A special forces veteran accused of shooting his wife in Tennessee has been found dead after a dayslong manhunt.
Craig Berry, 53, got into an argument with his wife early Friday morning at their home in Dover before shooting her and fleeing into the woods, according to authorities.
The Stewart County Sheriff’s Office, along with the help of state and federal officials, spent nearly a week desperately searching for Berry, who was wanted for attempted second-degree murder, among other charges.
The sheriff’s office announced Wednesday afternoon that its SWAT team and agents from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation found Berry’s body.
“Initial indications show he died due a self inflicted gunshot wound,” the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post.
The U.S. Marshals Service, which assisted in the search, confirmed to The Independent that Berry was dead and “no longer a threat to the public.”
Berry was armed with at least one handgun and was believed to have extra ammunition on him when he fled, the sheriff’s office previously said.
Stewart County Sheriff Frankie Gray said Tuesday that Berry’s wife overcame her “life-threatening” injuries and that she was released from the hospital, per NBC News.
Berry’s wife said her husband beat and tried to strangle her during an argument that got physical, CNN reported, citing an arrest warrant affidavit.
She ran to her car, and that’s when Berry shot at her neck, the affidavit said. But she still drove away, according to authorities. Berry tried to chase her in his truck, but he crashed it, the affidavit said.
The Marshals Service had offered a $5,000 reward for Berry’s capture. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation offered its own $2,500 reward for information leading to his arrest.
Berry faced charges of attempted murder, domestic assault, aggravated assault and leaving the scene of an accident, CNN reported, citing court documents.
During the search, Berry was seen on a trail camera wearing camouflage clothing. Authorities said he had extensive training in survival tactics.
“He is an excellent swimmer and diver, and is in good physical shape,” the sheriff’s office said Monday on Facebook.
Search teams were also challenged by steep hills, deep ravines, heavy rainfall and pests such as snakes and ticks, Sheriff Gray told CNN.
The Marshals Service told The Independent it was “proud to have assisted in the search for this violent criminal with our federal, state, and local partners.”
