Columbus Man Pleads Not Guilty in Federal Case Tied to Missing Indiana Teen Hailey Buzbee Found Buried in Wayne National Forest
COLUMBUS, OH — A Columbus man accused in the death of 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee entered not guilty pleas Monday in federal court, where a nine-count indictment now centers on how prosecutors say the case unfolded from an online relationship to a fatal trip across state lines.
Thomas was not in the courtroom when his defense team entered the pleas. Prosecutors are still deciding whether to seek the death penalty on three of the charges, and an assistant U.S. attorney said there is no set timeline for that decision.
Buzbee’s remains were found in Wayne National Forest after she was reported missing
Buzbee’s dismembered remains were discovered buried in Wayne National Forest in January, only days after her family reported her missing from her home in the Indianapolis suburbs. Her parents attended Monday’s arraignment in Columbus.
Her father, Beau Buzbee, said afterward that the family was grateful for the work that brought the case to this point. The discovery in southeastern Ohio ended the search for the teenager but left investigators and prosecutors building a federal case around what happened before her death.
Prosecutors say the relationship began while Buzbee was gaming online
According to prosecutors, Thomas met Buzbee online while the two were gaming in 2024, when she was 15. They allege he tried to entice her to have sex after the pair began communicating.
Prosecutors also say Thomas drove to Indiana in January to pick Buzbee up from her home and bring her back to Columbus. They allege the two later engaged in illegal sexual activity after returning to Ohio.
Cell data places the pair at a rental in Hocking Hills, where investigators say she was killed
Investigators say cell data showed Thomas and Buzbee traveled to a house rental in Hocking Hills. Prosecutors allege that is where Buzbee was killed before her body was taken to Wayne National Forest and buried.
The case now hinges in part on forensic and digital evidence that prosecutors say connects the trip, the rental, and the forest burial. The allegations have not been tested at trial, and Thomas has denied guilt through his not guilty pleas.
Defense says Thomas led investigators to the burial site after surrendering
Thomas’ attorney, Sam Shamansky, said his client turned himself in to police and later took investigators to the place where Buzbee was buried. Shamansky said that action was meant to bring the family closure as quickly as possible.
He also said that helping investigators find the body is separate from whether prosecutors can prove the homicide counts. Shamansky told reporters that the government still has to establish the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
Death penalty review could affect a trial now expected next month
Heather A. Hill, an assistant U.S. attorney, said the Executive Office of the U.S. attorney general is reviewing whether the death penalty will be included on three charges. She said there is no particular timeline and that discussions are continuing.
The trial had originally been set for Nov. 30, but it is now expected to begin sometime next month. With the indictment, the plea, and the penalty review all still moving forward, the case remains in a pretrial phase that could change again before jury selection begins.
