Investigators linked 39-year-old Tyler Thomas to the case; searches in Ohio turned up evidence as authorities work to confirm remains found Sunday.
FISHERS, IN — Police said Sunday they believe 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee is dead and announced that a 39-year-old Ohio man is in custody in connection with her disappearance. The case spans Indiana and Ohio, with searches at multiple sites and a court appearance set Monday in Columbus.
Officials identified the suspect as Tyler Thomas of Columbus. Detectives said Buzbee left her Fishers home overnight on Jan. 5 and was later linked to Thomas through online communications. The investigation accelerated in late January as search warrants were executed in Ohio. On Sunday evening, authorities said evidence led them to conclude Buzbee is deceased. An attorney for Thomas said federal agents recovered remains in rural Ohio that investigators are working to identify. Thomas faces felony counts including tampering with evidence and pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor as the inquiry continues across state lines.
According to investigators, Thomas admitted picking Buzbee up in the Indianapolis suburb early Jan. 5 before traveling east. Detectives traced movements to central and southeast Ohio, searching a Columbus residence and a short-term rental near the Hocking Hills area. Police Chief Ed Gebhart said during a Sunday briefing that statements and recovered evidence pointed to foul play within days of Buzbee’s disappearance. “This is not the outcome any of us wanted,” Gebhart said, adding that local, state and federal agencies are coordinating next steps. Search teams worked through the weekend in wooded terrain as digital records and surveillance images were reviewed by investigators.
Authorities said evidence confirmed Buzbee had been at both the Columbus home and the rental property, though she was not found during initial entries. By late Sunday, a defense attorney representing Thomas said the FBI located remains in Perry County. Officials have not released a cause or manner of death and have not publicly confirmed the identity through the coroner. Thomas was booked into the Franklin County jail pending charges tied to the investigation. Police did not detail all items seized but said forensic examinations of electronic devices and vehicles are underway. Investigators declined to specify the exact timeline between Jan. 5 and the period when they believe the teen died, saying only that key events occurred “within days.”
Public records show Fishers officers first responded to the Buzbee residence the morning of Jan. 6 after her parents reported her missing. The case was initially treated as a runaway report before being elevated to an endangered missing person as detectives developed leads tied to Ohio. Over the past week, teams used drones, K-9 units and ground searches around a rental address south of Columbus while coordinating with the FBI and Ohio sheriffs. The cross-jurisdictional work included search warrants approved by courts in Franklin, Hocking and Perry counties, according to officials briefed on the operation. Neighbors near the Columbus address reported heavy police activity and crime-scene tape on Friday and Saturday, consistent with an extended forensic search.
Thomas appeared before a Franklin County judge Monday on the initial charges and is expected back for additional proceedings as prosecutors review potential counts that could include homicide once the coroner makes a formal identification and issues findings. Investigators said they will present their case to Ohio prosecutors and continue to confer with Hamilton County, Ind., authorities regarding any Indiana offenses. The coroner’s office in Perry County is processing the remains; identification and preliminary autopsy results are expected later this week. Police said further searches could occur as they retrace travel routes, analyze cell-site data and complete lab work on collected evidence.
Outside the Fishers Police Department on Sunday night, small groups left flowers and candles. Classmates from Hamilton Southeastern schools described Buzbee as a creative student who loved gaming and art. “She was caring and funny and didn’t deserve this,” said junior Maya Reynolds, who remembered seeing missing-person flyers around town last month. In Columbus, a neighbor outside the apartment complex where officers executed a warrant said residents were told to avoid the parking lot while detectives processed a vehicle. “It was quiet but tense,” said the neighbor, who watched investigators load bags into an evidence van.
As of Monday afternoon, Thomas remained in the Franklin County jail while police awaited formal identification of the remains recovered in Perry County. Authorities said they will release additional details after the coroner’s report and any new charges are filed. A further briefing is expected once lab results and autopsy findings are available later this week.
Author note: Last updated February 2, 2026.