Police in Jackson Township, Ohio, have arrested two men after the body of a pregnant woman was found stuffed inside a plastic tote left along Fort Anthony Road.
Authorities received a call just before 8 p.m. on August 3 reporting a foul odor coming from what appeared to be a cooler. One 911 caller told dispatchers, “I didn’t want to open it… there’s a difference between dead smells, and this was not normal.”
When officers arrived, they discovered a tote hidden behind a dirt hill with the lid screwed shut. Inside was the body of 28-year-old Brittany Fuhr-Storms, wrapped in a towel and tarp. An autopsy later confirmed she had been pregnant, and the unborn child did not survive.
Investigators traced the case to an apartment in Middletown, where Fuhr-Storms was last seen visiting two men. Inside the apartment, police found a suspected bloodstain on the carpet, a blue tarp, screws, and towels matching those used to wrap her body.
The tenant, James R. Rothenbusch, 52, was arrested at the scene, where officers also recovered drug paraphernalia. He allegedly admitted to drug trafficking and told police Fuhr-Storms died in his home under “suspicious circumstances.” Rothenbusch claimed her body was left in the shower for four days before disposal.
A second suspect, Ricky J. Sheppard, 47, was found nearby and attempted to flee before being caught. He allegedly said Fuhr-Storms died from an overdose and remained in the apartment for about a week before being moved. Both men admitted they knew she was pregnant.
Rothenbusch faces multiple felony charges, including corrupting another with drugs (involving a pregnant woman), tampering with evidence, gross abuse of a corpse, drug trafficking, and drug possession, as well as misdemeanor charges for failing to report a crime or death. Sheppard is charged with gross abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence.
Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Chief of Staff Jeremy Roy praised the swift cooperation between agencies, saying, “Everybody dropped everything when they found out a mother-to-be was just dumped on the side of the road.”
The cause of death is still under investigation as the coroner’s office conducts further tests. Fuhr-Storms’ family is now raising funds for her funeral, while neighbors remain shocked such a crime happened so close to home.
