Investigators await coroner findings after a jailed Ohio man allegedly directed them to a burial site in Perry County.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — An Ohio man arrested last week in connection with the disappearance of Indiana teen Hailey Buzbee is being held in Franklin County as investigators await autopsy results from remains recovered Sunday in Perry County. Authorities said the man met the 17-year-old online and later guided officers to a wooded site.
The case has shifted from a high-profile search to a criminal investigation spanning two states. Detectives in Ohio and Indiana say digital evidence, rental records and phone data place the pair together after Buzbee left home the night of Jan. 5. The Franklin County case currently involves felony counts unrelated to homicide. Prosecutors said any additional charges will depend on the coroner’s findings and where the death occurred. The recovery site, near a trailhead in Wayne National Forest, remained under guard as teams collected evidence.
Fishers, Ind., police opened the missing-person report on Jan. 6 and soon identified the Ohio man as a person of interest after he acknowledged picking Buzbee up. Investigators searched his Columbus home and seized electronic devices. A short-term rental near the Hocking Hills area was later searched, and officers said evidence there conflicted with his early claim that he dropped the teen on a roadside in western Ohio. On Feb. 1, while jailed on other charges, the man provided directions that led deputies and agents to a shallow grave off a narrow access road in Perry County.
Hocking County Sheriff Lanny North said the remains, believed to be Buzbee, were sent to the Licking County Coroner’s Office for identification and cause-of-death analysis. A spokesperson for the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office said the defendant faces counts involving sexually oriented material with a minor and tampering with evidence. His attorney said he turned himself in and cooperated with authorities to help locate the teen. Federal agents assisted with searches and with processing the outdoor scene, which included cataloging soil, clothing and trace materials for state lab testing.
The Hocking Hills region draws millions of visitors each year, with cabins and short-term rentals scattered around state park trail networks and nearby national forest land. Investigators have not said exactly where inside the forest the grave was found, citing the ongoing case. In Fishers, school leaders and neighbors described Buzbee as a hardworking student who balanced classes with a part-time job. The case drew widespread attention after national missing-persons groups amplified the family’s pleas and police updates. Officials have not released any preliminary autopsy observations, saying those details will come after next-of-kin notifications and a full forensic review.
Franklin County courts are expected to address bond and scheduling this week on the existing charges. If the coroner confirms Buzbee’s identity and a cause and manner of death, prosecutors said they will consult with counterparts in Perry County and with state investigators on jurisdiction for any homicide-related counts. Detectives plan to review rental bookings, surveillance footage and mapping data to establish a timeline between Jan. 5 and the date of death. Authorities said more information will be announced once laboratory testing and digital forensics are complete.
Outside the Columbus courthouse, the defense attorney told reporters his client “worked with police to help find her,” while declining to discuss the pending counts. In Fishers, mourners left flowers near a city park, and a small vigil formed after sunset. An FBI official called the development “a heartbreaking outcome,” thanking local departments for cooperation and urging patience as evidence is analyzed.
As of Tuesday, the investigation remains active on both sides of the state line. The next expected milestone is a coroner update and a Franklin County hearing later this week.
Author note: Last updated February 4, 2026.