Manhunt Ends: Fugitive Linked to Kentucky Highway Shooting Found Dead

Authorities believe they have found the body of Joseph Couch, a fugitive suspected of shooting and injuring five people along a Kentucky highway. The 32-year-old former U.S. Army reservist allegedly used a legally purchased AR-style rifle. The body, found in rugged terrain, awaits formal identification.

Authorities have discovered a body believed to be Joseph Couch, the fugitive suspected of injuring five people during a shooting spree on a Kentucky highway. Couch, 32, a former U.S. Army reservist, opened fire on motorists using a legally purchased AR-style semiautomatic rifle, according to officials.

State troopers, accompanied by a couple searching for Couch, stumbled upon the body in rugged, wooded terrain, according to Kentucky State Police Commissioner Phillip Burnett. Articles found with the body suggest it is Couch, but formal identification will be conducted in Frankfort.

Prior to the incident, Couch's ex-wife reported receiving threatening texts from him, prompting a police response. A $15,000 reward was offered for information on his whereabouts, and multiple law enforcement agencies engaged in a manhunt involving helicopters, drones, and special response teams.

(With inputs from agencies.)