Medical examiners have officially identified the body discovered near the Interstate 75 shooting in Laurel County as that of the suspect, Joseph Couch. The body of Couch was found on Tuesday through DNA extracted from bone samples, as confirmed by Gov. Andy Beshear on Friday. The identification was made possible by the efforts of Fred and Sheila McCoy, alongside the Kentucky State Police Troopers. Despite initial challenges in identification due to decomposition, articles found near the body indicated it was likely Couch. An autopsy report later confirmed that Couch had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

The tragic incident revolves around Couch's alleged shooting spree on I-75 near Exit 49 around 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 7. During the shooting, five individuals were harmed by gunfire, while three others sustained injuries from subsequent accidents. Authorities found Couch's abandoned Toyota near a forest access road, where they also discovered an AR-15 believed to have been used in the shooting. The suspect legally acquired the firearm in London on the same day, along with around 1,000 rounds of ammunition, shedding light on his military background as a former Army Reserve member.

According to an arrest affidavit, Couch had been facing multiple charges, including attempted murder and assault, prior to his demise. Text messages sent by Couch shortly before the shooting further exacerbated the gravity of the situation, with one message stating, "I'm going to kill a lot of people. Well try at least," followed by another message expressing his intention to take his own life. These ominous texts were sent less than half an hour before the shooting occurred. The swift actions taken by law enforcement and the identification process carried out by medical examiners have provided closure to the harrowing events that unfolded on that fateful day.