Alabama Man Dies After Brutal Hatchet Attack at Tucson Bus Stop; Suspect Arrested and Charged with First-Degree Murder in Unprovoked Assault
TUCSON, AZ — A devastating and senseless act of violence has claimed the life of 32-year-old Jacob Couch, a husband and Alabama native, who succumbed to his injuries on April 17, 2025. The tragic incident occurred earlier this month, on April 5, when Couch was brutally attacked with a hatchet while waiting at a bus stop in downtown Tucson, Arizona.
Jacob and his wife, Kristen Couch, were en route from Los Angeles back to Alabama when they made a brief stop in Tucson. The couple had paused at the intersection of 6th Avenue and Broadway Boulevard — a normally busy transit area — when the unthinkable happened. According to police reports and eyewitness accounts, 25-year-old Daniel Michael allegedly approached Jacob without warning and violently struck him in the neck with a hatchet.
The unprovoked attack left Jacob critically injured. First responders arrived quickly on scene and transported him to a nearby hospital where he underwent emergency surgery and was placed in intensive care. He remained in critical condition for nearly two weeks before ultimately passing away from his injuries.
Kristen, who was at Jacob’s side during the attack, has been left heartbroken by the sudden loss of her husband and best friend. “We were just trying to get home,” she said in a statement. “Jacob was kind, gentle, and had the biggest heart. He didn’t deserve this.”
The suspect, Daniel Michael, was apprehended shortly after the assault and taken into custody by Tucson police. Authorities have charged him with first-degree murder following Jacob’s death. According to law enforcement, the attack appears to have been random and without any prior interaction between the two men.
Investigators are still working to determine a motive, and mental health evaluations have been ordered for Michael as part of the ongoing legal proceedings. He is currently being held without bond at the Pima County Jail.
Jacob Couch’s death has shocked both the Tucson and Alabama communities. Friends and family have remembered him as a warm, compassionate individual who loved his family deeply and had a passion for music and helping others. A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to assist Kristen with funeral expenses and medical bills accumulated during Jacob’s hospitalization.
“This is not just a tragedy for Kristen,” said a close family friend. “This is a tragedy for every person who believes in safety, kindness, and humanity. Jacob was someone you could count on — a light in this world.”
City officials in Tucson have acknowledged the need for increased safety measures in public areas and have vowed to review transit station security following this attack. Meanwhile, a memorial for Jacob is planned in his hometown in Alabama, where friends, family, and loved ones will gather to celebrate his life and mourn his tragic and untimely passing.
The investigation remains active, and authorities are urging anyone with additional information or who may have witnessed the incident to come forward.
Jacob Couch leaves behind his wife Kristen, loving relatives, and a host of friends who are now left grappling with the loss of a young life cut short in a brutal and unprovoked act of violence.