Murder Sheet: The Murder of Hailey Busbee

Air Date: February 2, 2026
Hosts: Áine Cain (A), Kevin Greenlee (B)

Episode Overview

This episode provides an in-depth, sensitive journalistic account of the disappearance and murder of 17-year-old Hailey Busbee from Fishers, Indiana. Drawing from law enforcement press conferences, community reactions, discussion of digital dangers, and legal documentation, hosts Áine Cain and Kevin Greenlee walk listeners through the devastating developments, the evolving investigation, and calls for systemic change in handling similar cases.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Timeline of Events

• Hailey’s Disappearance: Hailey Busbee, 17, went missing on January 5, 2026, from her home in Fishers, Indiana, initially classified as a runaway, later as an endangered missing juvenile ([00:00]–[02:53]).
• Community Response: Vigorous efforts by her family and community to raise awareness through both traditional and social media.
• Devastating Development: On February 1, 2026, law enforcement held a press conference announcing they believed Hailey was deceased. Media reports indicate her body was found around February 2, 2026 ([03:01]–[04:46], [18:10]–[19:04]).

2. Press Conference Details

Statements from Officials ([04:46]–[10:04])

• Mayor Scott Fadness (Fishers, IN):

  • Spoke about the community’s pain, Hailey’s promise and character, and the efforts being made to support her grieving family.

    “She was a bright light in the family. She was a wonderful big sister. She had a tremendous amount of promise and hope. She was excited about moving on to university. ... our community will rally in coming hours, days and weeks to stand with that family and their grief.” — Mayor Fadness ([05:02])

• Chief Ed Gerhardt (Fishers PD):

  • Identified the suspect as Tyler Thomas, 39, of Ohio.
  • Evidence (including digital forensics and statements) indicated she was with Thomas in Columbus, Ohio, and at a short-term rental in Hocking County ([07:05]).

    “Our detectives identified a suspect, 39 year old Tyler Thomas of Ohio. ...through continued investigations, his initial story was determined to be untrue. ...More evidence was collected at the home and the vehicle he had picked Haley up in.” — Chief Gerhardt ([07:05]–[10:04])

  • The investigation transitioned to recovery after learning details of her fate, and the case shifted jurisdiction to Ohio.

• Special Agent Tim O’Malley (FBI Indianapolis):

  • Extended condolences, emphasized FBI’s technical and investigative support, especially coordination with Ohio agencies.

    “The FBI is committed to pursuing justice and holding those responsible accountable for what they did.” — Tim O’Malley ([10:04])

Q&A With Press ([11:22])

• Notably: The meeting between Hailey and Thomas was not random; they met via online gaming, sparking renewed concerns about digital predator access to minors.

  “This person came here to meet Hayley and that Hayley and the suspect met somehow through online gaming.” — Kevin Greenlee ([11:45])

3. Digital Dangers & Predator Access

• Discussion expanded on how online predators, enabled by modern communications, can lure victims without ever leaving home.

  “Predators no longer have to go in a van to your neighborhood... They can on their computer or on their phone online through these different communities. ... They have more access to children than ever because of the Internet...” — Áine Cain ([11:45]–[13:52])

• Both hosts stressed the seriousness of online grooming and reiterated the difficulty for parents to police these digital frontiers, arguing for more robust regulatory responsibility from tech companies.

  “To put the onus entirely on parents to deal with that, I think is a dereliction of society's duty to protect children.” — Áine ([35:43])

4. Investigation Details & Legal Documentation

• Suspect Details: Tyler N. Thomas, 39, from Columbus, Ohio (listed as homeless, but with address info on Hunter Avenue).
• Charges (as of episode):
  1. Pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor (creation/production of CSAM)
  2. Tampering with evidence (deleting/altering digital evidence) ([19:04]–[24:00])
• Affidavit Summary:
  • Digital forensics uncovered deleted sexual abuse material involving Hailey on Thomas’s devices.
  • The case moved from a missing persons’ case in Indiana to a homicide case in Ohio, given evidence she died in Ohio ([24:00]–[29:16]).
• Arraignment: Thomas appeared remotely for his arraignment on February 2nd, with a $1.5 million bond. His attorney confirmed Hailey’s remains were found in Perry County, Ohio ([34:22]–[34:41]).

5. Community and Family Advocacy: ‘Hailey’s Law’ & the Pink Alert Proposal

• Hailey's family and friends advocate for “Haley's Law,” which would:

  • Create a Pink Alert for high-risk missing minors not qualifying for other alerts.
  • Update and mandate predator awareness education in Indiana schools, focusing on modern online risks ([30:16]–[33:55]).

• Host Endorsement:

  “There should be a different kind of alert for something like what Hailey went through, like the pink alert they're suggesting, because it still puts it out there for people...” — Áine ([33:35])

6. Reflections, Systemic Critique & Moving Forward

• Critical reflection on the responsibilities of online platforms, law enforcement, education systems, and society at large to prevent digital predation.
• Rejection of victim-blaming, reaffirming focus on perpetrators and system failures ([35:43]–[38:59]):

  “If we want to look to blame somebody, blame the perpetrator first of all. And then secondarily, look at what were the environments that led this young girl to be in contact with this guy and how was that allowed to happen?” — Áine

7. Appeal for Information

• Request for listeners with information about Tyler Thomas’s activities or online aliases to contact the hosts at murdersheetmail.com ([39:00]).

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Community Shock:

  “You don't think of it as the sort of place where these kinds of tragedies happen. But of course, in this day and age, these tragedies happen everywhere. There's nowhere you're immune from it.” — Kevin ([04:46])

• On Vulnerability in the Digital Age:

  “We're in a very different landscape for predators. And they, I think, have more access to children than ever because of the Internet, because of social media, because of the proliferation of smartphones.” — Áine ([12:45])

• On Law Enforcement’s Diligence:

  “Between the tips that you've shared with us and the support that you have shown the family, we could not have asked for more from our community and beyond. This is not the outcome that any of us had wanted.” — Chief Gerhardt ([09:15])

• Systemic Responsibility:

  “I think more needs to be done about this legislatively because obviously these companies are not going to do it themselves. And it's our children on the line.” — Áine ([35:43])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–02:53: Introduction; Hailey’s background and disappearance
• 04:46–10:04: Press conference—statements from Mayor, Police Chief, FBI
• 11:22–13:52: How Hailey met the suspect; digital dangers discussion
• 19:04–24:00: Suspect’s background; charges and court documents
• 29:16–33:55: Jurisdiction explanation; family’s advocacy for ‘Hailey’s Law’ and Pink Alert
• 34:22–34:41: Arraignment and confirmation body found
• 35:43–38:59: Systemic analysis, critique of tech companies, and call for legislative reform
• 39:00–39:59: Appeal for further information from the public

Conclusion

This episode delivers a thorough, impactful examination of Hailey Busbee’s case—honoring her memory, scrutinizing investigative progress, emphasizing the lurking dangers faced by youth online, and rallying for systemic changes in child safety protocols. The hosts’ empathy, legal insight, and journalistic rigor provide listeners with both clarity on the facts and a thoughtful call to action.

For more information or to share tips:
Email: murdersheetmail.com

Support ‘Hailey’s Law’ & learn about the Pink Alert petition:
Check show notes for the Change.org petition link.