LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Tuesday that Tyler Goodrich died by suicide.

During a press conference Tuesday morning, Lancaster County Sherry Terry Wagner said the autopsy, conducted on March 10, determined Goodrich’s cause of death was asphyxia due to hanging. The sheriff’s office had previously stated that the case was not a homicide.

Lancaster County Attorney Pat Condon said he agreed with the sheriff’s office’s findings and will complete the death certificate today with the manner of death listed as suicide.

Goodrich was 35-years-old when he went missing on Nov. 3, 2023 following a domestic disturbance with his husband at their home. Surveillance video showed him running from his home.

“Once deputies investigated the disturbance, it was determined no crime was committed,” Wagner said. “But it’s believed Tyler was fearful for his role in that disturbance.”

The sheriff’s office said Goodrich’s phone was turned off shortly after he left the house. The following day, the missing person investigation began.

Over the next 16 months, hundreds of volunteers and law enforcement officers searched surrounding areas where Goodrich was last seen.

“The extensive investigation included interviews with over 80 people, neighborhood canvasses, field and trail searches, expert level forensic technology and equipment to search bodies of water,” Wagner said.

But still, no evidence was found until a man walking his dog on March 8 near Highway 77 and Pioneers Boulevard discovered Goodrich’s remains. The location was just a half mile from his home.

Goodrich’s tattoos were initially used to identify him later that day, and it was later confirmed through dental records, the sheriff’s office said.

Days after the body was discovered, a citizen using a metal detector located items belonging to Tyler about 229 feet west of where his body was located. Investigators noted animals had moved the belongings from where Tyler was found. The items included his cell phone, wallet, a key and a watch.

Many supporters have asked why it took so long for Goodrich’s body to be discovered — a question asked by media during Tuesday’s briefing.

“We were using a lot of volunteers,” Wagner said. “I’m not sure they expected to find Tyler in a vertical position and probably were looking at ground level. He was very close to a tree trunk. And sometimes people who aren’t trained in those kind of investigations don’t actually know what they’re seeing at the time. There are a number of reasons Tyler wasn’t found before he was.”

Houchin added Goodrich was found in an evergreen tree which made it more difficult.