a human being. And I wish we could have took him alive. It just so happened that we didn’t,” Root said.

There was a $35,000 reward on the line, and KSP said the McCoys would definitely get $25,000 from CrimeStoppers and an anonymous donor.

There is a question, though, about the other $10,000, which was offered by US Marshalls for the apprehension of Couch alive . It’s still to be determined by officials in Washington if that will be paid out.

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