A Florida man who was arrested in April for killing his 12-year-old daughter in 2023 reportedly died in custody on Thursday.
WTXL reports that Leon County police announced Andrew Wiley, aged 36, passed away while in custody due to a medical emergency. Wiley faced charges for the murder of his daughter, Lori Paige, in June 2023, subsequently disposing of her body in a wooded section of Thomas County, Georgia — a location where she was found in April.
Wiley’s cause of death was not disclosed.
Authorities indicated that Wiley’s purchases prior to the murder “suggest there might have been abuse directed at Paige, potentially involving a sexual aspect.”
Wiley is said to have bought a plane ticket from Jacksonville, Florida, to Puerto Rico just hours after discarding his daughter’s body. He reportedly drove to Jacksonville but, for an unclarified reason, returned to Tallahassee almost immediately.
Wiley reported Paige missing, claiming she left home with a backpack while he worked a night shift. Police Chief Lawrence Revell said Wiley’s account showed inconsistencies as their investigation continued.
Notably, Tallahassee police said amid Paige’s disappearance that foul play was not suspected. They initially deemed the missing 12-year-old as a “runaway,” though the police department has since stopped using that terminology in missing person cases.
Police searched Wiley’s car last February. They reportedly recovered various items, including a pistol, ammunition, and car cleaning fluid. They also claimed Paige’s blood was on carpet in the car despite Wiley having a cleaner specifically intended to clean blood. Police also noted that Wiley’s vehicle did not have floormats.
Police also seized Wiley’s phone last February. An analysis determined the device was used to search online for remote bodies of water in Alabama and Georgia.
Wiley was charged with second-degree murder. Paige’s cause of death remains undisclosed.
[Feature Photo: Tallahassee police]
