Topline: Prosecutors say the man shot his girlfriend seven times, left her to decompose, and later killed a store clerk.
Published: June 3, 2025 8:00 am ET
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Torrey Moore (via Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office)
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — In a case that Montgomery County prosecutors called one of the most “disturbing” and “heinous” in local memory, 34-year-old Torrey Damien Moore was sentenced Monday to three consecutive life sentences, plus an additional 80 years, for the cold-blooded murders of a pregnant woman, her unborn child, and a convenience store clerk.
Circuit Court Judge Rachel McGuckian handed down the sentence in a packed Montgomery County courtroom, condemning Moore to spend the rest of his life behind bars, the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office announced.
The sentence follows two separate jury convictions — one in May and another in November of last year — for crimes that rocked the Silver Spring community and stunned investigators with their brutality.
“This marked the first time in the history of Montgomery County that we had a conviction for the murder of a viable fetus,” the State’s Attorney’s Office said in a statement following the sentencing.
Moore’s girlfriend, Denise Middleton, was eight and a half months pregnant when she was killed.
Prosecutors say Moore shot Middleton seven times in their Silver Spring apartment on October 9, 2022 — just moments after surveillance footage showed the couple entering the building together. It was the last time Middleton was seen alive.
Roughly an hour later, Moore was seen alone on camera, leaving the apartment. For the next 26 days, cell phone records showed he traveled across the country. During that time, his online searches included “How long does it take for a dead body to smell?” and “How to move a dead body without being seen.”
By the time police executed a no-knock warrant on December 9, 2022, they found Middleton and her unborn fetus in an advanced state of decomposition inside Moore’s apartment. Moore, armed with a handgun, was still living in the residence.
An autopsy confirmed what detectives feared: Middleton had been shot seven times. The unborn child had no chance of survival.
The discovery came only after Moore committed another killing.
On December 8, 2022, Moore entered the Dash In convenience store on New Hampshire Avenue — a store that had previously banned him. After a confrontation with clerk Ayalew Wondimu, 61, Moore pulled out a handgun and fatally shot him. That brazen attack prompted a manhunt, culminating in the SWAT raid that uncovered the earlier crime.
The weapon found in Moore’s possession matched ballistic evidence from all three murders.
Assistant State’s Attorneys James Dietrich and Jodie Mount prosecuted the case. They described Moore as a calculated, cold-blooded killer who not only committed unspeakable acts but also lived for weeks with the bodies of his victims.
He was convicted on multiple counts, including:
- Three counts of first-degree murder
- Use of a handgun in the commission of a felony
- Illegal possession of a firearm
- Crime of violence against a pregnant person
“This was evil beyond words,” one official said following the sentencing.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Man Who Killed Pregnant Girlfriend, Her Fetus, and Store Clerk Receives Life Sentence
Prosecutors say the man shot his girlfriend seven times, left her to decompose, and later killed a store clerk.
By Jacob Charles
Published: June 3, 2025 8:00 am ET
Torrey Moore (via Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office)
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — In a case that Montgomery County prosecutors called one of the most “disturbing” and “heinous” in local memory, 34-year-old Torrey Damien Moore was sentenced Monday to three consecutive life sentences, plus an additional 80 years, for the cold-blooded murders of a pregnant woman, her unborn child, and a convenience store clerk.
Circuit Court Judge Rachel McGuckian handed down the sentence in a packed Montgomery County courtroom, condemning Moore to spend the rest of his life behind bars, the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office announced.
The sentence follows two separate jury convictions — one in May and another in November of last year — for crimes that rocked the Silver Spring community and stunned investigators with their brutality.
“This marked the first time in the history of Montgomery County that we had a conviction for the murder of a viable fetus,” the State’s Attorney’s Office said in a statement following the sentencing.
Moore’s girlfriend, Denise Middleton, was eight and a half months pregnant when she was killed.
Prosecutors say Moore shot Middleton seven times in their Silver Spring apartment on October 9, 2022 — just moments after surveillance footage showed the couple entering the building together. It was the last time Middleton was seen alive.
