SILVER SPRING, MD — A Montgomery County judge sentenced 34-year-old Torrey Damien Moore to three consecutive life sentences plus an additional 80 years on Friday in connection with the murders of his pregnant girlfriend, her unborn child, and a convenience store clerk.
Judge Rachel McGuckian handed down the sentence following Moore’s convictions in two separate trials for the killings of Denise Middleton, 26, and Ayalew Wondimu, 61. Middleton was eight and a half months pregnant at the time of her death.
“This marked the first time in the history of Montgomery County that we had a conviction for the murder of a viable fetus,” State’s Attorney John McCarthy said after the sentencing hearing.
Middleton was found dead in Moore’s Silver Spring apartment on December 9, 2022. She had been shot seven times. Authorities say Moore lived in the apartment with her decomposing body and that of her unborn fetus for nearly a month. The discovery was made during the execution of a no-knock warrant in connection to Wondimu’s murder the day prior.
Moore searched on Google, “How long does it take for a dead body to smell?” and “How to move a dead body without being seen,” according to officials.
Wondimu, a clerk at the Dash In convenience store on New Hampshire Avenue, was killed on December 8, 2022, after Moore entered the store and got into a confrontation. Surveillance video and ballistic evidence linked the same handgun to all three killings.
Digital evidence revealed disturbing details
Investigators found search history on Moore’s devices that included queries such as “How long does it take for a dead body to smell?” and “How to move a dead body without being seen.” Authorities say he left the state for nearly four weeks before returning to the apartment where the bodies remained until his arrest.
According to police, surveillance video showed Moore and Middleton entering their apartment building on Oak Leaf Drive at approximately 7 p.m. on October 9, 2022. It was the last confirmed sighting of Middleton alive. One hour later, Moore was seen on video leaving the building alone.
Assistant State’s Attorneys James Dietrich and Jodie Mount led the prosecution in both trials, securing convictions for multiple counts of first-degree murder, firearm violations, and a charge for committing a crime of violence against a pregnant person.
Moore was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior convictions, according to court records.
Authorities say the case brought together forensic evidence, surveillance footage, and digital tracking to build a timeline of events that spanned several months and states.
