Two Middletown men are now facing charges after the body of a pregnant woman was discovered in a plastic tote near Dayton, adding a somber chapter to the community's crime narrative. The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office revealed details surrounding the grim find of Brittany Fuhr-Storms, 28, last Sunday night in Jackson Township. The body of Fuhr-Storms, confirmed to have been pregnant at the time of her death, was inside a tote along Fort Anthony Road, as reported by LOCAL12.
James Rothenbusch of Middletown faces a litany of charges, including corrupting another with drugs, trafficking in drugs, and gross abuse of a corpse. Following a search warrant executed at Rothenbusch's residence, where narcotics and indications of his involvement in Fuhr-Storms' death were unveiled, Rothenbusch admitted to having knowingly kept her body at his home for four days, WLWT reports. A second suspect, Rick Sheppard, was also implicated and is reportedly facing charges of abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence, both suspects being aware of Fuhr-Storms' pregnancy, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office.
An autopsy conducted by the Montgomery County Coroner's Office confirmed the state of pregnancy, elevating the case's gravity. The subsequent investigation, aided by the coroner's findings, led to a coordinated effort between the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office and the Middletown Division of Police in tracing her last known address to Franklin, Ohio. This cooperation helped pin down the suspects and shed light on the circumstances preceding the disposal of Fuhr-Storms' body.
Upon interrogation, Sheppard confirmed to authorities that the woman had died at the residence and remained there nearly a week before being disposed of, which he disclosed during an interview with investigators. He currently faces charges for his involvement, as stated by FOX19. Further investigation is likely to continue as officials piece together the full timeline and motive behind this harrowing incident.
