UPDATE 2/3: The Hocking County Sheriff's Office has revealed additional details about the death of 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee.
According to Sheriff Lanny North, Columbus Police detectives began assisting the Fishers Police Department on January 16 to search for Buzbee, who was tracked to Columbus, Ohio.
Columbus Police detectives helped detectives from Fishers make contact with 39-year-old Tyler Thomas, who was identified as a suspect in her disappearance, at his residence in the 900 block of Hunter Avenue.
According to North, Thomas admitted to picking up Buzbee from her home in Fishers and stated that he dropped her off on the side of the road in Western Ohio. Investigations proved that his initial story was untrue.
On January 20, investigators say they tracked down Thomas at a short-term rental property in Hocking County.
Sheriff Lanny North said investigators searched the property, where Buzbee and suspect Tyler Thomas allegedly stayed together.
Thomas contacted an attorney in Columbus regarding his role in Haley's disappearance.
Thomas, who is incarcerated in Franklin County on charges related to Buzbee's disappearance, was transported to the location where he led the FBI and local authorities to Buzbee's remains in Perry County, Ohio.
Buzbee's remains were discovered Sunday near a trailhead in Wayne National Forest.
"They found some forensic evidence which they feel might be linked to a crime scene, to a death. Until it is examined by the lab, they can't be exactly sure what it is," North said.
The remains have been sent to the Licking County Coroner's Office, which confirmed they belonged to Hailey, and will be conducting more tests to determine the exact cause of death.
"My office and all those involved would send our deepest sympathies to the victim and the family of the victim. A joint investigation across several jurisdictions (two states, three counties and federal authorities) is ongoing. It is the goal of all involved to provide justice for the victim and to the family," said Terry Rugg, the prosecuting attorney for Perry County, in an email to WRTV.
Buzbee, a Fishers teen, had been missing since January. Her case has sparked calls for new missing person alert systems and online safety education laws in Indiana. Family members have proposed "Hailey's Law" to strengthen protections for missing children and improve response protocols.
RELATED | Hailey Buzbee case sparks push for new missing person alerts, online safety laws
39-year-old Tyler Thomas is in custody in Franklin County, facing charges related to her disappearance and death, including pandering obscenity and tampering with evidence.
Tyler Thomas had his initial court hearing in Franklin County Court in Ohio on Monday morning.
During Monday's hearing, court officials set Thomas's bond at $1.5 million cash surety.
If Thomas posts bond, he faces several conditions:
- No contact with the victim's family
- No internet usage
- No possession of firearms
- No drug or alcohol use
- No unsupervised contact with minors
Shamansky said in court that his client has "no intention of making the bond."
Thomas has not been charged with murder at this time.
The Fishers Police Department previously announced that Buzbee was believed to be deceased and that Thomas was in custody in Ohio.
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Buzbee, 17, was last seen on January 5.
According to previous reports, police believe she left her house either the night of January 5 or in the early morning hours of January 6. In the weeks following, police confirmed that Buzbee had left her house willingly and with a plan, categorizing her as an "endangered missing juvenile," during an update on January 19.
During the press conference, Fishers police said there is a 39-year-old male suspect in custody in Ohio in connection with this case. He has not been charged with her disappearance at this time.
Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness said that police came to the conclusion that Buzbee was deceased following an extensive investigation between Fishers Police Department, Indiana State Police and the FBI.
Fishers Police Chief Ed Gebhart explained the investigation has now turned into 'recovery only.' At this time, her body has not yet been located.
Gebhart said Fishers Police were called to the Buzbee home on January 6 after receiving reports Hailey Buzbee had left overnight.
Gebhart said the department was able to identify an unknown vehicle that had been in the neighborhood the night Buzbee went missing. Based on the unknown vehicle, they were able identify the suspect.
Gebhart said the suspect told officers that they had picked Buzbee up and, initially, told officers they had dropped her off on the side of the road. However, officers later found evidence that that particular statement was not true.
Working with ISP, the FBI and partners in Ohio, Gebhart said the Columbus Police Department in Ohio conducted a search of the suspect's home and the vehicle they reportedly picked up Buzbee in. An investigation revealed evidence confirming that Hailey Buzbee had been at the suspects home in Columbus and at a short-term rental property in Hocking, Ohio.
Gebhart said they believe Buzbee and the suspect met via online gaming. Fishers PD reportedly encountered the suspect within days of Buzbee being reported missing.
The determination that Hailey Buzbee was believed to be deceased came after law enforcement obtained evidence as well as from statements that the suspect allegedly made.
The suspect is currently being held on charges unrelated on Buzbee's disappearance. Their initial court date is scheduled for Monday, February 2 in Ohio.
