Lori Paige should be turning 14 years old today.
“We have recovered Lori’s remains, and we have arrested the person responsible.”
Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell announced late Friday that Lori Paige’s father, 36-year-old Andrew Wiley, is the one facing charges in Lori Paige’s death. He is being held without bond for 2nd degree murder.
“I told you two years ago we would find Lori and we would bring her home. I told you two years ago that we would find who did this, and we would arrest them and bring them to justice,” Revell said. “Today, I stand before you to tell you we have done just that.”
The search for Paige began just before the summer of 2023. Community members kept her disappearance in the spotlight, and billboards went up in and outside of Tallahassee. TPD says detectives pursued hundreds of leads across state lines as Wiley’s story quickly began showing inconsistencies.
Early last year, they got access to Wiley’s online searches. The results took them to a remote, brush-covered area in Thomas County, Georgia, but they found nothing.
Earlier this month after a prescribed burn in that area, human remains were found and determined to be Lori Paige.
A candlelight vigil was held Sunday evening in Cascades Park to remember the Griffin Middle School student.
Press release from TPD:
After a comprehensive and exhaustive 22-month investigation into the disappearance of 12-year-old Lori Paige, the Tallahassee Police Department (TPD) has arrested her father, 36-year-old Andrew Wiley, on charges of second-degree murder.
Since Lori's disappearance in June 2023, detectives have pursued hundreds of leads, conducted interviews across multiple states, examined digital evidence and searched extensively across North Florida and South Georgia. The case evolved significantly over time, with key developments ultimately leading to Wiley's arrest.
The following provides an overview of the timeline of events:
- June 3, 2023 - Lori Paige is reported missing by her father, Andrew Wiley. At the time, he claimed she left home with her backpack sometime overnight while he was at work.
- Summer 2023 to early 2024 - Detectives pursue hundreds of leads across state lines. Lori is never located, and the story provided by Wiley begins to show inconsistencies.
- February 2, 2024 - A phone is seized from Wiley's residence. A forensic analysis uncovers questionable internet searches about remote areas with bodies of water in Alabama and Georgia among other things.
- March 2024 - As more inconsistencies in Wiley's statements are identified and new information about his relationship with Lori emerges, detectives shift their focus more heavily toward Wiley.
- Early 2024 - Based on digital evidence, detectives begin searching a remote, brush-covered area of Thomas County, Georgia, known locally as a plantation. Multiple searches are conducted but yield no results.
- April 5, 2025 - Following a prescribed burn that cleared heavy brush in the area, detectives return to the plantation for another search. This time, they locate human remains.
- April 2025 - The remains are processed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and positively identified as those of Lori Paige.
"This case has deeply impacted our community for nearly two years," Chief Lawrence Revell said. "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."
This arrest is a testament to TPD's unwavering commitment to solving violent crimes and bringing justice to victims and their loved ones.
Anyone with additional information is urged to contact TPD at 850-891-4200. To remain anonymous, call Crime Solvers at 850-574-TIPS.
TPD extends its sincere gratitude to the many officers, community members, and partner agencies who supported this case. Your efforts helped ensure that Lori Paige's story would not be forgotten.
- Florida Department of Law Enforcement
- Tallahassee Fire Department
- Leon County Sheriff's Office
- Leon County Schools - Safety & Security Office
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Georgia Bureau of Investigation
- Thomas County (GA) Sheriff's Office
- Nashville (TN) Police Department
- Tampa Police Department
- Pasco County Sheriff's Office
- Clay County Sheriff's Office
- National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)
- Michelle McLaughlin - North Florida Search Team
- Merrily Plantation - Georgia
- Trisar K9 Search and Recovery
