Father who died in jail was accused of killing daughter after possibly impregnating her, prosecutor says

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV/Gray News) - A father in Florida accused of killing his 12-year-old daughter has died in jail, according to authorities.

Andrew Wiley, the father and suspected killer of Lori Paige, died of natural causes resulting from a pulmonary embolism, a preliminary report from the medical examiner shows.

The Mayo Clinic defines a pulmonary embolism as “a blood clot that blocks and stops blood flow to an artery in the lung.”

Wiley died while in custody at the Leon County Detention Facility. His death comes two months after he was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the death of his daughter.

Authorities allege that Wiley killed the 12-year-old middle schooler on June 1, 2023, and dumped her body in a wooded area in Thomas County, Georgia, the next day.

Wiley reported his daughter missing on June 3 that year, claiming she left home with her backpack sometime overnight while he was at work.

Detectives pursued leads and conducted interviews across several states for nearly a year. Eventually, investigators said they began to uncover inconsistencies in Wiley’s original story.

In February 2024, detectives seized a phone from the father’s home.

The phone revealed questionable internet searches about remote areas with bodies of water in Alabama and Georgia, among other things.

During an interview with State Attorney Jack Campbell Monday, he revealed that evidence indicates Andrew Wiley murdered his daughter after sexually assaulting and possibly getting her pregnant.

Campbell also went on to say he believes the 36-year-old father acted alone, based on the evidence provided so far.

It’s possible that Lori’s death was premeditated once her father realized he could not cover up the sexual assault, according to the attorney.

Campbell also suggests that it’s possible Wiley and Lori had an altercation, making it more likely to be a crime of passion. Prosecutors were unlikely to pursue the death penalty due to insufficient evidence of premeditation.

He said there is no way to know for certain what Lori’s “final hours“ were like.

Despite public suspicion regarding the father’s death, Campbell said he currently has no reason or evidence to believe Andrew Wiley’s death was anything other than natural.

According to a family member, Andrew maintained his innocence until death.