
Background: News footage of James Rothenbusch during his sentencing proceeding connected Feb. 12 (WLWT). Inset: Brittany Fuhr-Storms (GoFundMe).
One of 3 Ohio men facing charges for trying to screen up the decease of a large woman has been sentenced to prison.
James Rothenbusch, 52, pleaded guilty to complicity to tampering with grounds successful transportation with the decease of 28-year-old Brittany Fuhr-Storms. During a proceeding connected Thursday, a justice sentenced him to 30 months successful situation for the crime, which was uncovered connected Aug. 3, 2025, erstwhile Fuhr-Storms' body was recovered stuffed successful a retention tote successful a wooded area. Fuhr-Storms was large astatine the clip of her death, which authorities said was owed to an "alleged overdose."
Rothenbusch was charged, on with 47-year-old Rick Sheppard and 44-year-old Walter Wade, who are expected to spell connected proceedings adjacent month. Authorities said the men failed to study Fuhr-Storms' decease aft she died successful a Middletown, Ohio, location that was connected to Rothenbusch and Sheppard.
As Law&Crime antecedently reported, Sheppard told constabulary that helium and Rothenbusch kept Fuhr-Storms' assemblage successful the bathtub of the location for 4 days aft she died. Her bare assemblage was recovered "wrapped successful towels and a tarp" wrong a integrative retention tote that was sealed unopen with screws. The tote was dumped successful a wooded country successful neighboring Montgomery County.
During his sentencing, Rothenbusch told the judge that helium was precocious connected methamphetamine astatine the clip of Fuhr-Storms' decease and "just didn't cognize what to do. I was frightened to death."
Rothenbusch was remorseful during the proceeding and apologized for his actions. Fuhr-Storms' brother, Nathan Isaacs, was not instantly forgiving. When helium spoke, helium told the court, "She died successful his location with my nephew," and alternatively of celebrating the commencement of her babe lad and her birthday, the household had to program a funeral.
Isaacs said, "The information that that idiosyncratic did not telephone erstwhile that happened, and she laid successful there, successful that tub for a fewer days, and they planned connected doing God knows what to her body, and to dispose of her assemblage successful a tote tells maine that they're blameworthy of truthful overmuch more."
Rothenbusch was primitively charged with tampering with evidence, complicity to tampering with evidence, corrupting different with drugs, aggravated possession of drugs, and nonaccomplishment to study cognition of a death. All but the complicity complaint were dropped arsenic portion of the plea agreement.
Sheppard and Wade were some charged with gross maltreatment of a corpse and tampering with evidence. Wade is scheduled to spell connected proceedings connected March 9; Sheppard's proceedings is scheduled for March 16.

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