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Suspect Charged with First-Degree Murder Following Hatchet Attack in Tucson
Two weeks after a brutal hatchet attack left a man critically injured at a Tucson, Arizona, bus stop, the suspect is now facing charges of first-degree murder. The incident, which occurred on April 5, targeted Jacob Couch, 32, while he was sitting with his wife, Kristen, during a stop on their bus journey home.
Initially, Daniel Michael, 25, was charged with aggravated assault involving a deadly weapon and aggravated assault causing serious injury. However, following Couch’s death on Friday due to his injuries, the Tucson Police Department announced on Saturday that Michael would now be charged with first-degree murder.
“He’s got the biggest heart that I believe I’ve ever met,” Luke Couch, Jacob’s younger brother, shared with Fox News Digital earlier in the month. “He was just a caring person who loved his family deeply.” Jacob Couch was mourning the loss of his stillborn son with his wife when they decided to travel back to their hometown of Arab, Alabama.
According to Luke, the couple had been taking a bus cross-country and made a stop in Tucson when the altercation occurred. He recounted that an unidentified man had urged them to leave the bus. Jacob responded by telling the man to mind his own business, but the situation escalated as the suspect grew increasingly agitated. Kristen subsequently informed the man that they would be vacating their seats.
“When Jacob bent down to pick up his belongings, the man approached from behind and swung a hatchet at him,” Luke explained. Witnesses described seeing the assailant raise the weapon above his head before striking.
Following the attack at around 10 a.m., Michael fled the scene but was apprehended by law enforcement three days later at his home.
During his advisory bond hearing, Michael’s attorney suggested the possibility of self-defense. However, Luke Couch rejected this claim, highlighting that his brother was attacked while he was vulnerable and bent over. “He was ambushed from behind; that is far from a case of self-defense,” Luke remarked, emphasizing the lack of evidence supporting the defense’s argument.
The emotional impact of the incident weighs heavily on the Couch family. “I want to make sure this man never does this again and that no other family has to endure what we have,” Luke said, reflecting on the pain of seeing his brother incapacitated in a hospital bed. He emphasized his brother’s protective nature and the deep bond they shared, expressing a desire for swift justice.
Tragically, Jacob Couch was a father to a 15-year-old girl, intensifying the family’s grief and their resolve to seek justice in the wake of this devastating event.
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