In a heartbreaking turn of events, Andrew Wiley, a father from Florida, has been arrested and charged with the murder of his 12-year-old daughter, Lori Paige, nearly two years after reporting her missing.
On March 11, 2025, the Tallahassee Police Department (TPD) announced in a press release that Wiley, 36, was taken into custody on second-degree murder charges following a 22-month investigation into the disappearance of Lori.
The Disappearance
On June 3, 2023, Wiley reported Lori missing, claiming that she had left their home overnight while he was at work. According to Wiley’s statements, Lori had taken her backpack and simply vanished. At the time, the case seemed like another troubling missing child report, but what followed would unravel a much darker story.
The Discovery of Lori’s Remains
Lori’s remains were eventually discovered on April 5, 2025, in a remote, brush-covered area of Thomas County, Georgia, known locally as a plantation. The discovery came after authorities uncovered digital evidence that pointed to the area, leading to a renewed search.
In early 2024, investigators had conducted multiple searches in the area but came up empty-handed. It wasn’t until a prescribed burn cleared the heavy brush that they were finally able to locate the remains.
Inconsistencies Lead to Suspicions
Wiley became the prime suspect in March 2024, after police uncovered inconsistencies in his statements and new information regarding his relationship with Lori. Investigators grew suspicious after a forensic analysis of Wiley’s phone revealed troubling internet searches related to remote areas with bodies of water in Alabama and Georgia. These searches, coupled with the inconsistencies in his story, led investigators to question the initial missing persons report.
The Investigation Unfolds
The Tallahassee Police Department pursued hundreds of leads across state lines throughout the summer of 2023 and early 2024. As they pieced together the timeline and further examined Wiley’s behavior, the details began to point to a much darker truth.
In a public statement, TPD Chief Lawrence Revell expressed the department’s commitment to justice, saying, “I told you two years ago we would never give up. I told you two years ago we would find Lori and we would bring her home.”
A Step Toward Justice
While Lori’s tragic death has left a deep wound in the community, the arrest of her father brings a sense of closure to a case that has deeply affected everyone involved.
Revell acknowledged the impact on the community, stating, “Lori deserved a safe home and a full life. While today’s arrest will never bring her back, it does bring us one step closer to justice.”
As the case continues, Lori’s family and the community are left grappling with the painful reality that the person entrusted to care for her was allegedly the one responsible for her death.
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