Federal grand jury indicts Ohio man for murder of Fishers teen Hailey Buzbee

Submitted by U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Ohio

On Wednesday, Sept. 23, a federal grand jury returned charges against Tyler Nike Thomas, 39, Columbus, Ohio, for crimes related to the disappearance and death of 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee of Fishers. Thomas allegedly sexually exploited and murdered the teenager.

“Prosecutors from my office have worked diligently with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners over the past eight months to bring today’s charges forward, never losing sight of the pursuit of justice for Hailey Buzbee and her family,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “I want to assure the public that we will not waver as we see this case through. That diligent work, dedication, and commitment to justice will continue as this case proceeds.”

Court documents detail that Thomas allegedly met the teenage victim online, playing video games, including Roblox and League of Legends. As early as May 2024, Thomas allegedly attempted to entice the then 15-year-old victim to engage in sexual activity.

In January 2026, Thomas allegedly traveled from Columbus to Fortville, Ind., during the overnight hours of Jan. 5 to Jan. 6 to pick up the victim and transport her back to Ohio with him, all with the intent to engage in prohibited sexual activity with the victim. The indictment alleges that he murdered the victim during the course of these offenses.

Cell phone analysis reveals Thomas allegedly traveled from Columbus to an Airbnb residence in Logan, Ohio, on the afternoon of Jan. 6.

At approximately 9:25 a.m. the next morning, Jan. 7, Thomas’s phone data shows he traveled near and remained at the North Country Trail Trailhead in Wayne National Forest – where the victims’ remains were later located – for approximately five hours.

The indictment alleges that Thomas obstructed justice by decapitating, dismembering, burying, and discarding the body.

Forensic review of Thomas’s cell phone also revealed deleted communications and interactions between Thomas and the victim, including messages on Snapchat and sexually explicit images of the victim in Thomas’s Columbus residence and the Airbnb residence.

Thomas was initially arrested in January on a local charge, which was dismissed when he was taken into federal custody in February and charged by federal criminal complaint.

Today’s nine-count indictment charges him with kidnapping resulting in death (punishable by death or life in prison); traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor (up to 30 years in prison) and this offense resulting in death (punishable by death or up to life in prison); transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity (at least 10 years and up to life in prison) and this offense resulting in death (punishable by death or up to life in prison); sexual exploitation (at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison) and attempted enticement of a minor (at least 10 years and up to life in prison); obstruction of justice (up to 20 years in prison); and accessing digital materials with the intent to view child pornography (up to 20 years in prison).

The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II; FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Jason Cromartie; Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson; Fishers Police Chief Ed Gebhart; Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant; Hocking County Sheriff Lanny E. North; Perry County Sheriff William R. Barker; and Fairfield County Sheriff Alex Lape.

The U.S. Forest Service; Ohio Department of Natural Resources; FBI Indianapolis; the Perry, Hocking and Franklin county prosecutors’ offices; Shawnee and New Straitsville fire departments, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office; Indiana State Police; and Norfolk Southern; as well as search and rescue teams from the Central Ohio Rescue and Recovery K-9 Unit, Buckeye Search and Rescue Dogs, Jeff-Craig Fire Department K-9 search team, Black Swamp Search and Rescue, North Carolina Troopers Association, Civilian Crisis Response Team, and Midwest K9 Search Unit have assisted with the investigation.

Senior Litigation Counsel Heather A. Hill and Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski are representing the United States in this case.

An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc.