Montgomery County police released the identity of a pregnant woman whose decomposed remains were found in a White Oak apartment, police announced in a Thursday news release.
The victim was revealed to be Denise Middleton, 26, who was allegedly killed by suspect Torrey Damien Moore, sometime in October, police stated.
Middleton’s remains were found by police on Dec. 9., during a search warrant for a homicide committed by Moore the day prior, police stated. Officials said Moore fatally shot 61-year-old Ayalew Wondimu, an employee of the Dash-In Convenience Store, at a gas station in the 11100 block of New Hampshire Avenue in White Oak.
Middleton’s body was found in the bedroom “in an advanced state of decomposition,” police stated, and was sent to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for an autopsy.
The autopsy determined Middleton was 38-weeks pregnant with a boy, and the fetus was viable at the time of the shooting, the MCPD stated.
According to the release, the autopsy also revealed that Middleton had been shot several times. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the boy would have lived had Middleton delivered at that time, police said.
Police stated a warrant was filed and Moore now has been charged with additional charges of first-degree murder for Middleton, first-degree murder for the death of a viable fetus and a crime of violence against a pregnant person.
Moore is currently being held without bond for the murder of the gas station employee, police said.
Court records did not list any specific attorney information for Moore, and he is currently being represented by the Office of Public Defender.
