After more than a year and a half of looking for Tyler Goodrich, the search has finally come to an end.
Dateline first featured Tyler’s disappearance in our online Missing in America series at the end of 2023, nearly two months after he vanished from his Lincoln, Nebraska, home on November 3, 2023. In July 2024, Josh Mankiewicz told Tyler’s story as part of Season 3 of the Dateline: Missing in America podcast series.
During our first interview, Tyler’s father, Lonnie Goodrich, told Dateline he wanted closure for the family. “Two things have to happen: His body has to be recovered or somebody has to confess,” he said. “Somebody has to give out the information that they have so that we can have closure. And I pray for that. I mean, every day, every night, a hundred times a day.”
And now, one of those two things has happened.
At approximately 9:43 a.m. on Saturday, March 8, 2025, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched “on a report of a deceased individual.”
On Monday, March 10, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office held a press conference to share additional details about the body that had been found.
“Our authorities were dispatched to a wooded area of Highway 77, West Pioneers to a report of a deceased individual,” Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Ben Houchin said. “Based on what we have discovered and details at the scene, the deceased has been identified as Tyler Goodrich, who has been missing since November 3rd, 2023.”
The area is wooded and had been previously searched by public volunteers. The remains were located about 10-15 yards from the road, and about 967 yards from Tyler’s residence.
Officials believe the body had been there for over a year.
“Preliminary results of our investigation have led us to believe this is not a homicide and there is no threat to the public,” Chief Deputy Houchin stated. There were no weapons found at the scene.
An autopsy is scheduled for Monday for additional forensic testing and to “provide further insight into the death investigation.”
Houchin stated they will wait to share additional details until after the autopsy is completed and the family has been apprised of the information.
The Chief Deputy also shared his condolences to the family. “I would like to send our condolences and deepest sympathy to Tyler’s family and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time,” he said. “We are so grateful for everybody -- the public, other law enforcement agencies -- who have helped us and volunteered in looking for Tyler.”
Tyler’s husband, Marshall Vogel, told Dateline via text that their family is heartbroken by the loss of Tyler. “This is an unimaginable tragedy. Tyler was a husband, a loving father and a friend to so many,” he wrote. “We will feel his absence, but his memory will live on.”
Marshall shared a message of gratitude for the support from family, friends and the community who shared flyers, searched for Tyler and prayed. “Our thanks go to the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, other assisting agencies, and especially Deputy Jeremy Schwarz. Words cannot express our appreciation for all of you. We are forever grateful for your tireless efforts.”
Marshall asked for privacy and understanding while he and the family grieve.
Tyler’s friend Rachel Barth -- who was a driving force behind the search for Tyler -- shared a message with Dateline on behalf of herself and Tyler’s friend Amanda Meyer, following the recent developments:
On Friday, November 3, 2023, our friend Tyler Goodrich went missing. For the past 16 months, we have done everything in our power to find him and get answers. This past Saturday, we were notified that Tyler had been located near his home. While we still don’t know what happened, we are overwhelmed with grief, sadness, and a sense of relief that he has been found. Since Tyler went missing, the love and support from so many have meant the world to us. His story reached millions, and we are deeply grateful to everyone who searched, shared, and hoped alongside us. Your kindness and compassion have been a source of comfort during this unimaginable time. One of our goals was to make Tyler a household name and share a glimpse of the incredible person he was with the world. We will forever miss our beautiful, red-headed, marathon-running, dessert-obsessed friend. As we process this loss, we ask for privacy and space to remember the wonderful person Tyler was. Thank you for holding him in your hearts. We will always love and remember you.
The investigation remains open. If you have any information about Tyler’s case, please contact the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office at 402-441-6500.
If you have a story to share with Dateline, please submit it here.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated with a statement from Tyler’s husband, Marshall Vogel.
UPDATE: On Tuesday, March 18, 2025, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office provided an update in Tyler’s case, confirming he died by suicide. The autopsy determined his cause of death was asphyxia due to hanging.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.