Third suspect indicted in connection with pregnant woman found in sealed plastic tote after dying under 'suspicious' circumstances

A 3rd fishy was arrested months aft a large Ohio pistillate was recovered dormant successful a integrative tote.

Walter Wade, 44, was indicted connected Tuesday connected charges of maltreatment of a corpse and tampering with grounds successful transportation with the decease of 28-year-old Brittany Fuhr-Storms. Fuhr-Storms' assemblage was found connected Aug. 3, bare and "wrapped successful towels and a tarp" wrong a sealed, integrative retention tote. While the coroner listed her origin of decease arsenic undetermined, 2 men — James Rothenbusch, 52, and Rick Sheppard, 47 — were arrested successful transportation with her decease investigation.

Police said Sheppard told them she died of an "alleged overdose" and that her assemblage was kept successful the ablution for 4 days earlier they allegedly attempted to dispose of her. Both Sheppard and Rothenbusch told constabulary that they knew she was pregnant erstwhile she died.

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As Law&Crime antecedently reported, Sheppard and Rothenbusch were connected instrumentality enforcement's radar earlier Fuhr-Storms' assemblage was found. Authorities from the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office said astatine a property league astatine the clip of their arrests connected Aug. 5 that some suspects were being investigated connected suspicion of narcotics. A hunt warrant successful transportation with the narcotics probe allegedly yielded grounds related to the decease investigation.

According to a hunt warrant obtained by section CBS affiliate WHIO, police officers who searched Sheppard and Rothenbusch's apartment successful Middletown recovered humor connected the carpet, screws, a bluish tarp, and towels that matched the ones Fuhr-Storms' assemblage was allegedly wrapped in. Police besides allegedly recovered fentanyl and different cause paraphernalia.

Police said that Fuhr-Storms' lawsuit was considered a "suspicious death." Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Chief of Staff Jeremy Roy said, "The information of the substance is, these gentlemen person immoderate guys successful custody that were determination astatine the clip she died. That's a problem. They don't person immoderate 911 calls, they don't person anybody going for help. That's an issue."

More from Law&Crime: Pregnant pistillate recovered stuffed successful sealed retention tote was kept successful suspect's ablution for 4 days aft dying nether 'suspicious circumstances': Police

During a court hearing connected Thursday that was covered by Journal-News, a section quality outlet, Fuhr-Storms' member asked the justice to acceptable a precocious enslaved for Wade, calling him a information to the community. Wade's enslaved was acceptable astatine $45,000. He is presently successful custody astatine Butler County Jail. His adjacent tribunal day was scheduled for Dec. 18.

Rothenbusch was charged with corrupting a large pistillate with drugs, tampering with evidence, gross maltreatment of a corpse, cause trafficking, and cause possession, positive misdemeanor charges of nonaccomplishment to study a transgression oregon decease and possession of cause paraphernalia. He is scheduled to spell connected proceedings connected Jan. 12, 2026.

Sheppard was charged with maltreatment of a corpse and tampering with evidence. His proceedings is scheduled for Feb. 2, 2026.