The Murder of Hailey Buzbee: Could Tyler Thomas Plead Guilty?

Summary

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The Murder Sheet

Episode: The Murder of Hailey Buzbee: Could Tyler Thomas Plead Guilty?
Date: June 15, 2026
Hosts: Áine Cain (Journalist) & Kevin Greenlee (Attorney)

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Áine Cain and Kevin Greenlee revisit the harrowing case of 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee, who was abducted and murdered in early 2026. The discussion centers on recent legal filings and the strong indication that the defendant, Tyler Thomas, may be considering a guilty plea. The hosts break down complex legal procedures and reflect on broader issues such as plea deals, online child exploitation, and the challenges of prosecuting cross-state crimes.

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Case Background (02:07–04:49)

• Hailey Buzbee, 17, vanished from her Indiana home (variously described as Fishers or Fortville) on January 5, 2026.
• Her remains were discovered weeks later, in Perry County, Ohio.
• The primary suspect, Tyler Thomas, 39, from Ohio, was charged with involvement in her death amidst evidence suggesting sexual predation and violence.
• The case's complexity is due in part to its cross-state nature, bringing federal charges into play.

“Hailey Busby was a 17 year old girl. On January 5, 2026, she vanished from her home in Indiana... her body was discovered in February... in Perry County, Ohio.”
— Co-host (03:34)

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Key Discussion Points & Legal Analysis

Recent Court Filings Hint at Possible Plea Deal (05:55–09:17)

• The hosts discuss new PACER filings, notably joint motions from both prosecution and defense asking for more time before formal indictment.
• The collaborative language in these motions suggests a plea agreement may be in negotiation, though nothing is confirmed.

“[The documents say] ‘the parties are making every effort towards resolving this case as expeditiously as is possible under the circumstances’... that's the language that makes me think that a possible plea bargain is at the very least on the table.”
— Kevin Greenlee (06:49)

• Kevin emphasizes that until anything is formalized, a plea remains only a possibility.

The Prevalence and Purpose of Plea Deals (09:17–12:17)

• The majority of criminal cases end in plea deals, not trials.
• Reasons for plea deals include reducing risk, saving resources, and achieving predictable outcomes for both sides.

“Most cases do not go to trial. The vast majority of cases do not go to trial. Why is that?”
— Co-host (09:17)

“It’s really, really time-consuming and difficult and expensive to go to trial... you have no idea what a jury could potentially do. So you are taking a risk no matter what side you’re on.”
— Kevin Greenlee (10:09)

• The hosts clarify that plea deals aren't inherently negative; they can serve both justice and efficiency but can be controversial in high-profile or emotionally charged cases.

Community Reactions and the Nature of Punishment (13:05–14:49)

• Anticipation that the public could react negatively if a plea deal results in a “lesser” sentence for Thomas, considering the severity and disturbing nature of Hailey’s murder.

“If he's not getting something, that's a very substantial punishment, I think people are going to be understandably unhappy and feel...betrayed by this.”
— Co-host (13:42)

• Emphasis that, until formalized, outcomes remain speculative.

The Right to a Speedy Trial and Waivers (14:49–16:11)

• Discussion of the defendant's right to a speedy trial, and why a defendant might waive this right as part of negotiations or to better prepare a case.

“When you are charged, when you are arrested, when you lose your liberty, you deserve to know what the charge is. What are they saying I’ve done?”
— Kevin Greenlee (16:11)

The Specific Charges (22:29–24:01)

• Thomas is charged federally with:
  • Sexual exploitation of a minor (18 USC 2251)
  • Travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual activity (18 USC 2423B)
• He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years, with the possibility of life imprisonment or death penalty due to the victim’s death.
• Notably, as of the episode’s recording, no formal murder charge has been brought.

