Indiana Teen’s Remains Found in Ohio, Suspect Held on $1.5 Million Bond, Pink Alert Push Intensifies
Updated (4 articles)
Remains Confirmed in Perry County, Ohio Investigators announced on Feb. 1 2026 that human remains recovered in Perry County belong to 17‑year‑old Hailey Buzbee, who vanished from Fishers, Indiana on Jan. 6 2026 [3][4]. Attorney Sam Shamansky confirmed the identification and said the discovery resulted from a joint Ohio‑Indiana effort. The find follows a multi‑agency search that began after Buzbee’s disappearance was reported on Jan. 6 2026.
Suspect Linked Through Online Gaming, Held on High Bond Police identified 39‑year‑old Columbus resident Tyler Thomas as the primary suspect after tracing his online‑gaming contact with Buzbee [2][3][4]. A search warrant executed on Jan. 21 seized devices containing child sexual‑exploitation material involving the teen, leading to a charge of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor. Thomas was arraigned in Franklin County Municipal Court and released on a $1.5 million bond while investigators continue to probe the homicide [3][4].
Multi‑Agency Investigation Uncovers Additional Evidence Detectives from the Columbus Division of Police, Fishers Police Department, the FBI, and Hocking County Sheriff’s Office collaborated to locate a short‑term rental in Hocking County where Buzbee is believed to have been killed [3][4]. The Jan. 21 warrant also revealed extensive electronic evidence that is being examined for further charges. Authorities have not yet filed a death‑related indictment, but the ongoing inquiry spans Franklin and Hocking counties [3][4][1].
“Pink Alert” Campaign Gains Momentum After Tragedy In response to Buzbee’s death, her father Beau Buzbee launched a petition that has gathered over 41,000 signatures urging Indiana lawmakers to create a “Pink Alert” system for grooming‑related disappearances [2]. The proposal seeks a new alert tier triggered by online manipulation, sudden unexplained absence, or coercive communication, and mandates predator‑awareness education in schools [1][2]. Indiana legislators are reviewing the initiative, while Ohio monitors the effort alongside discussions of similar protective measures [1].
Cyber‑Tip Volume Surge Prompts Law‑Enforcement Guidance Franklin County’s ICAC Task Force reported a 70 % annual increase in electronic tips from 2018‑2023, handling roughly 860 tips per year in 2024‑2025 [1]. Sgt. Joe Smith urged families to “stop, block, report” unknown online contacts and to tighten privacy settings. The task force forwards tips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, contributing to the high arrest rates cited by investigators [1].
Sources
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1.
WBNS (Columbus, OH): Indiana Teen’s Death Revives Push for Online‑Safety Alerts – Details the discovery of Buzbee’s remains, the surge in cyber‑tip volume, and her father’s advocacy for “Hailey’s Law” and a Pink Alert system .
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2.
Newsweek: Indiana Pushes for “Pink Alert” After Teen’s Disappearance – Highlights the petition’s 41,000 signatures, the legislative gap the alert would fill, and statements from local officials on the ongoing investigation .
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3.
WBNS (Columbus, OH): Remains of Indiana Teen Found in Ohio; Suspect Held on $1.5 Million Bond – Reports the identification of remains, the arrest and bond details, and the evidence seized from Thomas’s home .
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4.
WBNS (Columbus, OH): Remains of Missing Indiana Teen Identified in Ohio; Suspect Held on $1.5 Million Bond – Mirrors the previous article with added emphasis on inter‑agency cooperation and the lack of a death‑related charge .
Timeline
Jan 5, 2026 – Hailey Buzbee, 17, leaves her Fishers, Indiana home and disappears, prompting her family to begin a search later that day [1].
Jan 6, 2026 – Her parents report her missing and Fishers police open an investigation the next day, launching a multi‑jurisdictional case [1].
Jan 21, 2026 – Detectives execute a search warrant at suspect Tyler Thomas’s Columbus home, seize electronic devices containing child sexual‑abuse material involving Buzbee, and charge him with pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor [3][4].
Jan 31, 2026 – Thomas voluntarily turns himself in to Ohio authorities, is detained, and begins cooperating with the FBI and local agencies on the investigation [3][4].
Feb 1, 2026 – Perry County officials announce they have recovered remains they believe belong to Hailey Buzbee, confirming the location of the missing teen after a joint Indiana‑Ohio investigation [3][4].
Feb 1, 2026 – Thomas appears before Franklin County Municipal Court, is arraigned on the pandering charge, and is released on a $1.5 million bond while homicide charges remain pending [3][4].
Feb 2, 2026 – Fishers Police Chief Ed Gebhart says the department will continue to aid Ohio authorities, and Mayor Scott Fadness states officials believe Buzbee is dead, underscoring the ongoing investigation [1].
Feb 2, 2026 – A Change.org petition for “Hailey’s Law” gathers over 41,000 signatures, calling for a new “Pink Alert” system to address online‑grooming disappearances and mandatory predator‑awareness education in Indiana schools [1].
Feb 2, 2026 – The petition proposes a Pink Alert tier triggered by indicators such as online grooming, sudden unexplained disappearance, or coercive communication, filling gaps left by Amber and Silver alerts that require confirmed abduction or disability [1].
Feb 2, 2026 – Hailey’s father, Beau Buzbee, describes his daughter as “smart, beautiful, kind” and urges public backing for the petition, emphasizing that current laws lag behind modern digital threats [1].
Feb 3, 2026 – Franklin County ICAC Task Force Sgt. Joe Smith reports a 70 % annual increase in cyber tips from 2018‑2023, handling roughly 860 tips per year in 2024‑2025, and notes the unit forwards them to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children [2].
Feb 3, 2026 – Smith advises families to “stop, block, report” unknown online contacts, stressing strict privacy settings and parental awareness as essential safeguards [2].
Feb 3, 2026 – Beau Buzbee pushes Indiana legislators to mandate predator‑awareness education and create a Pink Alert system, saying the case shows “current laws lag behind modern digital threats” [2].
Feb 3, 2026 – Ohio Rep. Beryl Brown Piccolantonio notes Ohio’s recent passage of Braden’s Law and says she is monitoring Indiana’s proposal to determine if comparable protections should be adopted in Ohio [2].