(8-26-21) Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey held a news conference today to give an update on the Ryan Zimmerman of Corbin, Kentucky homicide.

The last 14 months during the investigation the Sheriff’s office issued warrants on numerous social media platforms. From that information the Columbus PD was quite helpful and led to suspects that live in Marion, Indiana. An Oak Island, NC person was identified of a person that might have witnessed the murder.

Murder took place in Columbus area, no details on the location. Also identified is the car that was a part of the crime. Mercer County Sheriff has that car in their possession.

Buzzard

Sarah Buzzard (30) of Marion, Indiana has been arrested on numerous charges. She confessed to strangulation and dismemberment of Zimmerman.

Buzzard is presently being held in custody at the Mercer County Detention Facility, with no bond. She will be arraigned tomorrow in Celina Municipal Court at 10:30am.

Buzzard’s wife Naria Jenna Whitaker drew a gun out of her purse when officers approached her to question her, that is when she drew a gun out of her purse and committed suicide by self-inflicted gun shot.

BACKGROUND: Details

On January 3, 2016 human skeletal remains were located on US RTE 127, near Coldwater Creek in Mercer County, OH. The remains were unidentified for some time. There was obvious foul play involved and dismemberment of the body. On June 1, 2020 the human skeletal remains were identified through BCI’s DNA lab as that of Ryan R Zimmerman. Ryan Zimmerman had traveled to Columbus, OH at the beginning of August 2015 to stay with some friends he met online. Ryan last communicated with his family in Kentucky on September 25, 2015. On September 27, 2015 the vehicle Ryan had been driving was impounded by the Columbus Police Dept. Ryan’s father later received notice to come get the vehicle out of impound. After his father couldn’t make contact with Ryan, he went to Columbus and picked up the car. On November 17, 2015 a missing persons report for Ryan R Zimmerman was filed by his father at the Columbus Police Dept.

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