COLUMBUS, Ohio — A 39-year-old man pleaded not guilty to nine federal charges Monday in federal court in connection with the disappearance and death of a Fishers teenager.

Tyler Thomas, 39, faces charges including kidnapping resulting in death, sexual exploitation of a minor, and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

The charges follow an investigation that began in January. Prosecutors said Thomas met 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee online and later drove to Indiana to pick her up. Police found Buzbee’s remains in January in Wayne National Forest in Ohio, several days after her family reported her missing from her Fishers home.

The U.S. Attorney General’s Office is deciding whether to seek the death penalty.

“There is no particular timeline for that, but there will be a lot of ongoing communication and decision forthcoming,” federal prosecutor Heather Hill said.

Defense attorney Sam Shamansky said the legal team is reviewing the evidence.

“We never presume anything right. So, we sift through the evidence and figure out where we stand and, of course, the stakes couldn’t be any higher,” Shamansky said.

A trial date will not happen until the government decides on whether to seek the death penalty.

This story was created from a script aired on Circle City Broadcasting.