A body believed to be the remains of the madman who shot and wounded five motorists on a Kentucky highway earlier this month was found Wednesday by a “bounty-hunting” couple during a YouTube livestream, state police announced.
Officials believed the “deteriorated” remains belong to the alleged gunman Joseph Couch, 32, based on the clothes found on the body matching the suspect’s description, Col. Phillip “PJ” Burnett said at a press conference, according to WLWT5.
The body is being transferred to the medical examiner to make an official identification — as well as to determine the cause of death — Burnett said.
The body believed to be that of Kentucky highway shooter Joseph Couch was found by YouTubing “bounty hunters” during a livestream Wednesday.
Officers from multiple agencies had been searching for the “armed and dangerous” man for a week and a half since the Sept. 7 shooting on Interstate 75 near London, KY, and had combed through 28,000 acres of dense woods in the Daniel Boone National Forest, only to turn up empty.
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The couple behind the YouTube account “Hatfield McCoy Museum Adventures” was credited by Kentucky State Police for the discovery and will be awarded $15,000 from Laurel County Crimestoppers and $10,000 from a private donor, the local news station reported.
The YouTubers and self-proclaimed “bounty hunters,” Fred and Sheila McCoy, were live streaming their search for Couch through thick woods when they made the shocking discovery on camera.
The video shows the couple following vultures circling overhead and then tracking a foul odor of “something dead” through the heavy brush when Fred screams out.
“Oh! Found him!” he yelled out to officers nearby who they had called. “Here he is!”
“Oh my lanta! You found him?” his wife Shelia replies in the clip.
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“He’s deteriorated!” Fred then shouts out.
Clothing on the remains matches that of Couch’s, officials said, however, the medical examiner will make the official ID. Mount Vernon Fire Department/AFP via Getty Images
The camera then zooms in on the remains lying on a patch of dirt with human legs clearly visible in the fuzzy footage.
“Oh, gross!” exclaims Shelia, who is filming.
Officers off-camera can then be heard shouting “no pictures!” as Fred appears to snap a pic of the body with his phone before the live stream ends.
The human remains were found in the woods “in the vicinity of Exit 49 in Laurel County” — which is where Couch unleashed his trail of terror.
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Couch was wanted for wounding five people in a shooting spree on Interstate 75 on Sept. 7. Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK
He allegedly shot five people as they drove on I-75 and caused a crash that injured two others. All of the victims survived though some — including a person who was shot in the face — suffered serious injuries, officials said.
Police had recovered a silver SUV registered to Couch and an AR-15 rifle abandoned near the exit early in their search.
Investigators are still searching for a motive in the mass shooting and said road rage was not a factor. They believe Couch planned the attack ahead of time but picked his targets at random.
Neighbors of the gunman said he had threatened them with a rifle and was not mentally well before the shooting. One neighbor’s three dogs were found dead after he had confronted Couch about throwing a rock at one of the pets.
Ohio Secretary of State tours Ottawa County Board of Elections
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose wants Ottawa County voters to know their vote is safe.
Jon Stinchcomb, Reporter
As voters prepare for Election Day on Tuesday, last-minute contacts, resources and accommodations might be necessary. There are ways to contact your local board of elections based on your county.
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Here’s how to contact the state election offices in Ohio and Kentucky.
How do I contact Ohio’s Secretary of State’s office?
The Ohio Secretary of State’s regular office hours are 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, including Election Day. For immediate assistance with an election-related question, the office recommends calling 877-767-6446 (extension 1).
Elections Division
Elections Contact Form
614-466-2585
877-SOS-OHIO (877-767-6446, ext. 1)
TTY: 614-728-3295
TTY toll-free: 877-TTY-OHIO (877-889-6446)
How do I contact my local election office in Ohio?
The Ohio Secretary of State website contains a county boards of elections directory that provides contact information for all 88 counties. The information from the site includes both physical and mailing addresses, telephone numbers, email, office hours of operation, and each county’s board of elections website.
How do I contact my local election office in Kentucky?
The Commonwealth of Kentucky’s state board of elections provides a contact submission form for Kentucky residents, where online users input their name, email, and any comments.
While contact information appears limited to only the state level (rather than individual counties), there is a list of Election Day polling locations with addresses for all Kentucky counties, including Boone, Campbell and Kenton in Northern Kentucky.
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) — Justin Hill’s 31 points led Wichita State over Western Kentucky 91-84 on Monday night in a season opener.
Hill added eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals for the Shockers. Xavier Bell went 6 of 14 from the field (3 for 7 from 3-point range) to add 17 points. Quincy Ballard shot 4 of 4 from the field and 2 of 4 from the free-throw line to finish with 10 points.
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The Hilltoppers were led by Babacar Faye, who posted 28 points and eight rebounds. Don McHenry added 21 points, four assists and two steals for Western Kentucky. Julius Thedford finished with 11 points and two blocks.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel led off the Week 11 media slate on Monday afternoon in Knoxville with a 12-minute press conference.
The Vols will close out a four-game, five-week home stretch this Saturday night in a homecoming game against SEC foe Mississippi State. The Bulldogs are currently the SEC’s last-place team and are still searching for their first conference win of the season.
Tennessee is riding a three-game win streak heading into Saturday’s game after taking down Florida, Alabama, and Kentucky in the last four weeks. The Vols will look to continue that momentum and keep their playoff hopes alive with another SEC foe this weekend.
Tennessee also teased the return of the Summitt Blue accessories on Monday as November represents Alzheimer’s Awareness Month.
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In addition to Heupel, three Tennessee players also met with the media on Monday: tight end Holden Staes, safety Jakobe Thomas, and linebacker Jalen Smith.
More from RTI: Tennessee Football Teases Summitt Blue Twist For Saturday’s SEC Game
Check out all four interviews from Knoxville below:
