The Maine mass shooter’s body was discovered at the back of an industrial tractor trailer in an area that investigators admitted they previously ‘cleared’ twice. 

Robert Card, 40, was found at around 7pm on Friday evening by a recycling plant that he was recently fired from. 

Mike Sauschuck, Maine’s public safety commissioner, revealed in a Saturday morning press conference that the manhunt scoured the plant twice, but did not realize there was an overflow parking lot where Card was eventually found. 

He added that the search only returned to the area at the direction of the manager of the recycling plant.  

Sauschuck added that the manhunt, which lasted for over 48 hours, received 821 tips from the public as residents were left terrified when he was at large. 

Mike Sauschuck, Maine’s public safety commissioner, revealed in a Saturday morning press conference that the manhunt scoured the plant twice, but did not realize there was an overflow parking lot where Card was eventually found

Card’s body was discovered in the back of an industrial tractor trailer near a recycling plant that he was recently fired from 

Officials admitted they ‘cleared’ the area that the body was found twice before eventually finding him 

Army reservist Robert card, 40, killed 18 people and injured 13 others in a horrific mass shooting on Wednesday evening 

Much of the investigation has centered on potential motives for the massacre that killed 18 people, with Card’s history of mental illness cited after he previously reported hearing voices. 

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But Sauschuck appeared to dismiss this as the prime reason, and argued that he knows many local police officers with mental health diagnoses that are not a danger to their community. 

‘That’s something that is incredibly important to say and for me to say, and I find myself saying it on a regular basis, just because there appears to be a health nexus to this scenario,’ he continued. 

‘The vast, vast, vast majority of people with a health diagnosis will never hurt anybody.  They won’t hurt themselves. They are not a danger to the community. 

‘Based on percentages alone, there’s a bunch of folks in here that have a health diagnosis, I know law enforcement officers that have a health diagnosis, that doesn’t mean they’re a danger to the community.’ 

Sauschuck confirmed that cops found a firearm in Card’s vehicle when it was discovered hours after the mass shooting, but declined to elaborate on the make of gun other than describing it as a ‘long gun.’  

Police guard the scene close to the recycling plant in Lisbon Maine after the Body of Robert card is found

Officials are set to open mental health and trauma centers in the area, including a public facility for those not directly affected by the massacre but are affected by the traumatic incident. 

When the manhunt was ongoing, a search of a property linked to Card led investigators to find a suicide note inside. 

Sauschuck said the note was not ‘explicitly’ a suicide note, but the ‘tone’ of the letter was intended to be read after he was already dead. 

He added that it included aspects common in suicide notes, including how to access Card’s bank account and phone.