Law enforcement has launched a large-scale manhunt in rural Stewart County, Tennessee, after a retired Special Forces veteran, Craig Berry, allegedly shot his wife and slipped into dense woods along the Tennessee-Kentucky border; authorities warn he is armed, trained in survival tactics and should be considered dangerous.
Deputies responded early Sunday to a home near Old Paris Highway after the reported shooting and the victim was taken to a hospital for treatment. Berry, 44, is now wanted on a charge of second-degree attempted murder and is believed to have fled on foot into the surrounding timber before officers arrived.
Berry’s military background and extensive survival training have complicated the search, and investigators have treated him as a highly capable fugitive who knows the landscape well. “He is very familiar with the area,” Sheriff Gray said, highlighting officials’ concern about his ability to evade capture.
Search teams say a trail camera caught a photo of Berry wearing camouflage and that K-9 units last tracked him near River Trace Road, though his exact location is now uncertain. The operation initially focused on the scene around Old Paris Highway but has steadily widened into rugged corridors near Gray’s Landing and stretches along highways 232 and 79.
The response has grown to include the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Marshals Service alongside local deputies. Authorities have shifted tactics from broad woodland sweeps to more targeted searches, following new leads and focusing resources where evidence points.
Officials say Berry is believed to be armed with at least one handgun and may be carrying additional ammunition, making any encounter potentially deadly. The sheriff’s office warned residents to keep doors locked, stay vigilant and immediately report suspicious activity, and the public is urged to assist where safe.
GOT A TIP? Property owners are being asked to check trail cameras and report photographs that might show the suspect, as investigators think Berry may still be moving through rural properties. Law enforcement is also relying on tips from residents and routine patrols to narrow search areas.
Investigators describe Berry as physically fit and comfortable in rough terrain, with the ability to navigate waterways and swim if needed. They also say he does not appear to have a working phone or other electronic means of communication, which limits options for tracking him remotely and raises concerns he could be receiving outside help.
Authorities have repeatedly warned people not to approach Berry if they see him and to call 911 immediately if there is a confirmed sighting. “We have no information that he is no longer in the area,” the sheriff’s office said in its latest update, underscoring that the search is ongoing and that the suspect remains a live threat.
For now, law enforcement continues to comb the landscape with a mix of specialized teams, scent-tracking units and targeted follow-ups, asking anyone with information to come forward to help bring the situation to a safer close. Residents in the affected areas are advised to remain alert, secure their homes and contact authorities with any credible leads without confronting the suspect themselves.
