Body identified as that of highway shooting suspect

An analysis of bone DNA confirmed that the severely decomposed body was that of interstate shooting suspect Joseph Couch, according to a Friday statement by the office of Gov. Andy Beshear. The body was discovered Wednesday in the forest near I-75 in Laurel County, Kentucky. Police say the 32-year-old stood on a cliffside overlooking I-75 on Saturday, Sept. 7, and opened fire on the cars below. He allegedly wounded five motorists and hit over a dozen vehicles before fleeing the scene, sparking a nearly two-week manhunt. Two state troopers and two civilians found the body Wednesday afternoon after spotting vultures circling above a section of the Daniel Boone National Forest, authorities said at a press conference later that night.

What initially led authorities to believe the body was Couch? Although the state medical examiner had not officially examined the body as of Wednesday night, personal items found with the body lead investigators to believe it is the suspect, Kentucky State Police Commissioner Phillip Burnett told the press. The recent manhunt prompted school and church cancellations and left people living in fear while Couch was unaccounted for, Laurel County Sheriff John Root said. The Couch family has worked with investigators every step of the way, Root added. He reiterated that the family bears no responsibility for Joseph’s actions and offered a prayer for the Couch family during the press conference.

Dig deeper: Read my initial report on the shooting and manhunt.