Brittany Fuhr-Storms was 28 years old and pregnant. Friends described her as someone who had been through tough times but was trying to find her footing again. She lived in Middletown, Ohio, a quiet city where most people know their neighbors by name. Her life had not been without challenges, and like many in her circle, she had struggled with drug use.

Still, to those who knew her, Brittany’s pregnancy represented a new chapter. She was said to be excited, cautiously hopeful about the future, and in touch with a few friends who encouraged her to get back on her feet.

The Day Everything Changed

On August 3, her life came to a sudden and horrifying end. Four days later, on the morning of August 7, two hikers in rural Jackson Township set out for what was supposed to be a peaceful walk along Fort Anthony Road. It was the kind of place you’d expect to hear only the crunch of gravel under your boots and the hum of summer insects in the trees. But then they noticed something unusual: a large plastic storage tote, left awkwardly near the roadside. The smell hit them before they got close.

Inside the bin, wrapped in towels and a tarp, was Brittany’s body.

The Investigation

An investigation was opened right away by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. The medical examiner’s report provided an additional component that made the tragedy harder to process: Brittany had been pregnant at the time of her death. Investigators began looking into her last known location, back to a small apartment in Middletown. There she had recently been with two men, James Rotherbusch, 52, and Ricky J. Sheppard, 47.

Evidence Found

When detectives executed a search warrant at Rotherbusch’s apartment, they found chilling evidence: a bloodstain on the carpet, a blue tarp, screws, and towels matching those found with Brittany’s body. There were also narcotics and drug paraphernalia scattered throughout. Rotherbusch eventually told investigators that Brittany had died under what he called “suspicious circumstances” in his home, and that her body had remained there for days, first in the shower, then in the apartment, before he moved it into the tote and drove it out to Fort Anthony Road.

Sheppard’s story was similar, though he claimed she had died from a drug overdose and remained in the apartment for about a week. Both men admitted they knew she was pregnant.

Charges and Unanswered Questions

The coroner’s office has yet to determine cause and manner of Brittany’s death, though the case is already disturbing. Rotherbusch and Sheppard are each facing gross abuse of a corpse as well as tampering with evidence. Rotherbusch has further been charged with drug trafficking and corrupting another with drugs.

For local law enforcement, the case was a priority from the moment Brittany’s body was found.

Community Reaction

What happened to Brittany Fuhr-Storms is still being pieced together, but the tragedy has already left a permanent mark on her family, her community, and anyone who has followed the case. What is clear is that her life and the life of her unborn child ended far too soon, in circumstances no one should ever endure.