Warning: this article contains discussion that some may find distressing
Two live streamers have claimed a $25,000 reward after helping officials uncover the remains of a suspected gunman in Kentucky.
Officials in Laurel County have been searching for Joseph A. Couch, 32, since September 7 when the alleged gunman went on a highway shooting spree.
Five people were wounded in the attack, prompting a manhunt that caused schools and businesses in the area to close.
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On Wednesday (September 18), authorities claimed the manhunt had concluded after Couch’s suspected body was found by the YouTubers and two officials.
Despite the closure, police are still working to formally identify the body.
It’s understood content creators Frank and Shiela McCoy joined the manhunt on the fifth day of proceedings.
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The pair livestreamed their work on their Hatfield McCoy Museum Adventures YouTube channel.
During the 30-minute video, the duo claimed they’d noticed a group of vultures flying around a certain area of deep rural bush.
The couple also alleged they were drawn to the spot off Interstate 75 northwest of London, Kentucky, due to smelling a strong odour.
“You have to understand, this guy has been stressing this community out,” Fred told CNN. “Anyone who can sit up on top of a hill and take pop shots at cars is dangerous.”
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“My wife smelled something strong, and even I with a flu was able to smell it, and it was bad.”
As the pair made their way over to the decay, they encountered two state troopers who had also been drawn to the area, as per Kentucky State Police Commissioner Phillip Burnett Jr.
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Kentucky State Police later announced they believed the recovered body was that of Couch due to articles associated with him being found nearby.
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“We’re very confident that this brings the closure in the search for Joseph Couch,” Burnett told the press.
“The people of Laurel County can rest much easier knowing that this manhunt has now come to a conclusion.”
In a news conference on Wednesday, Laurel County Sheriff John Root said he wished he could have located the alleged shooter ‘alive’.
“We could have asked him what his intentions were,” he explained. “We could have put him through the courts … I’d rather he’d been alive, and he could have paid for what he’d done.”
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Root also praised the YouTubers for their help in the investigation.
“Congratulations. We’re proud,” he said. “Our one goal was to have this guy recovered.”
According to CNN, the couple are set to receive a $15,000 reward from Laurel County Crime Stoppers.
A private donor has allegedly offered them a further $10,000 for their efforts too.