Police investigating the brutal murder of a petrol station employee uncovered the decomposing body of a pregnant woman in the suspect's flat.
Shocked residents have described the stench emanating from the property with police "amazed" earlier reports weren't made.
Police had gone to the flat looking for suspect Torrey Moore, 31, after an employee at a Dash In Convenience Store attached to a Shell petrol station had been shot to death.
Emergency services were called to Silver Spring in Maryland, US, shortly after 3pm on Thursday, December 8 to reports of the shooting.
They found 61-year-old Ayalew Wondimu suffering from gunshot wounds and he sadly died at the scene.
Preliminary investigations establish Moore had entered the store, picked out some items and approached the counter where Mr Wondimu was working.
An argument broke out which quickly escalated into a fight and Moore started throwing things at the victim, who tried to to hit Moore with a pole.
Then Moore pulled out a handgun and shot Mr Wondimu, police allege.
Montgomery County Police Chief Marcus Jones said: “He retrieved a silver handgun from his vest pocket and he shot Wondimu at a point-blank range.
“Wondimu fell, at which point Moore, again senselessly, reached over the counter and fired multiple shots into Wondimu.”
Moore was quickly tracked to some apartments across the street in New Hampshire Avenue.
A warrant was obtained and during the search police discovered the decomposing body of a woman.
According to a police statement, the body was in "an advanced stage of decomposition".
Moore told police he had been in a relationship with the woman and she had been eight months pregnant at the time of her death.
It is believed Moore had been living with the body in the apartment. Police found no reports of anyone missing or did they have any complaints about the smell.
Neighbour Tony Pineda told NBC Washington there was a horrible smell coming from the apartment.
“It just smells like trash,” he said. “I don’t know. It’s just a bad smell.”
Chief Jones told reporters they are "a little bit amazed that we did not receive any calls — none that we have seen thus far — that would've given us any indication that something was occurring within that apartment."
An autopsy will be carried out on the woman and more details about her will be released after its completion, the woman is identified and her next of kin informed.
Moore was arrested and charged with first degree murder and possession of a firearm while committing a felony over the petrol station shooting.
Police will wait until the autopsy is carried out to determine charges related to the pregnant woman's body.
Police have also called on anyone with information to come forward.
A statement from Montgomery County Department of Police read: "This is an active and ongoing investigation. Detectives from the Major Crimes Division are asking anyone who has information about this homicide to call the Major Crimes Division at 240-773-5070 or contact Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). Callers can remain anonymous."
