A man who led investigators to the body of a missing 17-year-old girl has now been charged with her murder.
Tyler Nike Thomas, 39, faces nine federal charges over the disappearance and death of Hailey Buzbee.
Prosecutors allege Thomas sexually exploited the teenager before killing her and dismembering her body in an attempt to obstruct the investigation.
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The chilling new allegations come months after Thomas hielf led detectives to the area where Hailey’s remains were recovered.
A federal grand jury returned the indictment against the Columbus, Ohio, man on Wednesday (23 Sep), as reported by Need To Know.
The charges include kidnapping resulting in death, sexual exploitation offences and obstruction of justice.
Prosecutors allege Thomas first met Hailey through online video games including Roblox and League of Legends.
The indictment claims that as early as May 2024, when Hailey was 15, Thomas attempted to entice her to engage in sexual activity.
He is accused of travelling from Columbus to Fortville, Indiana, during the night of 5 January into 6 January this year.
Prosecutors allege he picked Hailey up before taking her back to Ohio with the intention of engaging in prohibited sexual activity.
They allege he then murdered the teenager during the course of those offences.
Phone data allegedly shows Thomas travelled from Columbus to an Airbnb in Logan, Ohio, on the afternoon of 6 January.
At around 9.25am the following morning, his phone allegedly travelled to the area around the North Country Trail Trailhead in Wayne National Forest, where investigators say it remained for around five hours.
Hailey’s remains were later recovered in the same area.
The indictment alleges Thomas attempted to obstruct the investigation by decapitating and dismembering Hailey before burying and discarding her remains.
A forensic examination of his phone allegedly uncovered deleted communications between Thomas and the teenager.
Investigators also allegedly discovered sexually explicit images of Hailey taken at Thomas’s Columbus home and the Airbnb.
Hailey had been reported missing from her home in Fishers, Indiana, on 6 January.
Investigators said Thomas initially admitted picking her up but claimed he later dropped her off at the side of a road in western Ohio.
Authorities said evidence subsequently showed that account was untrue.
Thomas was later taken into custody on earlier charges connected to Hailey’s disappearance.
On 1 February, he led investigators to an area in Perry County where he said he had buried the teenager.
Her remains were recovered and formally identified as Hailey.
Thomas initially faced local charges including pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor and tampering with evidence.
He was then federally charged in February with offences relating to the alleged sexual exploitation of Hailey.
The latest indictment now accuses him of killing her.
US Attorney Dominick S Gerace II said: “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.
“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.”
The investigation has involved the FBI alongside police and sheriff’s departments across Ohio and Indiana.
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