Police believe Craig Berry, 53, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound
Credit: Stewart County Sheriffs Office Facebook
NEED TO KNOW
- The body of a special forces veteran who allegedly shot his wife has been found after an extensive manhunt
- Authorities found Craig Berry’s body on Wednesday, May 6, almost a week after he fled his home
- Police believe Berry died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound
A special forces veteran who was accused of shooting his wife has been found dead.
Craig Berry, 53, was wanted on suspicion of attempted second-degree murder after he allegedly attacked and shot his wife at their home in Dover, Tenn., on the night of April 30, PEOPLE previously reported. He fled their home a few hours later, in the early hours of Friday, May 1, leading authorities on a manhunt through the Tennessee woods.
His body was found on Wednesday, May 6, according to police.
In a statement on Thursday, Deputy United States Marshal Christian A. Marrero told PEOPLE, "We can confirm Craig Mark Berry is deceased and no longer a threat to the public. The United States Marshals Service Middle District of Tennessee is proud to have assisted in the search for this violent criminal with our federal, state, and local partners."
Credit: Stewart County Sheriffs Office Facebook
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"Initial indications show he died due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound," the Stewart County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. His body will be sent to a medical examiner to officially determine the cause of death, according to local outlet WTVF.
Berry's body was found a few miles from his home, not far from the area where trail cameras captured him running into the woods in his last known sighting, Stewart County Sheriff Frankie Gray told CNN.
He was found about a quarter of a mile from his in-laws' house, but Gray told the outlet he didn't think Berry was planning on going there to harm them. The former infantryman and special forces medical sergeant also called his parents, who cooperated with authorities, before he was found by authorities.
Credit: Stewart County Sheriffs Office Facebook
Based on his body's decomposition, it's thought Berry died not long after he left his home, according to Gray. Gray explained that when heat detection planes searched the area the next day, "his body temperature would have dropped low enough where we wouldn't have picked that up."
Credit: Stewart County Sheriffs Office Facebook
Per WTVF, officers found Berry with a single weapon and a supply of ammunition. They said there was no indication anyone else had helped him after he fled the house.
The disappearance of Berry, who authorities previously said had "extensive training in survival tactics" due to his military background, prompted a manhunt with agencies including the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Marshals and Stewart County Sheriff's Office involved.
Credit: Stewart County Sheriff’s Office
Along with second-degree attempted murder, Berry faced charges of domestic assault, aggravated assault and leaving the scene of an accident, according to court documents, per CNN.
The outlet reported that Berry's wife told officers her husband allegedly beat her and tried to strangle her at about 11:30 p.m. local time on the night of the incident. She was able to get into her car, but Berry allegedly shot her as she tried to escape.
She suffered a neck wound, but has been released from the hospital and is expected to recover, Gray told CNN.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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