Daijiworld Media Network - Tennessee
Tennessee, May 7: A retired special forces veteran accused of shooting his wife before fleeing into a wooded area in northwest Tennessee was found dead on Wednesday, bringing an end to a week-long manhunt, officials said.
The U.S. Marshals Service confirmed that Craig Mark Berry was deceased and no longer posed a threat to the public.
According to the Stewart County Sheriff’s Office, Berry appeared to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His body was located during a search operation conducted by the sheriff’s tactical unit along with agents from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
The search for Berry began in the early hours of May 1 after deputies responded to reports of a shooting at a residence in Dover, Tennessee, around 1:30 am.
Authorities alleged that Berry shot his wife as she attempted to flee the scene in her vehicle. Officials said Berry then pursued her in his truck before crashing and severely damaging the vehicle.
Despite sustaining serious injuries, Berry’s wife survived the attack and was admitted to a medical facility for treatment. Stewart County Sheriff Frankie Gray said on Tuesday that she had since been discharged after recovering from what were initially described as life-threatening injuries.
Investigators said Berry was last seen wearing camouflage clothing near River Trace Road before escaping into a nearby wooded area following the shooting.
Berry had been facing charges including attempted second-degree murder, aggravated assault, domestic assault and leaving the scene of an accident.
Officials described Berry as a retired special forces veteran with extensive survival training. Authorities had earlier warned that he was an excellent swimmer and diver, physically fit and potentially armed with multiple weapons, including at least one handgun, an automatic weapon and additional ammunition.
The U.S. Marshals Service had joined local law enforcement agencies in the search effort by air and land. A reward of up to USD 5,000 had also been announced for information leading to Berry’s arrest.
While investigators have not confirmed a motive behind the shooting, Sheriff Gray stated that authorities were examining possible financial issues between the couple but declined to speculate further.