NJ Trucker Found With Dead Woman’s Body in Cab, Police Say

A New Jersey trucker was charged with murder in the death of a woman found dead early Sunday morning in the cab of his truck at a Costco distribution center in Maryland.

The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office was called to check the cab parked at the entrance to a Costco Distribution Center in Monrovia, Maryland around 1:30 a.m.

The driver, identified as Matthew S. Watley, 46, of the Sicklerville section of Gloucester Township, was argumentative and did not want to speak to the deputies, police said.

He also appeared to be inebriated, officials said.

Whatley backed out over stop sticks placed behind the front and back tires and led police on a slow-speed chase around the facility, according to deputies.

When Whatley stopped the cab at an exit the rubber was gone from the passenger side tire he refused to get out and would not speak to officers. Deputies broke a window and used a conducted energy device, also known as a taser, to detain him.

Once inside the cab deputies also found the body of Candice Thompson, 46, of Sicklerville on the floor.

Whatley was charged with first and second-degree murder. He was still receiving medical treatment at a hospital as of Tuesday morning, according to Frederick County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Todd Wivell.

Wievell did not disclose the relationship between Thompson and Whatley or why they were in Maryland.

"We've had some murders, we've had some homicides but nothing like this," Wievell told WBAL TV.

Trucker worked for a New Jersey company for several months

Parminder Singh, the owner of PAA Trucking LLC, which was written on the door of the cab, told New Jersey 101.5 Whatley had been on the job for 5 or 6 months. He did not have any problems with Whatley until Sunday morning when he got a call from the sheriff's office.

Whatley agreed to make an extra delivery on Saturday but the destination was not the Costco facility in Maryland.

Singh said that Whatley never mentioned a wife or girlfriend and was staying at his mother's home in Sicklerville. Whatley assured him that he didn't do drugs except for smoking marijuana, Singh said.

Photo courtesy Bill Green, the Frederick News Post