'Recovery only': Missing teen who met online gamer in person before disappearing is presumed dead, officials say

A 17-year-old precocious schoolhouse pupil successful Indiana who went missing earlier this period is presumed dormant aft she allegedly near location with a 39-year-old antheral she met done an online gaming platform.

Tyler N. Thomas, of Ohio, was taken into custody implicit the play and charged with 1 number of tampering with grounds and 1 number of pandering sexually oriented substance involving a insignificant successful transportation with the disappearance of Hailey Buzbee.

Local authorities announced the latest updates successful the lawsuit during a Sunday day quality briefing that began with Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness stating that aft an "extensive investigation," detectives judge "that Hailey [Buzbee] is deceased."

According to Fishers Police Chief Ed Gebhart, officers connected the greeting of Jan. 6 responded to the Buzbee residence successful the Enclave astatine Vermillion vicinity aft her parents reported that Buzbee had "left overnight." The section instantly began looking into the teen's whereabouts.

"Throughout the probe we were capable to place an chartless conveyance that had been successful Hailey's vicinity the nighttime she had gone missing," the main said. "Using technology, our detectives identified Thomas arsenic the fishy she had near with. We made interaction with him successful Ohio and helium admitted to picking Hailey up astatine her location and told america that helium dropped her disconnected connected the broadside of the roadworthy successful occidental Ohio. However, done continued investigations, his archetypal communicative was determined to beryllium untrue."

Gebhart said officials judge Buzbee and Thomas archetypal began speaking done an online gaming platform.

After further investigation, the Columbus, Ohio, Police Department's homicide portion assisted successful executing hunt warrants connected Thomas' location and the conveyance helium utilized to prime up Buzbee. The grounds collected done the warrants seemingly showed that Buzbee had been successful Thomas' location arsenic good arsenic a short-term rental portion successful Hocking County, Ohio.

Buzbee's assemblage had not been discovered arsenic of Monday morning, but Gebhart said the probe had go a "recovery only" operation.

The grounds yet led investigators to the decision that Buzbee died wrong a fewer days of being picked up by Thomas. Though Thomas has not been charged with murder, constabulary confirmed that the existent charges against him successful Franklin County, Ohio, stem from his alleged relation successful Buzbee's disappearance and presumed death.

Thomas is scheduled to marque his archetypal quality successful tribunal connected Monday.

According to the transgression complaint, constabulary conducting a forensic reappraisal of Thomas' cellphone allegedly discovered a "cache of photos" connected the instrumentality showing helium had picked up an out-of-state insignificant — namely, Buzbee — whom helium past filmed "performing a intersexual act" connected him. The video was discovered successful a record that constabulary accidental Thomas had attempted to delete.

In a Facebook post, Buzbee's parents described her arsenic a "smart, beautiful, kind, and caring young woman with a agleam future."

"Our household is devastated," they wrote successful a Facebook post. "We privation the assemblage and others to cognize that we are truthful thankful for the enactment we received. It's been tremendous and gave america the anticipation and spot we needed during our darkest hours. Please proceed to support our household successful your thoughts and prayers arsenic we determination guardant and convey you for each the emotion you person shown our precious Hailey."

A GoFundMe for Buzbee had raised much than $35,000 arsenic of Monday.