🚨 A LATE-NIGHT MESSAGE. A QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD. A CAR WAITING OUTSIDE. BY MORNING, HAILEY BUZBEE WAS GONE FOREVER 😱💔

January 5, 2026. Fishers, Indiana. 17-year-old Hailey slips out after a late-night gaming session.

Investigators say she left to meet her online “friend”—the one who called her mature, made her laugh, built trust over endless games.

But he’s Tyler Thomas, 39, already parked outside in the dark. Headlights off. Waiting.

Then, in the dead of night, a desperate 4 a.m. call to her stepmother: pure panic, a plea that screams something went terribly wrong.

Full details:

In the quiet Enclave at Vermillion neighborhood, a late-night message and a car waiting outside led to the disappearance of 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee on January 5, 2026. What began as a routine evening of gaming ended with a frantic 4 a.m. phone call to her stepmother—a desperate plea that may have been her last attempt to reach safety—before she vanished by morning.

Hailey, a student at Hamilton Southeastern High School, was last seen by her parents, Beau and Ronya Buzbee, around 10 p.m. that night. They said goodnight and went to bed, unaware their daughter had slipped out. The next morning, January 6, her room was empty. She appeared to have left voluntarily, leaving behind her phone and most possessions, prompting her family to report her missing as an endangered runaway.

Investigators from the Fishers Police Department quickly identified a suspicious vehicle in the neighborhood surveillance footage. Through digital tracing and interviews, they linked it to 39-year-old Tyler Thomas of Columbus, Ohio. Thomas met Hailey through an online gaming platform, where he reportedly complimented her skills, called her mature, and built a rapport that made her feel understood.

Police say Thomas drove from Ohio to pick her up that night. In initial statements to investigators, he admitted to the pickup but claimed he dropped her off along a roadside in western Ohio. That account was later disproven by evidence, including digital forensics and witness details.

The 4 a.m. call to Hailey’s stepmother, Ronya Buzbee, emerged as a heartbreaking detail in public discussions and family appeals. Reports circulating on social media and in coverage described it as a panicked plea: “Please come get me,” conveying fear and urgency. While authorities have not released an official transcript or exact recording to protect the investigation, the call has been framed by loved ones as a potential last cry for help amid whatever transpired after she left home.

By sunrise, Hailey was gone. Her online activity ceased, and no credible sightings followed. The case escalated rapidly due to the interstate element, drawing in the FBI, Columbus Police, Hocking Hills Sheriff’s Office, and other agencies.

Thomas was arrested January 31, 2026, in Ohio on charges of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor and tampering with evidence. Court records allege investigators found sexually explicit photos and a deleted video of Hailey on his phone during a search of his Columbus home on Hunter Avenue. Additional forensic evidence was recovered from a short-term rental property near Hocking Hills, where authorities believe much of the incident occurred.

On February 2, Thomas appeared in Franklin County Municipal Court. Bond was set at $1.5 million with strict conditions, including no internet access, no contact with minors, and no firearms. His attorney, Samuel Shamansky, told reporters post-hearing that Thomas had cooperated by leading the FBI and local authorities to Hailey’s buried remains in a wooded area of Wayne National Forest near the New Straitsville Trailhead in Perry County, Ohio. The recovery occurred over the weekend of February 1-2, sparing a larger search effort.

Shamansky emphasized the cooperation as a means to provide closure, stating Thomas had “no intention” of posting bond and wanted to assist. He anticipated homicide charges—possibly murder—would follow in Hocking or Perry County, though none had been filed at the time. Thomas maintained he did not kill Hailey and would plead not guilty to any such accusations.

The remains were positively identified as Hailey’s through autopsy at the Licking County Coroner’s Office. Fishers Police Chief Ed Gebhart announced February 1 that the department believed Hailey was deceased, based on evidence and suspect statements indicating she went missing within days of being picked up.

The case has spotlighted the dangers of online grooming through gaming platforms. Hailey’s family described her as smart, beautiful, and kind, with a passion for gaming that predators exploited. Beau Buzbee launched a petition for “Hailey’s Law,” advocating for a “Pink Alert” system for missing endangered youth not covered by Amber Alerts, plus mandatory grooming awareness education in schools.

Community response included vigils, pink lights illuminating Fishers in February as “Go Pink for Hailey Month,” and widespread social media support. A GoFundMe aided the family, with proceeds directed toward missing children causes if unused.

As the multi-agency investigation continues, key questions remain: What occurred between the late-night departure, the 4 a.m. call, and sunrise? Forensic details from the rental property, phone data, and autopsy could clarify contributing factors like coercion or foul play.

Thomas remains in custody, with further proceedings expected. No murder charges have been announced, but officials stress the pursuit of justice drives the case.

For the Buzbee family, the late-night plea and vanishing act represent unbearable loss. A teen’s trust in an online connection turned deadly, underscoring the need for vigilance in digital spaces. Hailey’s story continues to inspire calls for change, ensuring her memory protects others.

Rest in peace, Hailey. Your family’s fight for answers and safer futures honors the light you brought to those who loved you.