The jury trials were vacated due to criminal complaints filed in the United States Southern District of Ohio Court which cover “many of the same allegations” the Butler County case covered, according to court documents.
Federal charges for both defendants include:
- Conspiracy to obstruct justice by concealing an object
- Concealing an object to impair its availability for an official proceeding
- Accessory after the fact
Butler County Prosecutor Mike Gmoser told Journal-News the federal court wanted to take jurisdiction of the case to explore additional evidence.
The state does reserve the right to seek a new indictment at a later time provided by law, according to court documents.
Another defendant connected to the case, James Rothenbusch, 52, pleaded guilty in January to one count of complicity to tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony.
He was sentenced to 30 months in prison, according to court documents.
Rothenbusch and Sheppard reportedly left Fuhr-Storms’ body in the shower for days at Rothenbusch’s residence on Logan Avenue in Middletown before putting her in a plastic tote and leaving her along a road in Jackson Twp.
Fuhr-Storms died of an apparent drug overdose, according to federal court documents.
During an interview, Rothenbusch admitted to drug trafficking and said Fuhr-Storms died at his home under suspicious circumstances, according to the sheriff’s office.
Both Rothenbusch and Sheppard were reportedly aware Fuhr-Storms was pregnant.
Wade was indicted in December following the arrests of Rothenbusch and Sheppard in August.
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