Suspect charged after woman found dead in truck at Costco distribution center in Frederick County

A suspect has been charged with murder after a woman was found dead inside a truck at the Costco distribution center in Monrovia, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office says.

FREDERICK COUNTY, Md. - A suspect has been charged with murder after a woman was found dead inside a truck at the Costco distribution center in Monrovia, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office says.

Sheriff’s deputies responded to the distribution center at 5236 Intercostal Drive around 1:30 a.m. Sunday to conduct a welfare check. The caller told police that there was a truck driver who seemed to be under the influence and had broken out the window of their own truck.

When deputies arrived, they spoke with the man who was in the driver's seat of the truck with it running near the entrance of the Costco depot. Deputies said the man was argumentative and did not want to speak to them.

Deputies determined that he was under the influence and decided to place spike stop strips in front of and behind the tractor-trailer so he couldn't drive out of the parking lot. Nonetheless, the man tried to flee and hit the spike strips, leading to a slow pursuit that stayed contained to the Costco distribution lot. The truck came to a stop at the exit lane of Costco.

After trying to negotiate with the suspect for some time, deputies said he remained confrontational and would not get out, so they decided to pepper spray him through his open window. Even after this, the suspect refused to get out. The deputies then broke a window and one of them entered the cab, tased the suspect and successfully detained him.

While in the cab, the deputy saw a woman dead on the floorboard.

The suspect has since been identified as 46-year-old Matthew Sidney Watley, age 46, from Sicklerville, New Jersey. He is currently at the Frederick Health Hospital under security to undergo medical treatment. Watley has been charged with first and second-degree murder.

The identity of the female victim was released Monday after deputies made all next of kin notifications. Police say she is Candace Thompson, also 46 years old and from Sicklerville, New Jersey.

Detectives are continuing to investigate the woman's death.

Anyone with additional information regarding this incident is asked to call detectives at 301-600-2071 and reference case # 23-102844. If you want to remain anonymous and report information about this case, email FCSOtips@frederickcountymd.gov or call 301-600-4131.