Authorities say the body was left in an apartment for days before being dumped along a rural road.
The quiet backroads of Jackson Township, Ohio, became the scene of a horrific discovery last week when two hikers stumbled upon the body of a pregnant woman stuffed inside a large plastic storage tote.
The victim, 28-year-old Brittany Fuhr-Storms, was found on Aug. 7 wrapped in towels and a tarp. The smell of decay had been so strong that one of the hikers later told 911 dispatchers:
“The smell was so bad… there’s a difference between dead smells and this is not a normal dead smell.”
From a Country Road to a Murder Investigation
The discovery triggered a rapid investigation by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. An autopsy revealed Brittany was pregnant at the time of her death, intensifying the urgency of the case.
Detectives soon traced her final known whereabouts to an apartment in Middletown, where she had reportedly met with two men.
A search warrant led police inside the home of James Rotherbusch, 52, where they say they found:
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A large blue tarp
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Towels matching those found on the victim
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Screws
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A bloodstain on the carpet
Narcotics and other drug paraphernalia were also seized.
The Suspects’ Disturbing Accounts
Investigators say Rotherbusch admitted that Brittany had died under “suspicious circumstances” inside his apartment.
According to Jeremy Roy, the Sheriff’s Office chief of staff:
“He left Brittany’s body in the shower for several days before putting her in a tote and driving her out to Fort Anthony Road.”
Police say her body remained in the apartment for close to a week before being dumped.
A second suspect, Ricky J. Sheppard, 47, was later found nearby in Middletown. Authorities say he tried to flee but was quickly apprehended. Sheppard allegedly told investigators Brittany died of a drug overdose — and admitted knowing she was pregnant.
Charges and Ongoing Questions
Both Rotherbusch and Sheppard face charges of:
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Gross abuse of a corpse
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Tampering with evidence
Rotherbusch also faces multiple drug-related charges, including corrupting another with drugs, drug trafficking, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The coroner’s office has not yet determined Brittany’s exact cause and manner of death, leaving the possibility of additional charges open.
A Community in Shock
For Middletown locals, the case is deeply unsettling. Neighbor Cody Lewis told reporters:
“I had no clue… I had no clue something like that was happening right next door.”
Sheriff’s officials praised the coordination between law enforcement agencies in the swift arrests. Roy said:
“Everybody dropped everything… when you find out that a mother-to-be was just dumped on the side of the road… you have to tip your hat.”
A Broader Tragedy
Cases like this — where pregnant women become victims of violent or suspicious deaths — carry heightened legal and emotional weight in the U.S. In some states, killing a pregnant woman can lead to additional charges related to the unborn child.
In Ohio, while fetal homicide laws exist, prosecutors typically wait for definitive cause-of-death results before pursuing such charges.
The Next Steps
Both suspects remain in custody as detectives await the coroner’s report. Authorities have not disclosed whether the pregnancy will play a role in future charges.
For now, Brittany’s family is left grieving not just the loss of a daughter, but also the unborn child who will never be born.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help cover funeral expenses.
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