Body of Hailey Buzbee Found in Perry County, Ohio
INDIANAPOLIS — An attorney for the man charged in Hailey Buzbee’s disappearance says authorities have confirmed her body was recovered in Perry County, Ohio, southeast of Columbus.
Police say Buzbee was last seen on January 5 or 6, when she left with Tyler Thomas, a man she had met while gaming online. Thomas has since been charged in connection with her disappearance, though police say that he has not been charged with murder at this time.
Thomas appeared in court Monday for what his attorney described as a procedural hearing.
“It was a pro forma appearance,” said defense attorney Samuel Shamansky, explaining that bond arrangements had already been settled. “The bond had already been sent by agreement over the weekend. He will remain in custody by agreement of all the parties involved.”
Shamansky said the defense agreed there would be no bond posted, adding that Thomas’s cooperation made bond a non-issue.
“It works that we’ve agreed there’ll be no posting of a bond, and it’s not going to be an issue with Mr. Thomas’s cooperation,” Shamansky said.
According to Shamansky, Thomas assisted law enforcement in locating Buzbee’s body, though details about the exact location have not been disclosed.
“I’m not at liberty to discuss the precise spot in Perry County,” Shamansky said. “I can state with certainty that we led law enforcement and the prosecutor to the precise location.”
Shamansky confirmed that his office had already met with the Perry County Prosecutor and said the focus had been on cooperation to help locate Buzbee.
“We were in a cooperation mode to make sure that Ms. Buzbee was located,” he said.
The FBI has been involved in the investigation since the beginning, according to Shamansky, citing the multistate nature of the case.
“Clearly, given the location of these recent events, it’s way outside the jurisdiction of Indiana,” he said.
As the case moves forward, Shamansky said it remains unclear whether Thomas will ultimately face trial.
“Whether or not this man goes to trial is yet to be determined,” he said. “We will certainly be entering a not guilty plea to any charge involving Ms. Buzbee’s demise.”
Authorities have not released additional information about the cause of death or whether further charges are expected. The investigation remains ongoing.
