OAN Staff Jenna Lee
5:35 PM – Thursday, May 7, 2026
The Stewart County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that Craig Berry, a U.S. Special Forces veteran who was the subject of an intensive manhunt, was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Following a violent domestic incident, Berry, 53, faced several felony charges, including attempted second-degree murder, aggravated assault, and domestic assault.
Trending: ‘There Are No Words’: 6th Grader Dies on School Trip
These charges stemmed from an encounter where he allegedly opened fire on his wife. Although she was struck by the gunfire, she managed to escape and survive the attack. Additionally, authorities cited him for leaving the scene of an accident following the initial confrontation.
In an effort to escape a domestic confrontation, Berry’s wife — whose name has not been publicly released — attempted to flee the scene in her vehicle.
As she drove away, Berry reportedly fired multiple shots at her and then pursued her in his own vehicle until he crashed. Although the victim was initially hospitalized with injuries described by Stewart County Sheriff Frankie Gray as “life-threatening,” she was later stabilized and released.
Berry was an infantryman and Special Forces medical sergeant in the Army from 1992 to 2016. He left the Army as a sergeant first class and was deployed to Iraq four times from 2003 to 2014, according to an Army spokesperson speaking to Fox News.
During the ongoing search, officials noted that Berry had “extensive training in survival tactics” and was an “excellent swimmer and diver.” They also warned that he was “armed and dangerous,” vanishing with at least one handgun with extra ammunition.
Following the incident, Stewart County Schools issued a statement via Facebook clarifying that Berry’s wife is a member of their faculty. The district’s post identified her as a local schoolteacher, prompting an outpouring of support from the community as she recovers from the attack.
“We are aware of a serious incident involving one of our staff members. We understand this news may be upsetting to students, staff, and families. Please know that this incident did not occur on school grounds, and there is no ongoing threat to our schools. Our thoughts are with our staff member and her loved ones during this time. We will continue to respect her privacy,” said the district.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news alerts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
What do YOU think? Click here to jump to the comments!
Join the conversation!
Please share your thoughts about this article below. We value your opinions, and would love to see you add to the discussion!