“The defendant faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years incarceration, a maximum of lifetime imprisonment and the possibility of the death penalty due to the death of the victim as a result of the current charges.”
— Co-host, quoting from the filing (22:53)

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Open Questions & Frustrations (24:43–27:19)

• Many details remain unclear, including Thomas’s motive and the exact circumstances of Hailey’s death.
• Withholding certain case details, such as cause of death, can aid investigation by filtering out false confessions and tips (reference to “Delphi” case practices).

“We don’t know what the state believes happened. We don’t know all the details. I think we have a big picture idea.”
— Kevin Greenlee (24:44)

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Online Predation and Exploitation (28:21–32:16)

• Hailey’s case is used to highlight the dangers of online predator grooming, particularly of minors.
• Discussion encourages honest conversations with children about online dangers, noting that predators are often sophisticated and patient in gaining trust.

“When you have a 17 year old talking to a 39 year old online and you know, he's exploiting her, I think these are conversations we have to have with our kids.”
— Co-host (28:21)

• The hosts caution against relying on outdated ideas of “stranger danger,” noting that manipulation often starts small and builds trust.

“Children... don’t have the experience to necessarily be fighting back against manipulation. They don’t have this skepticism or cynicism that many of us have built up as adults.”
— Co-host (31:00 approx.)

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Federal vs. State Jurisdiction (32:18–32:54)

• Prosecution is federal due to the crossing of state lines, with stricter sentencing and less likelihood of early release.
• Combining kidnapping and murder under federal charges can create a more cohesive case.

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Upcoming Developments & Timeline (33:32–34:38)

• The latest joint motion requests the court’s permission to delay the indictment or information filing until October 9, 2026.
• A resolution (plea, indictment, or trial date) could occur any time between now and then.

“The indictment or information in this case could drop at any time between now and October.”
— Co-host (34:05)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Plea Deals:
  “Most cases do not go to trial. The vast majority of cases do not go to trial.”
  — Co-host (09:17)

• On Legal Uncertainty:
  “It’s a cliché, but we don’t know what we don’t know.”
  — Kevin Greenlee (24:38)

• On Justice and Public Expectation:
  “The point of the criminal justice system is not to gratify our curiosity.”
  — Kevin Greenlee (27:19)

• On Online Predators:
  “These predators even then will twist it against the parents... they’ll claim, close off the method of support that [kids] might have gotten otherwise.” — Co-host (31:27)

• On Timeline:
  “So it’s four months away. So we could be looking at a decent long wait for this or it could drop in between then.”
  — Co-host (34:38)

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Episode Structure & Timestamps

• Background & Case Recap: 02:07–05:16
• Legal Filings & Plea Deal Prospects: 05:55–09:17
• Discussion on Plea Bargains: 09:17–12:17
• Public Sentiment & Justice: 13:05–14:49
• Speedy Trial Rights: 14:49–16:11
• Federal Charges & Stakes: 22:29–24:01
• Gaps in Public Knowledge/Frustration: 24:43–27:19
• Child Predation & Internet Safety: 28:21–32:16
• Federal Jurisdiction: 32:18–32:54
• Upcoming Case Developments: 33:32–34:38

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Takeaways

• The legal process is active and negotiation-intensive; nothing is public or final until a plea or indictment is announced.
• The legal discussions underscore both the practical and emotional realities of prosecuting violent crimes, especially involving minors.
• The case is also a somber reminder of the dangers children face online—urging vigilance, education, and honest communication.
• Listeners are advised that the timeline for case resolution is uncertain but could extend into October 2026.

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Transcript

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[Anya Cain (Journalist, Murder Sheet Podcast Host)]

I'm Anya and today we're going to be revisiting the horrific case of Hayley

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

Busby, a young teenage girl who was unfortunately abducted and murdered. Content WARNING this episode contains discussion of the murder of a child as well as disturbing sexual violence and graphic discussion of violence.

[Anya Cain (Journalist, Murder Sheet Podcast Host)]

So Hailey Busby.

