Melodee Buzzard's mother charged with murder after police find body
- - Melodee Buzzard's mother charged with murder after police find body
Mike Snider and Melina Khan, USA TODAY December 24, 2025 at 1:21 AM
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The mother of missing 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard has been charged with murder in connection with the shooting death of her daughter.
Ashlee L. Buzzard, 40, of Lompoc, California, was arrested Tuesday, Dec. 23, at her home and is being held without bail in the Santa Barbara County Jail on the charge of first-degree murder, Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown said during a news conference.
Investigators recovered Melodee's body on Dec. 6 in a remote area of Utah near Caineville in Wayne County. Authorities said she died from multiple gunshot wounds to the head. A couple taking photos on the scenic Utah State Route 24 had spotted the body and notified the Wayne County Sheriff's Department.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms on Dec. 17 matched cartridge cases found at the Utah crime scene to a single cartridge found at Buzzard's home, Brown said. The FBI crime lab determined the remains were a familial DNA match to Ashlee Buzzard on Dec. 22.
Before the arrest, officers had Buzzard under around-the-clock surveillance, Brown said.
As of Dec. 23, it is unclear if Buzzard has retained a defense attorney, as her case is not listed in Santa Barbara County court records. USA TODAY contacted the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's and Public Defenders' offices, but has not received a response.
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Killing of Melodee Buzzard was 'calculated' and 'cold-blooded'
Authorities do not have the murder weapon and have not identified a motive for the killing, Brown said, while answering questions from reporters at the news conference.
Police think Buzzard acted alone in the crime, Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Lt. Chris Gotschall said.
"Maternal filicide (a mother killing one of their children) is rare and always difficult to comprehend," Brown said. "But this level of criminal activity is particularly shocking given the calculated, cold-blooded and criminally sophisticated premeditation and heartlessness that went into planning it, and the ruthlessness that went into actually committing the crime."
"We have recovered a significant amount of evidence that clearly indicates that this heinous crime was committed by Ashlee Buzzard, Melodee's mother, and the very person upon who she relied upon and trusted the most in this world," he said.
Police had been searching for 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard.
The arrest brings a close to the search for Melodee, which began in October when a local school official reported to police a "prolonged absence" for the 9-year-old girl. When deputies went to their home, Melodee was not there and Ashlee Buzzard had "no clear explanation … for her (daughter's) whereabouts," according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department.
The FBI joined the investigation, the sheriff's department confirmed on Oct. 20, adding that Buzzard had not cooperated with law enforcement in their search. At the time, the sheriff's office said detectives had "gathered evidence indicating that Melodee was with her mother, Ashlee Buzzard," as recently as Oct. 7.
They released surveillance images of the two at a rental car business on Oct. 7. Both appeared to be wearing wigs to possibly alter their appearance, investigators said.
Officials said Ashlee Buzzard and her daughter, Melodee Buzzard, 9, were seen on surveillance video at a rental car business on Oct. 7.
Authorities at the time said Buzzard may have driven with her daughter in a rented White Chevrolet Malibu with a California license plate outside of Santa Barbara County, and as far as the state of Nebraska and Kansas, on the return route.
During a Nov. 3 update on the investigation, the sheriff's office stated that Melodee was last seen on video surveillance along the return route on Oct. 9, in the region between the Colorado–Utah border. During the trip, the white 2024 Chevrolet Malibu rented by Buzzard had switched license plates – from a California tag to a New York one and back to the California tag before returning the car – possibly to avoid detection, investigators said.
On Nov. 7, detectives arrested Buzzard on a warrant for a felony charge of false imprisonment, an alleged crime unrelated to Melodee's disappearance, authorities said. She was charged Nov. 10 with one count of felony false imprisonment and had been held on $100,000 bail. That case was dismissed
"We stand together in grief, but also with resolve," Brown said. "Melodee deserved a far better life than she had. We will honor her memory by ensuring that every step of this process is handled with care, compassion and a steadfast commitment to justice."
(This story was with new information.)
Mike Snider is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & [email protected]
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Melodee Buzzard's mother charged with murder after police locate body
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