Roughly an hour later, Moore was seen alone on camera, leaving the apartment. For the next 26 days, cell phone records showed he traveled across the country. During that time, his online searches included “How long does it take for a dead body to smell?” and “How to move a dead body without being seen.”
By the time police executed a no-knock warrant on December 9, 2022, they found Middleton and her unborn fetus in an advanced state of decomposition inside Moore’s apartment. Moore, armed with a handgun, was still living in the residence.
An autopsy confirmed what detectives feared: Middleton had been shot seven times. The unborn child had no chance of survival.
The discovery came only after Moore committed another killing.
On December 8, 2022, Moore entered the Dash In convenience store on New Hampshire Avenue — a store that had previously banned him. After a confrontation with clerk Ayalew Wondimu, 61, Moore pulled out a handgun and fatally shot him. That brazen attack prompted a manhunt, culminating in the SWAT raid that uncovered the earlier crime.
The weapon found in Moore’s possession matched ballistic evidence from all three murders.
Assistant State’s Attorneys James Dietrich and Jodie Mount prosecuted the case. They described Moore as a calculated, cold-blooded killer who not only committed unspeakable acts but also lived for weeks with the bodies of his victims.
He was convicted on multiple counts, including:
- Three counts of first-degree murder
- Use of a handgun in the commission of a felony
- Illegal possession of a firearm
- Crime of violence against a pregnant person
“This was evil beyond words,” one official said following the sentencing.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Man Who Killed Pregnant Girlfriend, Her Fetus, and Store Clerk Receives Life Sentence
Prosecutors say the man shot his girlfriend seven times, left her to decompose, and later killed a store clerk.
By Jacob Charles
Published: June 3, 2025 8:00 am ET
Torrey Moore (via Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office)
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — In a case that Montgomery County prosecutors called one of the most “disturbing” and “heinous” in local memory, 34-year-old Torrey Damien Moore was sentenced Monday to three consecutive life sentences, plus an additional 80 years, for the cold-blooded murders of a pregnant woman, her unborn child, and a convenience store clerk.
Circuit Court Judge Rachel McGuckian handed down the sentence in a packed Montgomery County courtroom, condemning Moore to spend the rest of his life behind bars, the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office announced.
The sentence follows two separate jury convictions — one in May and another in November of last year — for crimes that rocked the Silver Spring community and stunned investigators with their brutality.
“This marked the first time in the history of Montgomery County that we had a conviction for the murder of a viable fetus,” the State’s Attorney’s Office said in a statement following the sentencing.
Moore’s girlfriend, Denise Middleton, was eight and a half months pregnant when she was killed.
Prosecutors say Moore shot Middleton seven times in their Silver Spring apartment on October 9, 2022 — just moments after surveillance footage showed the couple entering the building together. It was the last time Middleton was seen alive.
Roughly an hour later, Moore was seen alone on camera, leaving the apartment. For the next 26 days, cell phone records showed he traveled across the country. During that time, his online searches included “How long does it take for a dead body to smell?” and “How to move a dead body without being seen.”
By the time police executed a no-knock warrant on December 9, 2022, they found Middleton and her unborn fetus in an advanced state of decomposition inside Moore’s apartment. Moore, armed with a handgun, was still living in the residence.
An autopsy confirmed what detectives feared: Middleton had been shot seven times. The unborn child had no chance of survival.
The discovery came only after Moore committed another killing.
On December 8, 2022, Moore entered the Dash In convenience store on New Hampshire Avenue — a store that had previously banned him. After a confrontation with clerk Ayalew Wondimu, 61, Moore pulled out a handgun and fatally shot him. That brazen attack prompted a manhunt, culminating in the SWAT raid that uncovered the earlier crime.
The weapon found in Moore’s possession matched ballistic evidence from all three murders.
Assistant State’s Attorneys James Dietrich and Jodie Mount prosecuted the case. They described Moore as a calculated, cold-blooded killer who not only committed unspeakable acts but also lived for weeks with the bodies of his victims.
He was convicted on multiple counts, including:
- Three counts of first-degree murder
- Use of a handgun in the commission of a felony
- Illegal possession of a firearm
- Crime of violence against a pregnant person
“This was evil beyond words,” one official said following the sentencing.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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