Maryland man sentenced to three life sentences for killing unborn fetus & mother

Man sentenced to three life sentences for killing unborn fetus

Torrey Moore, 33, was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences on two counts of first-degree murder for the shooting death of his girlfriend, Denise Middleton, and for the death of her unborn fetus.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - A Maryland man has been sentenced to three consecutive life sentences for the death of his pregnant girlfriend and her unborn child.

The backstory:

Torrey Moore, 33, was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences on two counts of first-degree murder for the shooting death of his girlfriend, Denise Middleton, and for the death of her unborn fetus. 

In December of 2022, Moore was arrested and charged with a homicide at a gas station in Silver Spring. 

Suspected gas station shooter in court Monday; decomposing body of pregnant woman not yet identified

The Shell gas station and convenience store on New Hampshire Avenue remains closed Monday as Montgomery County Police continue their investigation into the shocking murder of an employee and a gruesome discovery made as they tracked down the suspect.

When detectives tracked Moore to apartments across the street from the gas station, they found a decomposing body inside the apartment. 

Moore told detectives that he had been in a relationship with the person located inside the apartment, who he stated was eight months pregnant at the time. 

Middleton's body had been in Moore's apartment for over a month, according to investigators. She had been shot seven times. 

In November 2024, Moore was found guilty of first-degree murder for Middleton's death and the death of her unborn child. The verdict marked the first time in Montgomery County that someone has been convicted for the killing of a viable, unborn fetus.

What's next:

Moore is scheduled to face sentencing in the death of a gas station clerk in February 2025. 

Moore was convicted of first-degree murder, use of a handgun in commission of a felony, and illegal possession of a firearm for the shooting death of 61-year-old Ayalew Wondimu. 

Cashier shot and killed at Shell gas station in Silver Spring

Montgomery County police are investigating a fatal shooting at a Shell gas station in Silver Spring.

Police say Wondimu was behind the counter when an argument broke out between him and Moore. Police say Moore pulled out a gun, shot Wondimu multiple times, picked up an iced tea, then walked out.