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

This is a case that hits really close to home for us. Hayley Busby was a 17 year old girl on January 5, 2026, she vanished from her home in Indiana. She was living in, it's been alternatively

[Anya Cain (Journalist, Murder Sheet Podcast Host)]

described as Fishers, Indiana, but also Fortville, Indiana.

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

There's a whole complicated annexation thing with that. But anyways, often Fishers. Fishers is a city in Hamilton County. And then, unfortunately, her body was discovered in February. They. They found her in Ohio. She was out in Hawking county, or rather, I think she was. Her remains were discovered in Perry County. But what has happened since is that there's been an adult man charged with this horrible crime. The suspect, his name is Tyler Thomas. He was living in Ohio. He was 39 years old. And in past episodes, we've gone and done a thorough deep dive on both the area with which he is, where

[Anya Cain (Journalist, Murder Sheet Podcast Host)]

he is believed to have brought Haley

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

in Ohio, Hawking county, as well as the federal charges that Thomas is now facing because, of course, he crossed state lines here can become a federal matter. And that's certainly what's happening here. So I will link in our show notes. If you want to start back from the beginning, I've created a playlist that just makes it easy for you to follow. And this is something you can also access through our website. We've now set up a whole case library on our website, which is murder sheet podcast dot com. If you go to murdersheetpodcast.com case-library or if you just go to the website and click Case Library, you'll see all the cases we've covered with some frequency. Haley's is one of those cases, and now you can kind of listen in order and kind of do a deep dive yourself if you have any interest in that. But today, what we're going to be focusing on is a spate of recent filings that kind of came out on pacer. Now, these are, some of them are a little bit older, but we're looking at them for the first time and sort of giving you an update on where things stand in Haley's case.

[Anya Cain (Journalist, Murder Sheet Podcast Host)]

My name is Anya Cain. I'm a journalist.

[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

And I'm Kevin Greenlee. I'm an attorney.

[Anya Cain (Journalist, Murder Sheet Podcast Host)]

And this is the Murder Sheet.

[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

We're a true crime podcast focused on original reporting, interviews, and deep dives into murder cases. We're the Murder Sheet.

[Anya Cain (Journalist, Murder Sheet Podcast Host)]

And this is the murder of Hailey Busby. Could Thomas Tyler plead guilty?

[Art Palpitations (Geico Subconscious News Reporter)]

It.

[Anya Cain (Journalist, Murder Sheet Podcast Host)]

All right, so let's review some of

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

these documents that we hadn't really seen before. But we recently got this kind of PACER alert, and the first one was just an arrest warrant, but it really doesn't have Much new information. And it doesn't really get into. It just identifies that they're looking at this Tyler Nike Thomas, which we already knew. The two more interesting documents come in in March and May. So March 10, 2026, we have a joint motion for extension of time during which indictment slash information must be filed. And then in May, we have another one of those. So, Kevin, what do you make of just like starting from the title, like, what could we be looking at here as far as people asking for more time? But seemingly it's both sides asking for this together.

[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

Yes. I mean, we can read the tea leaves. This doesn't mean that there's going to be a plea. But when you have both sides working together, we can talk about some of the language in here. It certainly raises the strong possibility that at the very least a potential plea bargain is on the table. I want to talk about some of the language in here. I'm reading the one from May, quote, the parties are making every effort towards resolving this case as expeditiously as is possible under the circumstances. Resolving things through a trial. Let's be honest, that's not super expeditious. No, resolving things through a plea is Some more language here. An extension will allow the parties to continue to communicate and jointly plan the next steps in this matter, which provides the best opportunity to conserve the significant resources a trial would expend. In translation, we think there's a way we can resolve this without going to the time and trouble of using the significant resources a trial would expend. Again, that's the language that makes me think that a possible plea bargain is at the very least on the table. It's important to make the very super obvious point. No agreement, whether it's a plea bargain or anything really means much until it is formalized and is done. And that hasn't happened here yet. So this doesn't mean we're saying, oh, there's definitely going to be a plea bargain.

