Indiana Teen Hailey Buzbee Found Dead, Man Charged

Police link 39-year-old Tyler Thomas to the disappearance and death of the 17-year-old girl

Feb. 3, 2026 at 2:31am

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The body of missing 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee was found on February 1 in Perry County, Ohio, weeks after she went missing from her neighborhood in Fishers, Indiana. Police have arrested 39-year-old Tyler Thomas, a Columbus, Ohio resident, as the prime suspect in the case. Thomas admitted to picking up Hailey the night she disappeared, but his story was found to be untrue. Authorities discovered sexually explicit material featuring Hailey on Thomas' devices, as well as other child sexual abuse content. Thomas has been charged with pandering sexually explicit material involving a minor and tampering with evidence.

Why it matters

Hailey Buzbee's tragic death has sparked outrage in the community and calls for new legislation, known as "Hailey's Law," which would create a "Pink Alert" to notify the public when a missing child or adult is in danger, even if the criteria for an Amber or Silver Alert are not met. The case also highlights the dangers that young people can face when meeting strangers online.

The details

Police initially classified Hailey's disappearance as a runaway case, but upgraded it to an "endangered missing juvenile" investigation after an unidentified vehicle was seen in the neighborhood the night she went missing. Authorities traced the vehicle to Tyler Thomas and took him into custody as the prime suspect. During questioning, Thomas admitted to picking up Hailey but claimed he later dropped her off, a statement that was found to be untrue. A search of Thomas' car, home, and a rental property uncovered sexually explicit material featuring Hailey, as well as other child sexual abuse content.

  • Hailey Buzbee was last seen in her neighborhood on January 5, 2026, around 10 p.m.
  • Hailey Buzbee's body was found on February 1, 2026 in Perry County, Ohio.

The players

Hailey Buzbee

A 17-year-old girl from Fishers, Indiana who went missing in January 2026 and was later found dead.

Tyler Thomas

A 39-year-old man from Columbus, Ohio who has been charged with pandering sexually explicit material involving a minor and tampering with evidence in connection with Hailey Buzbee's disappearance and death.

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What they’re saying

“Our family is devastated. We want the community and others to know that we are so thankful for the support we received. It's been tremendous and gave us the hope and strength we needed during our darkest hours... Please consider signing and sharing the petition below (Hailey's Law).”

— Beau Buzbee, Hailey Buzbee's father (Change.org)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Tyler Thomas out on bail.

The takeaway

This tragic case highlights the need for stronger protections and alert systems for missing children and adults, as well as the dangers that young people can face when meeting strangers online. The community's support for Hailey's Law demonstrates a desire for change to prevent similar tragedies in the future.