Ohio Man Arrested Following Discovery of Missing Indiana Teen’s Remains
A 39-year-old Ohio man has been taken into custody in connection with the disappearance and death of 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee, whose remains were reportedly discovered in Perry County, Ohio, this past weekend. Tyler Thomas, of Columbus, faces preliminary charges including tampering with evidence and pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor, though formal charges directly related to her death have not yet been filed.
Buzbee was first reported missing from her home in Fishers, Indiana, on January 5, 2026. While initial reports categorized her as a runaway, the case was later upgraded to an endangered missing juvenile investigation. Authorities allege that Thomas, who met the teenager through an online gaming platform, traveled to Indiana to pick her up. Police stated that Thomas initially claimed he had dropped the teen off on a roadside in western Ohio, a statement investigators later determined to be false after uncovering digital evidence allegedly linking him to sexual abuse material involving the minor.
On Sunday, investigators located human remains believed to be Buzbee’s in a remote area of Perry County. According to Thomas’s defense attorney, Sam Shamansky, the discovery was made possible because the accused chose to cooperate with law enforcement. Shamansky emphasized that his client “willingly turned himself in” and led detectives to the location of the remains to assist in bringing closure to the Buzbee family. The defense maintains that Thomas is cooperating fully with the ongoing investigation.
Fishers Police Chief Ed Gebhart confirmed that evidence gathered from Thomas’s home and electronic devices contradicts his earlier accounts of the events. While the investigation proceeds, authorities are waiting on official identification from the coroner’s office before additional charges may be brought. Thomas is currently being held in the Franklin County Jail.
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