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

No, no.

[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

Yeah, I read this and I think there might be a plea on the table. And what's taking so long? There could be a variety of things that are delaying it. Maybe the defendant wants to see what exact evidence and information the government has. Maybe he feels, oh, the government can super prove this one thing. Maybe they can't prove this other element as much as they want. So maybe I shouldn't plead to that, but maybe plead to this. It's just a long, complicated process. So that's where I'm at.

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

But wait a minute. You're saying prosecutors and Defense attorneys working together, mass hysteria. I mean, like, is that, like. Oftentimes because of the interest, the public's interest in trials, a lot of people see both sides as like, complete adversaries. And of course, we're in a literal adversarial criminal justice system. So, I mean, they are. But I think that might surprise people and maybe showcase a side of the justice system that you don't see as much, which is that most cases end in a plea deal. Yes, most cases do not. Well, I'll just say it this way. Most cases do not go to trial. The vast majority of cases do not go to trial. Why is that, Kevin? Is that because these evil defense attorneys are just tricking these prosecutors or these prosecutors are just too lazy to try these cases? Why is this happening? Why is this epidemic of plea deals happening in this country?

[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

There's a number of reasons for that. First of all, it's really, really time consuming and difficult and expensive to go to trial. And, and also, when you go to trial, you have no idea what a jury could potentially do. So you are taking a risk no matter what side you're on. With all of that said, in theory, the people on both sides of a criminal proceeding, the prosecutor and the defense attorneys, are professionals. They're supposed to be, who have been through this process countless times before for. And if you are a professional, you can look at the evidence that is on the table and be able to see, oh, there's a strong chance they're going to get convicted or they're not going to get convicted of this. And you could have a realistic appraisal of where things are likely to end up. And so if you can then go and make a deal that gets that result or a fair result, there's no reason not to. So you do.

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

I'm not saying that public members of the public need to support every single plea deal that happens. I'm sure we could all look back in the history of criminal cases and find some plea deals that were truly terrible or, or find instances where that didn't work out for everybody either way. And I think that's true. But I also would love the true crime loving aspect of the public to become a little bit more understanding and comfortable with the concept of plea deals and perhaps why they're necessary. I think they get a really bad rep, and I don't think it's really warranted most of the time. I think people just kind of hear it, usually in the context of a plea deal that people are upset with, and then they assume that all plea deals are a bad thing, but in reality, they are a protective measure for both sides so that there's no surprises, frankly. And a jury can always throw you a surprise, right?

[Tammy (Geico Subconscious News Host)]

Yep.

[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

There's always that element of risk, even though, as I say, attorneys in theory are professionals who have a pretty good idea of where things are going to end up. I remember this is a different context, but I remember when I was in law school, I went and I visited a friend who was a personal injury attorney. And he was, like, looking at some fresh documents about different accidents and some horrific injuries people had suffered. And he'd take a look at it and say, oh, this is a $100,000 case. This is a $2 million case. And he would know how much a jury would be likely to award in these particular cases. And, like, later, I did look it up, and his estimates and his guesses were correct. So just when you've been in the process for a long time, you're able to make those calls.

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

Now, I can understand, though, if.

[Anya Cain (Journalist, Murder Sheet Podcast Host)]

If there is ultimately a plea deal

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

in this case, I think people will not be happy about that. And I can understand why. I mean, it will depend on the. It will depend on the. The details. But you have this beautiful young girl, Hailey Busby, just by all accounts, a great kid. She's lured out to meet somebody, and then the person charged with killing her is alleged to have dismembered her. And it all seems sexually motivated based on previous evidence presented by the state.

[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

And he had previously sexually abused her as well.

[Anya Cain (Journalist, Murder Sheet Podcast Host)]

Yes.

