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
Anna Kepner Stepbrother Timothy Hudson Charged With Murder Months After Her Death Aboard Cruise Ship
Brevard County, Fla. — New court filings reveal that Timothy Hudson, the 16-year-old stepbrother of 18-year-old Anna Kepner has been charged with homicide in connection with her death, months after she was found deceased aboard a cruise ship during a family vacation.
Anna, a resident of Titusville, was discovered dead in her stateroom on November 7, 2025, while traveling with family aboard the Carnival Horizon.
According to court documents, her body was found under a bed in the cabin.
Filings state that she died from asphyxiation resulting from what was described as a “bar hold.”
Because Anna’s death occurred while the ship was in open water returning to Miami following a weeklong Caribbean cruise, the case is being prosecuted in federal court.
On February 20, Thomas Hudson filed an emergency petition in Brevard County seeking sole custody of his 9-year-old daughter, whom he shares with his ex-wife, Shauntel Hudson.
The child currently resides primarily with Shauntel and her husband, Chris Kepner—Anna’s father.
The petition asserts that there has been a “significant and unanticipated change in circumstances” warranting an immediate modification of parental responsibility and time-sharing arrangements. The filing references information circulating on social media from the Kepner family indicating that Anna’s 16-year-old stepbrother was charged with homicide on February 3 by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida.
The document further alleges that newly obtained information may call into question the judgment and parenting decisions within the household.
A law enforcement source confirmed that the 16-year-old appeared in federal court in Miami on February 6.
According to the source, U.S. Marshals escorted the teen to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, where he and a public defender appeared before a magistrate judge in a closed hearing.
Following the proceeding, Shauntel Hudson and Chris Kepner released a statement expressing frustration over the court’s decision to grant the teen release.
“At this time, it is deeply painful and disturbing to our family that the person responsible is able to walk freely. This reality adds to our grief and outrage,” the statement read in part. “It is devastating to know that while we live every day with the loss of our child, the individual responsible has not yet been fully held accountable.”
The homicide charge marks a significant development in a case that has drawn attention due to the location of the alleged crime and the family relationships involved.
Federal authorities continue to handle the prosecution, and additional court proceedings are expected as the case moves forward.
The investigation remains active.