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☆ ‘We’re all shook’: A close-knit Kentucky community is grappling with the jailing of their sheriff in the killing of a district judge
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-21 | by ( Dalia Faheid | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

“This community is small in nature, and we’re all shook,” Kentucky State Police Trooper Matt Gayheart said at a Thursday evening news conference. “The Letcher County Courthouse is one of the last that you can walk into without a metal detector or security at the front door,” said Matt Butler, commonwealth’s attorney for Letcher County, in a video statement Friday. Letcher County Sheriff Shawn M. Stines has been arrested Thursday in connection with the fatal shooting of a district judge inside a courthouse, Kentucky State Police (KSP) said. “I know Kentucky State Police are investigating it, and I feel confident that they will hopefully provide some answers on why. In remembrance of Mullins, flags at all Kentucky Court of Justice facilities will be lowered to half-staff through Monday.

Persons: Shawn M, Kevin Mullins, Stines, shockwaves, Matt Gayheart, ” Gayheart, Wallace Kincer, Mike Watts, Matt Butler, Mullins, Jackie Steele, Gayheart, Ben Gish, ”, ” Gish, ” Butler, Butler, Leslie County, he’s, “ It’s, ” Watts, “, Kevin R, Jerry Wagner, ” Wagner, Andy Beshear, Sheriff, Sabrina Adkins, Jennifer Hill, Ben Fields, Adkins, Fields, Hill, Fields “, Sheriff Stines, ” Stines, Mickey Stines, Jonathan Shaw, Judge Mullins, ” Shaw, General Russell Coleman, Steele, ” Coleman, Laurance, VanMeter, Mullins ’, Jim Hannah Organizations: CNN, Kentucky State Police, ” Kentucky State Police, Letcher County Public Schools, LCC, WKYT, Kentucky, Police, Kentucky Sheriff’s Association, Eagle, Field, Louisville Courier, Stines, . Kentucky Supreme Locations: Kentucky, Letcher County, Letcher, Whitesburg, ”, Leslie County, Carter County, ” Letcher County , Kentucky, Mullins Letcher, Frankfort, Laurel County, Russell

The body found Wednesday near the Kentucky highway where a gunman opened fire Sept. 7 has been identified as the suspected shooter, Joseph A. Couch, officials said on Friday. Personal effects and a weapon were found with the body, officials said. Authorities have been searching for Couch, 32, since the shooting spree next to Interstate 75 in Kentucky that left five people seriously injured. The Laurel County Sheriff's Office said 12 vehicles were hit and an estimated 20 to 30 rounds were fired. The woman called dispatchers in Laurel County to report the messages.

Persons: Joseph A . Couch, Andy Beshear, William Ralston, Couch, ” Beshear, ” Ralston, “, Phillip Burnett Jr, Joseph Couch, Burnett, Jackie Steele, Fred, Sheila McCoy, McCoys, Couch texted Organizations: Kentucky Gov, state's, Authorities, Kentucky State Police, YouTube, Police, Army Locations: Kentucky, Laurel County, London, Laurel

An initial DNA test on remains believed to be those of Joseph Couch, the suspect in the Interstate 75 shootings, was inconclusive, but an autopsy confirmed the cause of death was a self-inflicted gunshot wound, state officials said. The soft tissue DNA test was “inconclusive due to extreme decomposition of the body,” and a further DNA test with material extracted from bone will be completed, the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet said in a news release. The remains were found in deep brush by a highway exit in Laurel County, which is where London is and where the shootings occurred, state officials said. A couple livestreaming the search for Couch's body helped in the effort and the discovery, state police said. The DNA test from bone is expected to begin Friday and take 24 to 48 hours, the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet said.

Persons: Joseph Couch, “ I’m, William Ralston, Phillip Burnett Jr, Fred, Sheila McCoy, they'll Organizations: Kentucky Justice, Public, Army, Authorities, State Police, Justice, Cabinet Locations: London, Laurel County

CNN —Investigators are trying to determine what motivated a Kentucky sheriff to allegedly shoot and kill a district judge after the two had an argument inside the judge’s chambers, according to Kentucky State Police. Letcher County, Kentucky District Judge Kevin R. Mullins Letcher County governmentLetcher County Sheriff Shawn M. Stines, 43, shot Mullins after an argument inside the judge’s chambers, a preliminary investigation revealed. It is unclear who will take over as the county sheriff following the arrest of Stines, who had been sheriff for about eight years. An ambulance near the scene after a district court judge in Kentucky was fatally shot in his chambers , on Thursday, September 19. The Kentucky Court of Justice is aware of the “tragic” incident in Letcher County, the court said in a statement on Facebook.

Persons: Kevin Mullins, Matt Gayheart, Kevin R, Mullins, Shawn M, Stines, Gayheart, ” Gayheart, “ We’re, Russell Countydeputy, Andy Beshear, Stines Mullins, Steve Beshear, ” Stines, “, General Russell Coleman, Jackie Steele, ” Coleman, Clayton Stamper, Laurance, VanMeter, ”, Mullins ’, ” VanMeter, Matt Butler, recusing, Butler, Judge Mullins, ” Butler, Ivy, Allison Ball, ” Ball Organizations: CNN —, Kentucky State Police, District, CNN, Kentucky’s, Gov, Associated Press, WKYT, AP, Kentucky, Judicial, KSP, Facebook, Southeast Kentucky Community, Technical College, Associated Press . Locations: Kentucky, Letcher, Whitesburg , Kentucky, Letcher County , Kentucky, Mullins Letcher, Letcher County, Laurel County, Jackhorn, Eastern, Central Kentucky, SOAR, Associated Press . Kentucky

A Kentucky couple spent six days looking for a body believed to be the highway shooting suspect that authorities have been hunting for over a week — and eventually found it by following circling vultures, they said Thursday. So capturing Couch wasn't as far fetched as it might seem, the couple said. "None of us are getting out of this world alive," Fred McCoy told NBC News. "The smell was terrible, it was horrible," said Sheila McCoy, 59. "When you got that many vultures, you've either got a livestock, a horse, a cow or you've got a human," said Fred McCoy, 67.

