The Silver Spring, Maryland, man accused of killing a gas station clerk in White Oak last week will remain held without bond as his competency is evaluated.
Torrey Moore made his first court appearance on Monday on charges connected with the killing.
Also on Monday, Montgomery County prosecutors announced they intend to charge Moore with two additional counts of murder in a separate case.
While arresting Moore in the gas station killing, police found the body of a woman in his apartment, they said.
Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy said the woman, who was eight months pregnant with a boy at the time of her death, had been shot multiple times. Moore will face murder charges in both deaths.
“A forensic pathologist examined the child at the time of the autopsy and determined that the 8-month-old child was in fact viable at the time of his mother’s death,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy said they believe they know the identity of the woman, but are awaiting DNA confirmation before revealing her name. He added that they believe she was 26 years old and had an on-and-off relationship with Moore, and are operating under the assumption that Moore was the father of the child.
The woman had not been reported missing; McCarthy said they believe she had been dead inside the apartment for at least a month. He is also not aware of any reports from neighbors about a shooting.
“I am not aware of there being any reports about a shooting inside the apartment before, prior to the discovery of her body, nor reports regarding the smells, which apparently are pretty evident,” McCarthy said.
While the state’s attorney said it’s unclear whether anyone heard, saw or smelled anything that should have prompted a call to police, there have been cases of people turning the other eye to crimes they witness or suspect.
“One of the things that has concerned me as state’s attorney for the last couple of years, is the fact that we as a community don’t necessarily always work as closely as we can to ensure that we’re safe as a community,” McCarthy said.
During Moore’s bond hearing in connection to the killing of 61-year-old Ayalew Wondimu, a clerk at a Shell gas station convenience store, Montgomery County District Court Judge Victor Del Pino said he expects a mental evaluation to be done in the coming days.
Moore could have a bond hearing as early as Tuesday in the deaths of the mother and the unborn child.