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

And so it's horrible. And I think people, you know, I could see if. If he's not getting something, that's a very substantial punishment. I think people are going to be understandably unhappy and feel. Feel betrayed by this. But, I mean, it will really just depend on the nature of. Of what a plea deal is or if even if one is happening. Right. I mean, that's not. Nothing is set in stone. We're speculating a bit. I feel like it's educated speculation. So we're allowed to do it because we're looking at these documents and saying, well, here's what it sounds like, but it doesn't mean anything. Set in stone doesn't mean it's going to happen. And at the end of the day, you know, if you're a defense attorney and you eke out a wonderful plea deal, or basically, hey, this is as good as it's going to get, as it's going to get, and your client is like, no, I want to Go to trial. You're going to go to trial. You know, you're going to. You're going to represent your client's interests. And so that's. That's something to remember. I'll look at these documents now and just kind of maybe pick out a couple of more things. So I. What do you make of it? Like, one thing that I thought was a little bit odd was like, they do it in March and then again in May. It's like, we need more time. I mean, like, is that. I guess. I guess it's like it's still ongoing.

[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

And there's still ongoing.

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

They're. They're talking about how Thomas is aware of his right to a timely filing of an indictment or information and, quote, hereby waives the right for the purposes of this motion. Now, that's interesting. So can you talk about just maybe in a general principle, why, typically, is it seen as, like, very much a right for you to get a speedy trial and for, you know, like, why is that even. Why is that even a thing? Why can the defendant be like, all right, we're on a. We're on a ticking time. You know, we're on a clock.

[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

Now imagine a situation. We look at rights of defendants. You always have to say, well, how. How would I feel if this was me? And so I asked. I asked you, Anya, how would you feel if you were picked up by the government and thrown into prison?

[Anya Cain (Journalist, Murder Sheet Podcast Host)]

Not great.

[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

And they say, you know, we're going to put you on trial for something. We're not really going to tell you right now what the charges are. And we're not going to, you know, tell you when the trial is going to be. Maybe be next month, maybe it'd be next year, maybe be five years from now.

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[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

We're just going to tinker around with this case forever. When we make it good, that might be like, a decade from now, but good luck.

[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

What you want and what you deserve is when you are charged, when you are arrested, when you lose your liberty, you deserve to know what the charge is. What are they saying I've done? Why are they doing this to me? And that there's many reasons for that, one of which is if you know what they are alleging, that makes it easier for you to prepare a defense. It is also very important for you to. If you wish to get this resolved as soon as possible, you don't want to be in jail awaiting a trial for potentially years. You have the right to say, okay, you say, I did this. You say, you have evidence put up or shut up.

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[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

Now, there are many reasons why trials get delayed that are perfectly justifiable. And in some cases it's important for if the defendant may decide, I'd prefer to delay this.

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

Yeah, defending they can file for a

[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

continuance, but ultimately the right to having a speedy trial is the defendant's right and it is his right to fight for if he or she wishes. And here they're saying, Tyler Thomas is okay with these delays. He's okay with the formal charges and details not coming out. But does that explain why typically it is important?

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

Yes, it does. And I think it also notes like essentially in most cases, the defendant is in the leadership role there in the sense that they're the one who can call the tempo and they're the one who can say, I want a speedy trial. And if the state's not ready, then that's my advantage.

[Anya Cain (Journalist, Murder Sheet Podcast Host)]

And.

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

And they're the ones who can do that. They're also the ones who can say, hold up, I'm not ready. Let's do a continuance. And oftentimes those are granted. I mean, not always, but like they're the ones who are saying, and you can kind of maybe look at their strategy about like how confident they are or, you know, what are they doing? Are they, are they doing their own investigation? How strong do they believe the state's case is? And you can see that in the decisions they make around that. So the fact that the defendant sees it in his best interest here to essentially go along with what the state is saying and, and drag this out essentially, I think is Interesting. It's worth noting and I do want to revisit a little bit, if you don't mind the what, what he has been charged with and what he hasn't yet been charged with. Because I think that. Yeah, interesting. This is from the May joint motion.

