BUTLER COUNTY — Two men are facing formal charges in the case involving the death of a pregnant woman whose body was found in rural Montgomery County last month.
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Ricky Sheppard, 47, and James Rothenbusch, 52, were both indicted last week on tampering with evidence and gross abuse of a corpse charges, according to Butler County Common Pleas Court records.
Rothenbusch was also indicted on two drug-related charges and failure to report knowledge of a death.
Both men were arrested during an investigation into the death of 28-year-old Brittany Fuhr-Storms.
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As News Center 7 previously reported, her body was found in a plastic tote sealed with wood screws in the area on Manning Road and Anthony Road near Twin Creek in Jackson Township on Aug. 3.
Investigators revealed that Fuhr-Storms had been pregnant when she died.
A joint investigation between the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and Middletown Police led investigators to an apartment in Middletown, where investigators believe Fuhr-Storms visited two men and later died.
A search warrant was executed at Rotherbusch’s apartment. He was detained at the scene.
While investigators were in his residence, they saw items related to the death investigation, which led to a second search warrant.
The search warrant shows what police found around the apartment — a suspected blood stain on the carpet, a blue tarp, screws, and a set of towels that match the description of the ones found with Fuhr-Storm’s body.
While being interviewed by investigators, Rotherbusch said Fuhr-Storms had died under suspicious circumstances in his home.
He also admitted to keeping her body in the residence for around four days.
A second suspect, Rick Sheppard, was later located in Middletown.
He told investigators that Fuhr-Storm died in the home, but he said she stayed in the house for nearly a week before being left in Jackson Twp.
“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, of Middletown Police, previously said.
Both Rotherbusch and Sheppard admitted to knowing she was pregnant, investigators confirmed.
News Center 7 checked again on Monday, but was told the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office is still working to determine her cause and manner of death.
Both Sheppard and Rothenbusch remain booked in the Butler County Jail. They are scheduled to appear in court next month.
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