Tyler Thomas Pleads Not Guilty to Federal Charges in Death of Hailey Buzbee
Defense counsel entered the plea in Columbus federal court on Monday as Thomas waived physical appearance and remains held in federal custody.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Tyler Nike Thomas pleaded not guilty Monday, Oct. 5, in U.S. District Court in Columbus to a nine-count federal indictment charging him in connection with the kidnapping and death of 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee nbc4. Defense attorney Samuel Shamansky entered the plea on behalf of Thomas, 39, who waived his right to physically appear in the courtroom for the arraignment wbns.
Thomas remains detained in federal custody without bond pending pretrial proceedings at the Joseph P. Kinneary U.S. Courthouse federal-custody. All charges in the indictment remain unproven allegations, and Thomas is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Previously, Pique covered the case under the headline "Columbus man charged in death of Indiana teen Hailey Buzbee as federal authorities announce case update."
Nine Federal Felony Charges
A federal grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio returned the nine-count indictment on Sept. 23 indictment-return. The charges include kidnapping resulting in death; traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, resulting in death; and transporting a minor for criminal sexual activity, resulting in death capital-counts.
The indictment also includes counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, attempted enticement of a minor, obstruction of justice, and accessing digital materials depicting child sexual abuse additional-counts. Several of the capital offenses carry a maximum penalty of life in prison or the death penalty if Thomas is convicted statutory-penalties.
Following the return of the indictment, Shamansky said the defense was "not surprised this indictment has been returned and we are in the process of reviewing numerous discovery materials in preparation for the defense of these charges" defense-statement.
Interstate Investigation and Procedural Timeline
The federal prosecution stems from a joint interstate investigation coordinated across central Ohio and suburban Indianapolis prosecutor-statement. Buzbee was reported missing by her family on Jan. 5 after leaving her home in Fishers, Indiana missing-report.
Court documents allege Thomas met Buzbee online through video games including Roblox and League of Legends, and prosecutors allege he began attempting to persuade her to engage in sexual activity in May 2024, when she was 15 online-contact. Prosecutors allege Thomas drove from Columbus to Indiana during the early morning hours of Jan. 6 to pick up Buzbee, brought her back to Ohio, and killed her during the offenses alleged-trip.
Cellphone data reviewed by investigators allegedly tracked Thomas to an Airbnb in Logan, Ohio, that afternoon and later to the North Country Trail Trailhead in Wayne National Forest phone-tracking. Buzbee's remains were recovered in Perry County, Ohio, on Feb. 1 after Thomas led authorities to the site remains-recovery.
Local charges initially filed against Thomas in Franklin County following his January arrest were dismissed after federal authorities took him into custody in February case-transfer. Pretrial discovery and scheduling will continue in federal district court in Columbus as the defense and prosecutors prepare for trial.
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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Tyler Nike Thomas pleaded not guilty Monday, Oct. 5, in U.S. District Court in Columbus to a nine-count federal indictment charging him in connection with the kidnapping and death of 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee nbc4. Defense attorney Samuel Shamansky entered the plea on behalf of Thomas, 39, who waived his right to physically appear in the courtroom for the arraignment wbns.
Thomas remains detained in federal custody without bond pending pretrial proceedings at the Joseph P. Kinneary U.S. Courthouse federal-custody. All charges in the indictment remain unproven allegations, and Thomas is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Previously, Pique covered the case under the headline "Columbus man charged in death of Indiana teen Hailey Buzbee as federal authorities announce case update."
Nine Federal Felony Charges
A federal grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio returned the nine-count indictment on Sept. 23 indictment-return. The charges include kidnapping resulting in death; traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, resulting in death; and transporting a minor for criminal sexual activity, resulting in death capital-counts.
The indictment also includes counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, attempted enticement of a minor, obstruction of justice, and accessing digital materials depicting child sexual abuse additional-counts. Several of the capital offenses carry a maximum penalty of life in prison or the death penalty if Thomas is convicted statutory-penalties.
Following the return of the indictment, Shamansky said the defense was "not surprised this indictment has been returned and we are in the process of reviewing numerous discovery materials in preparation for the defense of these charges" defense-statement.
Interstate Investigation and Procedural Timeline
The federal prosecution stems from a joint interstate investigation coordinated across central Ohio and suburban Indianapolis prosecutor-statement. Buzbee was reported missing by her family on Jan. 5 after leaving her home in Fishers, Indiana missing-report.
Court documents allege Thomas met Buzbee online through video games including Roblox and League of Legends, and prosecutors allege he began attempting to persuade her to engage in sexual activity in May 2024, when she was 15 online-contact. Prosecutors allege Thomas drove from Columbus to Indiana during the early morning hours of Jan. 6 to pick up Buzbee, brought her back to Ohio, and killed her during the offenses alleged-trip.
Cellphone data reviewed by investigators allegedly tracked Thomas to an Airbnb in Logan, Ohio, that afternoon and later to the North Country Trail Trailhead in Wayne National Forest phone-tracking. Buzbee's remains were recovered in Perry County, Ohio, on Feb. 1 after Thomas led authorities to the site remains-recovery.
