A survival expert told Newsweek that shooting suspect Joseph A. Couch could survive “a very long time” in the Kentucky woodlands as the manhunt enters its fourth day.
Schools remained closed as the community remains in terror while the massive search continues. A $25,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of Couch, who shot into at least a dozen vehicles about “30-feet down from the top of a cliff” near Interstate 75 on Saturday.
Five people were injured in the shooting and an additional two were injured in a subsequent car accident. Officials from multiple agencies using K9s and drones are searching a heavily wooded area where they believe Couch is hiding.
Survival expert Creek Sullivan spoke to Newsweek about the conditions Couch is facing in the wilderness.
“If I were to pick a spot and a time of year to evade authorities, it would be right now in the eastern woodlands of Kentucky,” Sullivan said.
Knox County Sheriff’s Department and Trooper Scottie Pennington
He explained several factors that make conditions in this location optimal during this time of year.
“He doesn’t really need a shelter because it’s nice and warm, even at night,” Sullivan said. “There’s plenty of water in the eastern woodlands. There’s plenty of food in the eastern woodlands this time of year. There’s a lot of nuts, nutritious nuts and seeds and acorns, even several fruits ripening.”
Sullivan identified other sources of food Couch could be surviving off of.
“There are many roots and kinds of wild edible plants that can be eaten as vegetables that are available this time of year,” Sullivan said. “Really easy, easy food items that require very little skills would be crayfish and small critters like frogs, bullfrogs and snakes. Those things are very easy to catch and plentiful in those areas.”
While there are factors that work in Couch’s favor, he still faces some significant risks, according to Sullivan.
Camden Mink/Mount Vernon Fire Departmen/Associated Press
“If he has fire, he might be boiling water. But my gut tells me he’s just drinking water out of open water sources, which can lead to waterborne illness like giardia, cryptosporidium and things like that that could potentially make him sick,” Sullivan said. “I would say from a survival perspective, that’s probably his greatest risk. If he’s not boiling water, he could potentially get sick within a few days and that can be fatal in the wilderness if you don’t have medical attention.”
He said another medical issue is sustaining an injury while in the wilderness.
“It makes everything more difficult and slower to begin with, but the real threat is infection,” Sullivan said. “So, in that area, in these temperatures, without antibiotics and without a means to really clean wounds, if it’s an open wound or a fracture, then infection can set in within a matter of days and that can be absolutely fatal.”
Sullivan also explained the difficulties officials are facing as they attempt to search a heavily wooded area.
AP
“Kentucky, in particular, is notorious for dense, deciduous forests, very dense vegetation, but that is also combined with incredibly varied terrain,” Sullivan said. “We’ve got foothills, we’ve got cliffs, we’ve got valleys, we’ve got a lot of rivers and streams.”
Sullivan said it is likely that the suspect is remaining in one area.
“It’s going to be very difficult for him to travel, just as it is for them to travel and search,” Sullivan said. “So my gut feeling is that he is holed up in an area that is close to water, because that’s his number one survival need right now.”
Anyone with information should contact Kentucky State Police Post 11 London at 606-878-6622, Crime Stoppers at 606-682-1013, County Communication at 606-878-7000 or Laurel County Sheriff’s Office at 606-864-6600.
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