[Anya Cain (Journalist, Murder Sheet Podcast Host)]

Quote, the defendant was charged by way

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

of criminal complaint in February of 2026 with sexual exploitation of a minor in violation of 18 USC 2251 and travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual activity in violation of 18 USC 2423B. The defendant faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years incarceration, a maximum of lifetime

[Anya Cain (Journalist, Murder Sheet Podcast Host)]

imprisonment and the possibility of the death

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

penalty due to the death of the victim as a result of the current charges. End quote. Now what you're hearing there is, you are hearing the, an addressal of the sexual violence done to Hayley Busby and the sexual abuse, you know, this kind of ongoing predatory relationship where you have an adult man going into Indiana to sexually abuse a 17 year old girl. And that's, I think, something, you know, that they're highlighting here and they're mentioning her death. Right. They're saying essentially from what I can parse here, the possibility of the death penalty due to the death of the victim as a result of the current charges. So they're saying, you know, the, the victim died as a result of all of this or, you know, or the victim died, period. And therefore this person is, Thomas is facing the death penalty. But there's no murder charge at this point.

[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

Yes.

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

So, you know, that can be something where murder, obviously you can have a death and not have it be murder. You know, you can have a death and be suicide, homicide, accident, whatever. Even it. With homicide, there can be self defense. Right. Self defense claims, there can be negligence versus having an intent to do something. Like there's all kinds of different things. So depending on the state's case and the evidence they've gathered, it really does seem like the, you know, I'll be curious to see what they end up going with, with that and, and what?

[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

Yeah, it's a cliche. It's a cliche. But we don't know what. We don't know.

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

We don't know.

[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

We don't know what the state believes happened. We don't know all the details. I think we have a big picture idea.

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

I really want to know because it's like, I want to know what happened to this poor girl. You know, it's like she's, she's gone,

[Anya Cain (Journalist, Murder Sheet Podcast Host)]

she can't say her side of it anymore.

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

And there's so many ambiguities about what happened. We. We know a lot. We know a disturbing amount of disturbing materials found on this guy Thomas's devices. We know that they were in some kind of sexual relationship and that he got her and they went to Hawking county in some sort of Airbnb rental. And at some point, she's killed, she dies, and he disposes of her in nearby Perry County. We know all that. But, like, what happened? I want to know, did this guy come in with the intent to kill her? Did he that. Was that always the plan? Did something happen that made that become the plan?

[Anya Cain (Journalist, Murder Sheet Podcast Host)]

That.

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

Was there some kind of confrontation? Was there some kind of fight? Was it like he was luring her to her death? Or was it more of a rendezvous that then went wrong? Or was it. Was it a situation where there's some kind of accidental death related to what they're doing and then he disposes of her body? I mean, we really just can't know. And as you said, we don't know what we don't know. But it's frustrating. Listen, it's frustrating, but also at the same time, when I look at cases like this, and we don't know everything, you know, I'm reminded of Delphi, right? As I often am.

[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

We're often reminded of Delphi or Burger Chef, that song.

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

Always something there to remind me. Is his, like, playing constantly, I think. You know, I think with Delphi, one reason. I mean, like, we didn't even know the cause of death of the two girls in that case, in terms of Libby and Abby for, I think, years before it was officially confirmed in any real manner. And a reason for that. People often ask me to this day, why was that the case? Why did they hide that? And the reason was because they were getting an insane amount of tips. And a lot of those tips were from unstable people who are making things up. And they wanted to be able to very quickly ignore those people. And when you have people saying, hey, my cousin said he shot them, and people don't know the cause of death, then you can say, all right, goodbye. So withholding information is not necessarily always a bad sign or, you know, means something's going wrong. And I can understand, though, it's frustrating for the public to not.

