A 17-year-old girl named Hailey Buzbee, who went missing after connecting with a man through online games, is now believed to be dead. She was last seen on January 5th leaving her home in Vermillion, Ohio.
Initially, police thought she had simply run away, but further investigation led them to believe something more serious had happened.
Police say Hailey disappeared shortly after being picked up by 39-year-old Tyler Thomas, whom she met online. According to Fisher Police Chief Ed Gebhart, Hailey’s parents reported her missing on January 6th. Detectives later found an unknown vehicle in Hailey’s neighborhood the night she disappeared.
Using technology, police identified Thomas as the person Hailey left with. Thomas admitted to picking her up but claimed he dropped her off on the side of a road in western Ohio. However, police determined this story wasn’t true.
Evidence suggests that Thomas and Hailey stayed together at a rental property after he picked her up. Hailey was not found at the property when police searched it.
Tyler Thomas is currently in jail on felony charges, including obscenity and tampering with evidence. He has not yet been charged with Hailey’s murder.
Hailey was a student at HSC High School in Ohio.
Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness said Hailey’s family is heartbroken by the news. He expressed confidence that the community will support them during this difficult time.
The Fisher Police Department is working with the FBI, Indiana State Police, Columbus Police, and the Hocking County Sheriff’s Office on the investigation.
Thomas is scheduled to appear in court.
