He Lived with His Pregnant Girlfriend’s Decomposing Body — Then, He Killed Again

Man Lives with Decomposing Body of Pregnant Girlfriend, Commits Another Murder

A Maryland man, Torrey Moore, shocked the community when he fatally shot a convenience store clerk over a trivial argument about a bottle of iced tea. Little did the authorities know that this was just the beginning of a horrifying chain of events. Moore, 31 years old at the time, not only took the life of the store clerk, Ayalew Wondimu, but he also led the police to the decomposing body of his pregnant girlfriend, Denise Middleton.

The tragic incident unfolded on December 8, 2022, when Moore shot Wondimu multiple times at a convenience store near his White Oak apartment. After committing the first murder, Moore returned to his apartment across the street, where his pregnant girlfriend’s body lay hidden under a blanket, in an advanced state of decomposition. Middleton, just 26 years old and 8-and-a-half months pregnant with Moore’s child, had already chosen the name Ezekiel for their unborn baby.

The disturbing details of Middleton’s murder came to light during the investigation. Surveillance footage showed Moore pushing Middleton into an elevator in their apartment building’s lobby on October 9, 2022. Once inside their shared apartment, Moore callously shot Middleton seven times, with four bullets penetrating her back. In a chilling revelation, it was uncovered that Moore had been living in the apartment with Middleton’s remains for nearly a month before his arrest.

Following Middleton’s murder, Moore embarked on trips to North Carolina and California. Search history on his phone indicated disturbing queries such as “how long does it take for a dead body to smell?” and “How to move a dead body without being seen?” Additionally, Moore had researched how to plead insanity, suggesting a premeditated intent to evade legal consequences for his actions.

Moore’s trial and subsequent convictions shed light on the heinous nature of his crimes. On May 16, last year, he was convicted of first-degree murder and firearm-related charges in Wondimu’s killing. Subsequently, on November 22, 2024, Moore faced two additional counts of first-degree murder for Middleton’s death and the death of her viable fetus. The court sentenced Moore to three consecutive life terms, ensuring that he would likely remain incarcerated until his 90s.

During the legal proceedings, Moore’s defense raised concerns about his mental health, citing long-standing struggles with mental illness and schizophrenia. While Moore did not testify during his trial or sentencing, his attorneys highlighted his detachment from reality as a contributing factor to his horrific actions. Despite attempts to provide insight into Moore’s motives, the true reasons behind his brutal crimes remain shrouded in mystery.

The case drew attention not only for the brutality of the crimes but also for the unprecedented nature of the conviction. Moore’s sentencing marked the first instance in Montgomery County’s history where an individual was convicted for the murder of an unborn child. As the community grappled with the shock and horror of Moore’s actions, questions lingered about the factors that drove him to commit such appalling acts.

In the aftermath of the trial, Montgomery County Circuit Judge Rachel McGuckian pondered the enigma of Moore’s motivations. The profound impact of Moore’s crimes on the victims’ families, as well as the broader community, underscored the importance of addressing mental health issues and preventing similar tragedies in the future. As Moore begins his life sentence, the scars of his crimes serve as a haunting reminder of the fragility of human life and the devastating consequences of unchecked violence.