[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

It is frustrating. We have understandable curiosity about this, but the point of the criminal justice system is not to gratify our curiosity. Yeah, I do think it's important, obviously, for a number of reasons, for all of this information to come out in terms of getting justice answering our questions and also perhaps is a bit of a cautionary tale. Again, we don't know the details, but we do know, correct me if I'm wrong, that Haley got into a relationship with this person that initially was online and then it morphed into him sexually abusing her. And I, I think there are things for us to learn here about the sexual exploitation and abuse of minors online and how some people are able to manipulate minors online for their own purposes.

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

That is exactly right. They met online and they struck up some kind of relationship. And you know, the, the problem with this is that obviously she was a teenage girl, right? When, when people are adults, they're free to go have relationships with other adults. But when you have a 17 year old talking to a 39 year old online and you know, he's, he's exploiting her, I think these are conversations we have to have with our kids. And maybe just the first step is just letting them know, unfortunately there are people like this out there and they're seeking out you. It's not about scaring kids, it's just about being honest with them about some of the risks. Because I think, you know, I think people often have this kind of idea that the predator is outside your house in a van looking sketchy, or even the, the predator might be trying to worm their way into your life. And, and I think both of those things can be true. I don't think we should just ignore stranger danger. Look at the Athena Strand case, right? She was abducted and murdered by a strange male. And we should have, we should be on guard for that. We should be on guard for the people in our lives who maybe are taking an overly creepy interest in our children. But the people who slip through the cracks, I think sometimes are the online predators and they are everywhere and they are very sophisticated and they're highly adept at manipulation. Think about like predators in nature. Think about like what does a great white shark or a wolf or a bear. Like they develop through evolution traits and abilities that help them hunt. And unfortunately, human predators can be similar in the sense that they figure out how to manipulate their targets in order to get what they want from them. And what they want is usually some form of sexual exploitation of minors, whether that's in person or even more commonly remote. Send me pictures, send me this, send me that, do this, do that. And the thing is, children, and I include even older teenagers in that, you know, children are all different. They have different personalities, right? They have different abilities, they have different strengths or weaknesses. So they're not a monolith. But in general, I think it's fair to say we've all been children and we all look back at stuff we did and we're like, oof. That was not. That was not the wisest thing to do. Children are still growing and developing. They don't have the experience to necessarily be fighting back against manipulation. They don't have this skepticism or cynicism that many of us have built up as adults. And when someone is coming to them and seems like a really great, wonderful person that they're connecting with, they may start to think, I love this person and that love is going to be twisted and used to harm them. And it's like, we. We have to warn these kids. And it's not just about, like, no one's gonna come at them on Roblox and be like, hey, I'm an obvious creep. It's the person who's like, gaining your trust, like, asking you questions about yourself, making you feel special. And that's why it works. These kids don't feel like they're getting into the creeper van. They feel like I'm running off with someone I love or this person would never hurt me, and I want to make them happy. It hijacks their brain. And these predators even then will twist it against the parents of, like, well, don't tell your parents. They're not going to understand. And like, they'll claim, close off the. The method of support that they might have gotten otherwise. But I really think it is. It is so important to talk about this with your kids and to recognize that a lot of this stuff starts very small. It's not like they're immediately going to pitch a kid usually on, you know, okay, let's. Let's go off in the darkness in my car. It's going to start as they're going

[Anya Cain (Journalist, Murder Sheet Podcast Host)]

to build trust first.

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

And it's trust that's not warranted, but it's trust that they're often able to get from these kids.

[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

Yeah, I agree.

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

Sad. So I, you know. Yeah. So this is all in federal court. You know, I think that one thing I will say about federal cases is that oftentimes there's. In state cases, people get certain sentences and they might get out earlier because of good time and whatnot. And that's much harder to do. Federal sentences are a lot more. You're going to probably serve that. Is that. Is that correct to say?

[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

Yeah, that's correct to say. That's fair to say.

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

Are you surprised by the fact this isn't just being tried, like as a county crime in Indiana or Ohio or. Do you feel like this makes sense because it allows them to combine the kidnapping and the murder?

