A disturbing case out of Ohio has led to federal charges against two men accused of concealing the bodies of a pregnant woman and her unborn child after a suspected drug overdose.
Authorities say 28-year-old Brittany Marie Fuhr-Storms and her unborn baby were found dead in August after investigators uncovered their bodies in a wooded area of Montgomery County, near Middletown. The discovery came during a broader investigation into suspected drug trafficking, according to reports first detailed by WDTN.
Federal investigators allege that Rick Sheppard and Walter Edward Wade helped hide the bodies in an attempt to keep authorities from discovering what happened.
According to a criminal complaint filed by the FBI, Fuhr-Storms likely died in July 2025 from a fentanyl overdosewhile staying at an apartment in Middletown. Officials say the woman was several months pregnant at the time.
When investigators later located the remains on August 3, they found Fuhr-Storms’ body tightly bound with ratchet straps and wrapped in a tarp inside a plastic storage container. The body of her baby was reportedly wrapped separately in a towel and placed inside the same container.
Autopsy findings revealed the infant had been delivered after the mother’s death, investigators said. Toxicology tests showed a mixture of substances in the woman’s system, including fentanyl, carfentanil, xylazine, methamphetamine and alcohol. The baby also tested positive for fentanyl and related compounds.
Medical officials determined there was no other clear cause of death beyond the drugs found in Fuhr-Storms’ system, though investigators say the time between her death and the autopsy made the determination more difficult.
According to witness statements included in the complaint, one person said he and another individual attempted to revive Fuhr-Storms after she became unresponsive by administering Narcan and performing CPR. The witness claimed she briefly appeared to breathe before he left the apartment, believing she might recover.
However, investigators say evidence suggests that after the overdose, the suspects moved the bodies and disposed of them in a rural wooded area rather than contacting authorities.
During the investigation, law enforcement also found items inside the apartment believed to be connected to the disposal of the bodies, including materials that appeared to match those used to wrap the remains.
Both Sheppard and Wade are now facing federal charges, including conspiracy to obstruct justice, concealing evidence and acting as accessories after the fact.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue working to determine the full sequence of events surrounding the deaths of Fuhr-Storms and her unborn child.
