Crime
Four Victims Released from Hospital Following Kentucky I-75 Shooting
The manhunt for Joseph Couch continues.
Four of the five victims injured in the recent shooting on I-75 have been released from the hospital. Rebecca Puryear, Norma Liberia, Renee Walker, and Janet Booth have all been discharged.
The fifth victim, Erick Tavin, is expected to survive and remains hospitalized.
The grueling manhunt for Joseph Couch has stretched into its sixth day.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear visited Laurel County on Thursday as law enforcement intensifies their search for the I-75 interstate shooter, Joseph Couch.
The manhunt for the 32-year-old suspect has entered its sixth day. Couch is accused of firing at least 20-30 rounds at passing vehicles on Sunday, injuring five people.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Couch sent a text message threatening to “kill a lot of people” approximately 30 minutes before the shooting. Another message indicated he planned to take his own life afterward. The affidavit did not reveal the identity of the recipient.
Thankfully, all five victims are expected to survive. Four have already been released from the hospital, while one remains hospitalized but in stable condition.
“We’re incredibly grateful that everyone will recover,” Governor Beshear stated during his visit, expressing empathy for those affected by the violence. “[Mass shootings are] something no one wants to go through.”
Newly released 911 calls depict the chaotic scene on the interstate. Callers reported multiple gunshot victims with injuries ranging from gunshot wounds to the windshield to hits in the face, chest, hip, and elbow.
The search for Couch is concentrated in a rugged, hilly area near the crime scene. Authorities recovered his SUV with a rifle case near the interstate and later located a semi-automatic weapon believed to be the weapon used in the shooting. A phone believed to be Couch’s was also found, but the battery had been removed.
Prior to the incident, Couch resided in Woodbine, a small community about 20 miles south of the shooting.
“There’s a sense of fear in the community right now,” acknowledged Michael Stansburgy, special agent in charge of the FBI Louisville Field Office. “This is a rare and unsettling event.”
The shooting also impacted nearby businesses. WarZone Paintball, located close to the scene, was forced to lockdown a group of customers who were outdoors during the attack.
“Everyone was terrified,” recounted Andrea Chavez, manager of WarZone Paintball. “People were reaching out to loved ones, just trying to let them know they were safe.”
A witness to the shooting, Christina DiNoto, shared her ongoing emotional distress after the traumatic experience.
The search for Joseph Couch remains ongoing, and law enforcement is utilizing all available resources to apprehend him.
Crime
18-year-old Kyler Naely charged for the murder in shooting death of 16-year-old Ja’Tycie Williams
An 18-year-old suspect has been arrested and charged in a deadly shooting that occurred in October, which claimed the life of a 16-year-old and injured another.
The incident began on October 6, 2024, shortly after 12:45 a.m., when officers were called to a shooting on I-244 near Yale Avenue.
Upon arrival, they discovered a gray SUV riddled with bullet holes and shattered windows. Investigators determined that seven people were inside the vehicle at the time of the shooting.
Two occupants of the vehicle suffered gunshot wounds.
One victim, 16-year-old Ja’Tycie Williams, sustained critical injuries and succumbed to them several weeks later. The other victim suffered a minor gunshot wound to the arm and survived.
Preliminary investigations revealed the incident was linked to a fight at the Tulsa State Fair earlier that evening.
Witnesses reported that the altercation, which occurred as the group was leaving the fairgrounds, likely escalated into the highway shooting.
Following an in-depth investigation, Tulsa Police Homicide Detectives identified 18-year-old Kyler Naely as the suspect responsible for the shooting.
On November 19, 2024, Naely was arrested, charged with first-degree murder, and booked into the Tulsa County Jail.
Authorities emphasize that the case remains under investigation and are urging anyone with additional information to contact Tulsa Crime Stoppers at 918-596-COPS. Callers can remain anonymous.