A pregnant Ohio woman’s body was found stuffed inside a plastic bin on the side of a rural country road, leading to the arrest of two suspects.
Two hikers walking along Fort Anthony Road in Jackson Township on Aug. 7 discovered the body of 28-year-old Brittany Fuhr-Storms, wrapped in towels and a tarp inside a large plastic storage tote, after noticing a strong odor, WHIO reported.
“I didn’t want to open it,” one of the hikers who called 911 told the operator. “The smell was so bad, you know, I mean there’s a difference between dead smells and this is not a normal dead smell.”
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into the grim discovery, and an autopsy revealed that Fuhr-Storms had been pregnant when she died.
The investigation led law enforcement to Fuhr-Storms’ last known address in Middletown, where she had met with two men, according to WHIO.
Police then executed a search warrant on the apartment and arrested James Rotherbusch.
Inside, police reported finding a blood stain on the carpet, a blue tarp, screws, and towels matching the description of those wrapped around the pregnant victim’s body.
Rotherbusch, 52, told investigators Fuhr-Storms died under suspicious circumstances in his home and that he left her body there for a week before moving it to the roadside bin.
“Left Brittany’s body in the shower of the home for several days before putting her body in a tote and driving it out to Fort Anthony Road,” Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Chief of Staff Jeremy Roy said during a press conference.
Investigators also collected narcotics and other drug paraphernalia from inside his apartment.
Following Rotherbusch’s arrest, police located a second suspect in Middletown, Ricky J. Sheppard.
Sheppard, 47, “attempted to flee but was quickly apprehended and detained,” deputies said, according to Fox 19.
Sheppard told investigators Fuhr-Storms died of an overdose and that her body was dumped about a week later.
“He later stated that the deceased died from a drug overdose and she remained in the house for approximately a week,” Deputy Chief Ryan Morgan shared.
Both men allegedly told police they were aware she was pregnant.
The coroner’s office has not determined Fuhr-Storms’ cause and manner of death.
The suspects have both been charged with gross abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence.
Rotherbusch is also facing additional charges of corrupting another with drugs, trafficking drugs, possession of drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia, and failure to report a crime or death.
Roy praised local law enforcement for coming together to nab the suspects.
“Everybody dropped everything as they should when you find out that a mother-to-be was just dumped on the side of the road,’ he said.
“You don’t always get that cooperation all the time around the US and in Ohio, but in this case you kind of have to tip your hat.”
However, the disturbing crime has left neighbors in shock.
“I had no clue,” Cody Lewis told Fox 19. “I had no clue something like that was happening right next door.”
