A man has been charged with murder in Maryland after a woman was discovered deceased inside his truck at a Costco distribution center, officials have reported.
According to the Frederick County Sheriff's Office, deputies received a call for a welfare check at the distribution center on Intercostal Drive in Monrovia, Maryland, around 1:30 a.m. Sunday. The caller expressed concern that a truck driver seemed to be under the influence and had broken a window of his tractor-trailer.
Upon arrival, deputies approached the man in the driver's seat of the running truck, stationed near the entrance of Costco. The individual, later identified as 46-year-old Matthew Sidney Watley of Sicklerville, New Jersey, reportedly displayed an "argumentative" demeanor and was uncooperative with deputies.
Following an assessment that Watley was indeed under the influence, deputies strategically placed spike stop strips around the tractor-trailer, aiming to prevent any attempt to drive out of the parking area. Despite this measure, Watley made an effort to leave, ultimately running over the spike strips. He then led law enforcement on a slow pursuit within the confines of the Costco distribution lot.
The vehicle eventually came to a halt at the exit lane of Costco. Deputies persistently urged Watley to vacate his truck, but he steadfastly refused and continued to be confrontational. As a result, he was pepper-sprayed through an open window.
Watley still resisted leaving his vehicle, prompting deputies to break a window and gain entry to the cab. Once inside, they deployed a Taser and successfully apprehended him.
Upon searching the cab, deputies made the grim discovery of a deceased woman on the floorboard. The identity of the victim will not be disclosed until her family has been notified.
Currently, Watley, facing charges of first and second-degree murder, is undergoing a medical evaluation at Frederick Health Hospital.
The case remains under active investigation.