Persons: Fred, Sheila McCoy, Joseph A ., Couch, Fred McCoy, he's, Fred McCoy —, Hatfield, McCoy, West Virginia —, I've, you've Organizations: Authorities, NBC, West Virginia, YouTube, telltale Locations: Kentucky, Laurel County, London , Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky, West

A $35,000 reward was available for information leading to Couch’s capture, according to the Kentucky State Police. The search area for Joseph Couch is seen in a photo released by Kentucky State Police spokesperson Scottie Pennington on September 9, 2024. We could have asked him what his intentions were,” Laurel County Sheriff John Root said at a Wednesday news conference. “Our one goal was to have this guy recovered.”Burnett said the couple will receive a $15,000 reward from Laurel County Crime Stoppers and a $10,000 reward from a private donor. People’s been in fear, that’s not the normal here in Laurel County,” Root said.

Persons: –, Daniel Boone, Joseph Couch, ”, Fred, Sheila McCoy, Couch, ” Fred McCoy, “, Fred McCoy, Scottie Pennington, Phillip Burnett Jr, ” Burnett, Burnett, haven’t, John Root, Root, We’re, Couch texted, couldn’t, – Couch, Jackie Steele, ” Root, “ We’ve, we’ve, People’s, that’s Organizations: CNN, Daniel Boone National Forest, Kentucky State Police, Los Angeles and New York City, YouTube, Mount Vernon Fire Department, Police Locations: Los Angeles and New, London , Kentucky, Laurel County, Frankfort, London, Kentucky, Laurel, Knox, Washington, Seattle, Tacoma

A week and a half after a highway shooting spree and an ensuing manhunt for an “armed and dangerous” suspect, officials in Kentucky have located a body near where the shooting happened. Kentucky State Police troopers are working to confirm the identity of the body discovered in Laurel County, officials said Wednesday. Laurel County Sheriff's OfficeThe gun used, an AR-15 rifle, was purchased legally in London the day of the shooting, authorities said. Law enforcement officials said the gunman parked near a ridge overlooking the highway to fire upon vehicles. Just before the shooting, a woman who shares a child with Couch called dispatchers in Laurel County and shared a chilling message.

Persons: Joseph A ., Couch, Steele, “ I’m, ” Couch Organizations: Kentucky State Police, Authorities, Army Locations: Kentucky, Laurel County, London

A grueling manhunt for the suspect wanted in a highway shooting spree stretched into its fifth day as authorities said they believe he retreated deep into a forested swath of southeastern Kentucky with no indication he has fled elsewhere. “There’s so many people that have eyes on this investigation around the world that now we should have gotten a pretty good tip that he exited the woods,” Pennington told reporters 72 hours into the operation. Amid the search, authorities went to his home in Woodbine, about 23 miles from the shooting site, to collect evidence. The search by foot remains daunting, Pennington said, as temperatures have stayed above 80 degrees during the day. “I hope he doesn’t have water, and I hope he doesn’t have food," Pennington said at a news conference Tuesday.

Persons: Joseph A ., Couch, Scottie Pennington, “, ”, “ I’m, ” Couch, Gilbert Acciardo, ” Acciardo, Daniel Boone, ” Pennington, London Mayor Randall Weddle, Pennington Organizations: Army, Kentucky State Police, Toyota, . Forest Service, Daniel Boone National, Target Firearms, NBC, Army Reserve, London Mayor, NBC News Locations: Kentucky, Laurel County, London, Laurel, Daniel Boone National Forest, Woodbine

☆ Fugitive accused of opening fire near Kentucky highway had sent text saying 'I'm going to kill a lot of people,' authorities say
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-09 | by ( Marlene Lenthang | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Dennis-Romero-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

They Laurel County Sheriff’s Office identified them Monday as Rebecca Puyear, Norma Liberia, Renee Walker, Janet Booth and Erick Tavin. Couch has been charged with five counts of attempted murder and five counts of first-degree assault, according to an arrest warrant. Couch had served in the Army Reserve and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, Weddle told NBC News on Monday. An AR-15, believed to have been used in the shooting, was found near Couch’s vehicle, which was found near the scene Saturday night. Investigators interviewed the woman Sunday, and she showed a screenshot of that text that read, in part, “I’m going to kill a lot of people.

Persons: Joseph A ., ”, Rebecca Puyear, Norma Liberia, Renee Walker, Janet Booth, Erick Tavin, Couch, “, Jackie Steele, London Mayor Randall Weddle, Weddle, Timothy D, Laurel, “ I’m, …, didn't, Sheriff’s Capt, Richard Dalrymple, Sheriff John Root, Joseph, Steele, ” Weddle Organizations: Sheriff’s Office, Judicial, NBC News, London Mayor, Army Reserve, NBC, Dispatch, Easley, Sheriff, Kentucky State Police, Army, Reserve, Laurel County Public Schools, White Locations: Kentucky, London, Laurel, Livingston, Ky, Laurel County

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