[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

Yeah, it makes sense. Obviously, state lines were crossed. So it's a more complicated case and we will certainly continue to keep an eye on it. We just thought it was important to check in and say progress appears to be being made. So much of what happens in the criminal justice system takes place behind the scenes. Doesn't get necessarily all of the attention, but that doesn't mean things aren't happening. Things are clearly happening in this case, and at some point we're going to learn more details about it, and when we do, we will share them with you.

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

I will say this. You may be wondering, what is next? When is next even happening? If they keep delaying it, when can I look out for something to happen? And the answer is no one really knows, right? I mean, anything could happen any day. But the last filing they did does give some indication of when, at least they're looking at. And this, again, this, this May filing was May 15, 2026. And at the bottom of it, this is what it says, quote, for these reasons, the United States and defendants counsel

[Anya Cain (Journalist, Murder Sheet Podcast Host)]

request an extension of the time within

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

which an indictment or information may be filed in this case until October 9, 2026. The attorney for Tyler N. Thomas has indicated that he agrees to the requested extension of the time. So if both sides are completely in agreement on that and everybody's saying we're good for October, then the indictment or information in this case could, could drop at any time between now and October. So what, it's June. How many months away is October?

[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

4.

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

So it's four months away. So we could be, we could be looking at a decent long wait for this or it could drop in between then. But either way, once it does drop, we will be very interested. Or, or if, if they do come to a plea deal and that's announced, we will be looking for more information on that. Again, I just wanted to say we're speculating about the plea deal. Some of this language in the document is interesting, but no one knows what's going to happen. And, you know, a lot of things can change between now and then. So I think we just don't want to get ahead of ourselves with that. Right, Kevin?

[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

Many a slip between the cup and the lip. And with that, we'll keep an eye on it. And thank you for listening.

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

Thank you guys so much.

[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

Thanks so much for listening to the murder sheet. If you have a tip concerning one of the cases we cover, please email [e-mail] if you have actionable information about an unsolved crime, please report it to the appropriate authorities.

[Anya Cain (Journalist, Murder Sheet Podcast Host)]

If you're interested in joining our Patreon, that's available at www.patreon.com/murder sheet. If you want to tip us a bit of money for records requests, you can do so at www.

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

Buymeacoffee.com murdersheet.

[Anya Cain (Journalist, Murder Sheet Podcast Host)]

We very much appreciate any support.

[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

Special thanks to Kevin Tyler Greenlee, who

[Greenlight and Quince Advertiser]

composed the music for the Murder Sheet

[Kevin Greenlee (Attorney, Murder Sheet Podcast Co-host)]

and who you can find on the [e-mail] if you're looking to talk with

[Anya Cain (Journalist, Murder Sheet Podcast Host)]

other listeners about a case we've covered, you can join the Murder Sheet Discussion group on Facebook. We mostly focus our time on research and reporting, so we're not on social media much. We do try to check our email account, but we ask for patience as we often receive a lot of messages.

[Co-host/Analyst on Murder Sheet Podcast]

Thanks again for listening.

[Tammy (Geico Subconscious News Host)]

From Geico Subconscious News, I'm Tammy Racing thoughts broadcasting from your brain. You think you live in a pretty safe place. Place. But you just heard about a break in four miles away, which isn't close, but it isn't far either. You know Art Palpitations is on the scene.

[Art Palpitations (Geico Subconscious News Reporter)]

I sure am, Tammy. And I don't even know why I drove out here because as you know, you got customized renters insurance through Geico, so your stuff is covered.

[Tammy (Geico Subconscious News Host)]

Oh, well, that's great. Any sign of crime there, Art?

[Art Palpitations (Geico Subconscious News Reporter)]

Just some light littering, Tammy. But like they say, a little litter can lead to a lot.

[Tammy (Geico Subconscious News Host)]

Wise words. It feels good to worry less. It feels good to Geico.