When the body of 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard was found in Utah, the mother, Ashlee Buzzard, was already in custody in Santa Barbara County.
Mother Arrested, Body Discovered
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office released a statement on Tuesday morning that Ashlee Buzzard, 40, had been taken into custody before 8 a.m. after being handcuffed and led to a squad car. The arrest followed the recent dropping of unrelated false imprisonment charges. Jail records show she is being held without bail.
Sheriff Bill Brown confirmed earlier reports from ABC News that Melodee’s body was discovered on Dec. 6 in a remote area near Caineville, Utah, northeast of Capitol Reef National Park. Detectives believe the child was killed shortly after she was last seen on Oct. 9 near the Utah-Colorado border. Brown said the remains were not immediately identified, but the child died from gunshot wounds to the head.
FBI DNA analysis of the body found a familial DNA match to Ashlee Buzzard. Cartridge cases found at Buzzard’s home matched those discovered at the Utah scene, and a similar live round was found in the vehicle.
Ashlee Buzzard faces a charge of first-degree murder in the death of her daughter. “While these developments represent important steps toward holding Ashlee Buzzard accountable for the murder of her daughter, they do not diminish the profound loss that we are acknowledging today,” Brown said.
Road Trip and Disappearance
The mother and daughter left California on Oct. 7, driving a rented white 2024 Chevrolet Malibu. They traveled through Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and as far as Nebraska, with a return route that included Kansas. Melodee was last seen on Oct. 9 on video surveillance near the Colorado-Utah line.
Detectives learned the mother and daughter changed their appearance during the trip. Video from the rental car office in Lompoc shows the child wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a wig that was darker and straighter than her natural hair, while the mother wore a long, curly-haired wig. Buzzard swapped wigs throughout the trip and changed the license plate of the rental car to avoid detection, police said.
On Oct. 10, Ashlee returned to her Lompoc residence in the rental car she had rented on Oct. 7 with its original license plate, but the daughter was not with her, the sheriff’s office said. A school administrator reported the child’s prolonged absence on Oct. 14, and deputies went to the family’s residence, but Buzzard would not say where her daughter was.
Ashlee was arrested on Nov. 7 on unrelated false imprisonment charges, where authorities said she prevented someone from leaving a location against their will.
Evidence and Investigation
During the trip, Ashlee allegedly switched license plates on her rented vehicle and tried to avoid surveillance cameras when refueling, Sheriff Bill Brown said. The vehicle’s original plate was used again on Oct. 10, but the daughter was absent.
The weapon used in the killing has not been found, and the case remains under investigation. Brown said it is rare for a mother to kill her own child and difficult to comprehend. He described the crime as “calculated, cold-blooded” and premeditated, though a motive has not been determined.
The FBI’s DNA match, cartridge case evidence, and the timeline of the mother’s movements provide a strong basis for the murder charge. Officials have not released additional details about the weapon or any potential witnesses.
Key Takeaways
- Ashlee Buzzard, 40, arrested on first-degree murder after her daughter’s body was found in Utah.
- Melodee Buzzard, 9, was last seen Oct. 9 near the Colorado-Utah line and died from gunshot wounds to the head.
- Evidence links the mother to the crime: DNA match, cartridge cases, and a similar live round in her vehicle.
The case highlights the tragic loss of a child and the ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death. Sheriff Bill Brown emphasized the need for accountability while acknowledging the profound grief felt by the community. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
