2 Arrested After Pregnant Woman's Body Found Inside Plastic Bin

Two men were arrested after a pregnant Ohio woman's body was found stuffed inside a plastic bin on the side of a country road, WHIO reports.

James Rotherbusch, 52, and Ricky J. Sheppard, 47, were both charged with gross abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence in relation to the death of Brittany Fuhr-Storms, 28, while Rotherbusch also faces additional charges of corrupting another with drugs, trafficking drugs, possession of drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia, and failure to report a crime or death. Two hikers discovered Fuhr-Storms' body wrapped in towels and a tarp inside a large plastic storage tote after smelling a strong odor while walking along Fort Anthony Road in Jackson Township on August 7.

“I didn’t want to open it,” one of the hikers told the 911 dispatcher. “The smell was so bad, you know, I mean there’s a difference between dead smells and this is not a normal dead smell.”

The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office launched an investigation into the incident and an autopsy on Fuhr-Storms confirmed that she had been pregnant at the time of her death. Authorities confirmed that Fuhr-Storms' last known address was in Middletown, where she had met with Rotherbusch and Sheppard.

Police executed a search warrant and arrested Rotherbusch, having reportedly found a blood stain on the carpet, blue tarp, screws and towels matching the ones wrapped around Fuhr-Storms' body inside the plastic bin. Rotherbusch told police that Fuhr-Storms died under suspicious circumstances in his home and he left her body there for a week before shoving it in the plastic bin left on the roadside.

“Left Brittany’s body in the shower of the home for several days before putting her body in a tote and driving it out to Fort Anthony Road,” said Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Chief of Staff Jeremy Roy during a press conference.

Narcotics and other drug paraphernalia were also collected by investigators at the apartment. Sheppard, who "attempted to flee but was quickly apprehended and detained" was arrested shortly after Rotherbusch, according to FOX 19.

Sheppard claimed that Fuhr-Storms died of an overdose and also said the body was dumped about a week after her death.

“He later stated that the deceased died from a drug overdose and she remained in the house for approximately a week,” said Deputy Chief Ryan Morgan.

Both men reportedly told police that they knew Fuhr-Storms was pregnant at the time of her death. Fuhr-Storms' cause and manner of death have not yet been determined by the coroner's office.

A GoFundMe was launched by Fuhr-Storms' sister-in-law to help pay for funeral expenses.