Local charges initially filed against Thomas in Franklin County following his January arrest were dismissed after federal authorities took him into custody in February case-transfer. Pretrial discovery and scheduling will continue in federal district court in Columbus as the defense and prosecutors prepare for trial.
How we know this
The sources and records behind this story, with the facts they support.
Columbus man accused in Hailey Buzbee's disappearance and death pleads not guilty
Supporting evidence (1)
District Court in Columbus to a nine-count federal indictment charging him in connection with the kidnapping and death of 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee nbc4.
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The Columbus man indicted in connection with the disappearance and death of an Indiana teenager pleaded not guilty on Monday.
Columbus man charged in death of Indiana teen Hailey Buzbee pleads not guilty
Supporting evidence (1)
Defense attorney Samuel Shamansky entered the plea on behalf of Thomas, 39, who waived his right to physically appear in the courtroom for the arraignment wbns.
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Tyler Thomas, 39, was indicted last month on nine federal charges in Buzbee's death.
Supporting evidence (5)
Courthouse federal-custody.
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Thomas was initially arrested on local charges in January. Those charges were dismissed after federal authorities took him into custody in February, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.
The indictment also includes counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, attempted enticement of a minor, obstruction of justice, and accessing digital materials depicting child sexual abuse additional-counts.
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He is charged with kidnapping resulting in death; traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor resulting in death; transporting a minor for criminal sexual activity resulting in death; sexual exploitation of a minor; attempted enticement of a minor; obstruction of justice; and accessing digital materials depicting child sexual abuse.
Several of the capital offenses carry a maximum penalty of life in prison or the death penalty if Thomas is convicted statutory-penalties.
Read supporting passage
Some of the charges carry a possible penalty of life in prison or death if Thomas is convicted.
The federal prosecution stems from a joint interstate investigation coordinated across central Ohio and suburban Indianapolis prosecutor-statement.
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“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,” U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II said in a statement.
Local charges initially filed against Thomas in Franklin County following his January arrest were dismissed after federal authorities took him into custody in February case-transfer.
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Thomas was initially arrested on local charges in January. Those charges were dismissed after federal authorities took him into custody in February, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/man-allegedly-led-police-teen-205227835.html
Supporting evidence (7)
District Court for the Southern District of Ohio returned the nine-count indictment on Sept. 23 indictment-return.
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On Sept. 23, a federal grand jury returned a nine-count indictment for Tyler Nike Thomas, 39, of Columbus, whom prosecutors allege "sexually exploited and murdered" 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio.
The charges include kidnapping resulting in death; traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, resulting in death; and transporting a minor for criminal sexual activity, resulting in death capital-counts.
Read supporting passage
Thomas is now charged with kidnapping resulting in death; traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, resulting in death; transporting a minor for criminal sexual activity, resulting in death; sexual exploitation; attempted enticement of a minor; obstruction of justice; and accessing digital materials depicting child pornography, per the release.
Following the return of the indictment, Shamansky said the defense was "not surprised this indictment has been returned and we are in the process of reviewing numerous discovery materials in preparation for the defense of these charges" defense-statement.
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In a statement to PEOPLE on Monday, Sept. 28, Shamansky said: "We are not surprised this indictment has been returned and we are in the process of reviewing numerous discovery materials in preparation for the defense of these charges."
Buzbee was reported missing by her family on Jan. 5 after leaving her home in Fishers, Indiana missing-report.
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Buzbee was last seen leaving her home in Fishers, Ind., on Jan. 5. Her family reported her missing, and police initially believed she may have run away from home, according to a previous statement from the Fishers Police Department.
Court documents allege Thomas met Buzbee online through video games including Roblox and League of Legends, and prosecutors allege he began attempting to persuade her to engage in sexual activity in May 2024, when she was 15 online-contact.
Read supporting passage
Federal court documents say Thomas met Buzbee while playing Roblox and League of Legends, and prosecutors allege he began trying to persuade her to engage in sexual activity in May 2024, when she was 15, according to the press release.
Prosecutors allege Thomas drove from Columbus to Indiana during the early morning hours of Jan. 6 to pick up Buzbee, brought her back to Ohio, and killed her during the offenses alleged-trip.
Read supporting passage
Prosecutors allege that in the early morning hours of Jan. 6, Thomas drove from Columbus to Fortville, Ind., where he picked up Buzbee and brought her back to Ohio. They claim he killed her "during the course of the offenses," per the release.
Cellphone data reviewed by investigators allegedly tracked Thomas to an Airbnb in Logan, Ohio, that afternoon and later to the North Country Trail Trailhead in Wayne National Forest phone-tracking.
Read supporting passage
Cellphone data reviewed by investigators allegedly placed Thomas at an Airbnb in Logan, Ohio, that afternoon. The following morning, his phone was tracked to the North Country Trail Trailhead in Wayne National Forest, where he allegedly stayed for about five hours. Buzbee's remains were later found in the area, according to prosecutors.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/man-accused-killing-indiana-teen-122643850.html
Supporting evidence (1)
Buzbee's remains were recovered in Perry County, Ohio, on Feb. 1 after Thomas led authorities to the site remains-recovery.
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Buzbee's remains were found in Perry County, Ohio on February 1 after the 17-year-old went missing on January 6 from Indiana.