FBI Updates Investigation After Ohio Discovery of Indiana Teen’s Remains, Suspect Cooperates
Updated (6 articles)
Teen’s disappearance and suspect link traced to online gaming Hailey Buzbee, 17, was reported missing from Fishers, Indiana on Jan 5‑6, 2026. Detectives quickly identified 39‑year‑old Columbus resident Tyler Thomas as a person of interest after discovering the two had met through an online gaming platform and linking an unknown vehicle near Buzbee’s home to Thomas [2][4][5][6]. Columbus detectives began assisting Indiana investigators on Jan 16, and a Jan 21 search warrant at Thomas’s Hunter Avenue residence uncovered child‑sexual‑abuse material involving the teen [2][5][6].
Remains located in Wayne National Forest after suspect’s guidance On Feb 1, 2026, Hocking County Sheriff’s deputies, the U.S. Forest Service, and FBI crime‑scene teams recovered human remains in a shallow grave within Wayne National Forest, Perry County, after Thomas voluntarily led authorities to the site [1][2][5][6]. The remains were sent to the Licking County Coroner’s Office for autopsy and are believed to be Buzbee’s [1][2]. This discovery follows a joint Ohio‑Indiana investigation that began shortly after the teen’s disappearance [5][6].
Charges focus on sexual‑exploitation offenses, not homicide Thomas has been charged with pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor and tampering with evidence, based on the electronic material seized during the Jan 21 warrant execution [1][2][5][6]. He was arraigned in Franklin County on a $1.5 million bond but has not yet faced a homicide indictment; his attorney says he will plead not guilty to any future murder charge [1][2][5]. Thomas’s lawyer also emphasized his client’s cooperation in locating the burial site and ongoing assistance to investigators [1][2].
Multi‑jurisdictional probe continues, forensic evidence pending FBI agents from the Cincinnati office, along with Ohio and Indiana law‑enforcement, are handling the case due to its cross‑state nature, which the FBI says may delay further public updates [1]. Deputies and FBI investigators recovered forensic evidence at a short‑term rental on Walnut Dowler Road in Hocking County, suggesting the crime occurred there, though details remain sealed to protect the investigation [1][2][3]. Hocking County Sheriff’s Office officials anticipate additional homicide‑related charges as evidence analysis proceeds [2][3].
Sources
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1.
WBNS: FBI Updates Investigation into Death of Indiana Teen Hailey Buzbee – Details the discovery of Buzbee’s remains, Thomas’s cooperation, and the FBI’s multi‑jurisdictional involvement, noting no homicide charge yet .
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2.
WBNS: Columbus suspect leads investigators to teen’s remains in Perry County forest – Reports Thomas guiding authorities to the burial site and outlines the timeline from disappearance to warrant execution .
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3.
WBNS: Indiana Teen’s Death Revives Push for Online‑Safety Alerts – Highlights the cyber‑tip task force’s role, surge in online‑safety alerts, and calls for “Hailey’s Law” and a Pink Alert system .
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4.
Newsweek: Indiana Pushes for “Pink Alert” After Teen’s Disappearance – Focuses on legislative advocacy, a petition with 41,000 signatures, and the gap in current Amber/Silver alert systems .
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5.
WBNS: Remains of Indiana Teen Found in Ohio; Suspect Held on $1.5 Million Bond – Confirms the remains’ recovery, Thomas’s bond, and his cooperation with law enforcement .
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6.
WBNS: Remains of Missing Indiana Teen Identified in Ohio; Suspect Held on $1.5 Million Bond – Mirrors the previous report, emphasizing the identification of remains and ongoing legal proceedings .
Timeline
Jan 5, 2026 – Seventeen‑year‑old Hailey Buzbee leaves her Fishers, Indiana home and disappears, prompting her family to begin a search later that night [1].
Jan 6, 2026 – Buzbee’s parents report her missing; Fishers Police open an investigation and note an unknown vehicle near her neighborhood that later ties to a suspect [1][5].
Jan 16, 2026 – Columbus, Ohio detectives join the Indiana case, providing inter‑agency support as the search expands across state lines [2][5].
Jan 21, 2026 – A search warrant at 39‑year‑old Tyler Thomas’s Hunter Avenue home uncovers child‑sexual‑abuse material involving Buzbee; Thomas is charged with pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor and tampering with evidence [5][3].
Jan 21‑23, 2026 – Investigators link Thomas to a short‑term rental in Hocking County, Ohio, where forensic evidence suggests Buzbee was killed [3][5].
Feb 1, 2026 – Perry County officials announce that remains recovered in Wayne National Forest are identified as Buzbee’s; Thomas voluntarily leads authorities to the burial site [5][3].
Feb 2, 2026 – A Change.org petition for “Hailey’s Law” amasses over 41,000 signatures, calling for a state‑wide “Pink Alert” system and mandatory predator‑awareness education in schools [1].
Feb 2, 2026 – Fishers Police Chief Ed Gebhart says the department will continue to aid Ohio authorities, while Mayor Scott Fadness states officials believe Buzbee is dead [1].
Feb 2, 2026 – Thomas is arraigned in Franklin County Municipal Court on a $1.5 million bond for the sexual‑exploitation charge; no homicide charge is filed yet [5][6].
Feb 3, 2026 – Franklin County ICAC Task Force reports a 70 % annual rise in cyber tips from 2018‑2023, reaching roughly 860 tips per year in 2024‑2025, and urges families to “stop, block, report” online predators [4].
Feb 3, 2026 – Ohio Rep. Beryl Brown Piccolantonio notes Ohio’s recent Braden’s Law and says the state is monitoring Indiana’s Pink Alert proposal for possible adoption [4].
Feb 3, 2026 – Thomas’s attorney Sam Shamansky confirms the remains are Buzbee’s, says his client cooperated with investigators, and states Thomas will plead not guilty if a homicide charge is filed [2][3].
Feb 4, 2026 – The FBI’s Cincinnati office confirms active involvement in the multi‑jurisdictional case, cites investigative complexity, and says no further public updates are scheduled while the investigation proceeds [2].