One year later: I-75 shooting suspect found dead in Laurel County

LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) – Today marks one year since authorities discovered the body of Joseph Couch, the suspect in a September 2024 shooting along I-75 that left five people injured.

Couch’s body was found near Exit 49 in Laurel County following a nearly two-week manhunt. Authorities later confirmed his identity through DNA testing, and an autopsy determined his death was consistent with a self-inflicted gunshot. Items linked to Couch were also recovered at the scene.

While his death ended the manhunt, the impact of the I-75 shooting and the days of fear that followed continue to be remembered throughout the community.