CHILLICOTHE, OH — A high-tech “ping” and a felony traffic stop on State Route 104 ended a months-long search for a missing car on Tuesday, resulting in the arrest of a Portsmouth couple who gave conflicting stories about how they obtained the vehicle.
Tyyland Michael and Kaleigh Horn are currently being held without bond at the Ross County Jail on charges of Receiving Stolen Property. Michael faces an additional citation for driving without a valid license.
The Stop
The incident began at 5:24 p.m. when Chillicothe Police Officer Cody Moore was alerted to a stolen vehicle traveling southbound on Bridge Street. Officer Moore located the vehicle as it approached the US-23 southbound ramp and conducted a felony traffic stop. Both occupants were detained without incident.
Conflicting Stories
What followed was a complex web of explanations from the couple regarding the vehicle’s history:
- The “Borrowing” Defense: Kaleigh Horn initially told officers that a friend, Andrea Bond, had loaned her the car six months ago. She admitted the car had been reported stolen four months ago following an argument with her boyfriend, Tyyland, but claimed the report was never cancelled because she “forgot” to notify Portsmouth Police.
- The “Inoperable” Claim: Both suspects claimed the car had been sitting disabled for months and was only recently repaired so they could drive to Chillicothe for a scheduled visit with Horn’s children.
- The “Purchase” Shift: Once informed she was under arrest, Horn changed her story, claiming she had actually purchased the car from the owner for $1,000 cash eight months ago via a Cash App transaction.
The Owner’s Account
The couple’s stories unraveled after Chillicothe officers contacted the Portsmouth Police Department and the vehicle’s owner.
She explicitly denied that the car had been returned or purchased. According to the police report, She stated that while she originally let Horn use the car, Michael took it without permission months ago. She informed investigators that both suspects eventually refused to return the vehicle and had been “missing” with the car for several months.
Legal Action
The vehicle was towed from the scene by Gary’s Towing and removed from the national stolen vehicle database.
Michael and Horn remained in custody overnight and were scheduled for their initial appearance in Chillicothe Municipal Court this morning, March 11, at 9:00 a.m. Portsmouth Police have forwarded the original theft report, dating back to December 2, 2025, to assist in the prosecution.
