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First responders investigating the murder of 61-year-old Ayalew Wondimu on Thursday, Dec. 8 at the Shell Station (Dash In Convenience Store) in the 11100 block of New Hampshire Avenue were able to Silver Spring resident Torrey Moore as a murder suspect, according to police.
However, when detectives executed a search warrant at Moore’s apartment in connection to the murder investigation, they instead found the decomposing body of a woman who was reportedly approximately eight months pregnant at the time of her death.
The initial investigation into Wondimu's murder began shortly after 3 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, when first responders were dispatched to the Shell Station for a reported shooting.
Upon arrival, officers said that they located Wondimu, a Silver Spring resident, who had suffered an apparent gunshot wound inside the convenience store, where he was later pronounced dead.
The preliminary investigation, according to police, determined that Moore walked into the store, selected merchandise, and approached the counter, at which point a verbal dispute between the two sparked.
Investigators said that the verbal altercation quickly escalated into a physical confrontation, at which point, Moore pulled out a handgun from his vest and shot Wondimu multiple times.
Detectives were able to track down Moore across the street from the crime scene at the Enclave Apartments, and obtained a search warrant for the residence, where they found the body "in an advanced stage of decomposition."
Moore advised detectives that he had been in a relationship with the dead woman, and said that she was eight months pregnant when she died.
Officials said that the woman’s body and stage of pregnancy will be released following the completion of the autopsy, positive identification, and notification of her next of kin.
Moore was located inside the apartment and arrested without incident. He was charged with first-degree murder and possession of a firearm while committing a felony for the gas station shooting.
Detectives said that they are waiting for the OCME to determine the cause of death along with a positive ID of the female victim to determine additional charges.
The investigation is ongoing.
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