TALHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) – The father of a missing Tallahassee girl was arrested and charged with murder almost two years after the 12-year-old boy disappeared.
The Tallahassee Police Department said the burns prescribed April 5 helped locate Lori Page’s body in a former bush-covered area in Thomas County, Georgia.
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The finding was a major break in the 22-month investigation, and his father, 36-year-old Andrew Wiley, was arrested on two-degree murder charges.
Investigators searched remote locations in early 2024 based on digital evidence, but said they had no results at the time.
The body found in Georgia was disposed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and was actively identified as Page, police said.
Wiley was the person who submitted a report of the missing person after her daughter disappeared on June 3, 2023. Detectives say Wiley said that while Page was at work, she left the house with her backpack one day.
Months later, authorities pursued hundreds of leads, conducted interviews in multiple states, investigated digital evidence, and extensive searches in North Florida and South Georgia.
Investigators said Wiley’s story eventually began to show contradictions as the case continued to develop. A February 2024 analysis of his phone revealed what police call a “suspectful” internet search.
Detectives said he was looking into information about remote areas with waters in Alabama and Georgia.
The detective began to shift his focus more towards Wiley as more information about his relationship with his daughter began to surface. Authorities said Page’s family has ties to Georgia and Tennessee.
“This incident has had a profound impact on our community for nearly two years,” Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Rebel said in a news release Friday. “Lori deserved a safe home and a full life. Today’s arrest will never bring her back, but it brings us a step closer to justice.”
As the investigation continues, police will ask anyone with additional information to contact TPD at 850-891-4200. Callers will remain anonymous by contacting Crime Solver at 850-574-TIPS.
