Summarize this content to 100 words: An autopsy report confirmed the identity of the remains, according to Perry County Prosecuting Attorney Terry Rugg.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Authorities confirmed on Wednesday that the remains found in Wayne National Forest in Perry County were identified as those of missing Indiana teen Hailey Buzbee.
The Hocking County Sheriff’s Office previously said 17-year-old Buzbee’s remains were found in the forest. An autopsy report confirmed the identity of the remains, according to Perry County Prosecuting Attorney Terry Rugg.
Buzbee was reported missing on Jan. 6 out of Fishers, Indiana. Fishers police identified 39-year-old Tyler Thomas, of Columbus, as a suspect, saying investigators believe she left her home with him the previous night.
Police believe Buzbee and Thomas met via online gaming.
Columbus Division of Police Sgt. Joe Albert said detectives began assisting Fishers police with finding Buzbee on Jan. 16. An affidavit filed in Franklin County Municipal Court says that Buzbee had been at Thomas’ house on Hunter Avenue in north Columbus.
Homicide detectives executed a search warrant at Thomas’ home and on his electronic devices on Jan. 21, where they allegedly found child sexual abuse material involving Buzbee.
Thomas was charged with pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor and tampering with evidence.
According to Albert, the investigation confirmed Buzbee was also with Thomas at a short-term rental property in Hocking County, where detectives believe she was killed. During a search of the rental property, the sheriff’s office said forensic evidence was recovered, which may indicate that a crime occurred in the rental.
Thomas’ attorney, Sam Shamansky, said Thomas turned himself in on Saturday and worked with the FBI and other law enforcement to show them where he had buried Buzbee’s remains. Agents from the FBI, Hocking and Perry sheriff’s office, the U.S. Forest Service and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation were then able to recover the remains.
Shamansky said that Thomas will plead not guilty “if and when he’s charged with a homicide in this matter.”
The FBI released a statement on Wednesday saying that since there are many locations and jurisdictions involved, as well as the nature of the investigation, there is no timeline for when more information will be released.
