Kentucky State Police announced they found a body in the area near Exit 49 off I-75, which they believe is the perpetrator of a shooting earlier this month.

“During a Wednesday night news conference, Kentucky State Police Commissioner Phillip Burnett Jr. said detectives are still investigating, but ‘articles associated with the body,’ including a weapon that was not specified, suggest the remains could belong to suspect Joseph Couch,” Louisville Courier Journal reports.

“Joseph Couch, the suspect, opened fire on September 7, injuring five people. Authorities have been searching for him since,” Mario Nawfal noted.

“This discovery comes a day after Governor Andy Beshear and law enforcement adjusted their resources for the manhunt, which had strained local agencies. Over 28,000 acres of the Daniel Boone National Forest were searched, with hundreds of tips submitted,” he added.

Louisville Courier Journal reports:

Burnett Jr. said state troopers were in the area throughout the day Wednesday because they noticed vultures lingering nearby. Fred and Sheila McCoy were also searching in the forested area for Couch behind Exit 49 when they crossed paths with a group of Kentucky State Police troopers. The troopers had detected a pungent odor, and shortly after, the group stumbled upon the body.

The body will be transported to Frankfort and is expected to be identified Thursday, officials said. A cause of death has not been determined yet.

“We’re very confident that this brings the closure in the search of Joseph Couch,” Burnett Jr. said.

Along with the upcoming autopsy, officials will process the evidence discovered with the body and narrow their continued investigations on the area where the body was found, Laurel County Sheriff John Root said.

The September 7th shooting injured five individuals and pierced 12 cars with bullet holes.

DEVELOPING: Active Shooter Situation Shuts Down Interstate, ‘Numerous Persons’ Reportedly Shot

“We are very confident that tonight brings closure to the search for Joseph Couch. I want to thank all partners for their collaborative effort to bring this to a successful conclusion,” said Commissioner Burnett, according to WKYT.

“The people of Laurel County can rest much easier now that this manhunt has been concluded," Burnett added.

Per WKYT:

We are aware of a YouTube channel that was in the woods livestreaming as the body was found. WKYT’s Jeremy Tombs had the chance to interview that couple. Fred and Shelia McCoy said they’ve been out searching for Joseph Couch for the past six days, and it all started as a “date night” idea:

The McCoys found Couch right after an encounter with two troopers in the woods around 3:30 Wednesday afternoon. The couple will receive a $25,000 reward for their efforts.

WATCH:

 

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