The body of 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, who vanished in October, was discovered earlier this month out of state, bringing new details to the ongoing investigation. The finding has intensified the search and prompted authorities to release additional information about the case.
The sheriff’s department began investigating on Oct. 14 after a school administrator reported that Melodee had not been seen at school for several days. Detectives said the child and her mother, Ashlee Buzzard, left California on Oct. 7 in a white 2024 Chevrolet Malibu. They traveled as far as Nebraska before returning to California. Melodee was last seen on the return trip on Oct. 9 on security camera video near the Colorado-Utah border. A news conference was scheduled for Tuesday at 2 p.m. to provide updates on the search.
The vehicle involved was a white 2024 Chevrolet Malibu with license plate 9MNG101. Beginning Oct. 8, the Malibu was seen with a New York plate HCG967, according to the sheriff’s department. It is not immediately clear when the different plate was installed or whether other plates were used during the trip. The car’s license plates changed during the journey, raising questions for investigators. The vehicle was identified in multiple locations across the route.
On or around Oct. 9, the Malibu is believed to have traveled through Green River and Panguitch, Utah; northwest Arizona; Primm, Nevada; and Rancho Cucamonga. The route extended across several states before the return trip to California. The vehicle was tracked through security camera footage in each area. The route shows a long-distance travel pattern. The route details were provided by the sheriff’s department.
Early Tuesday morning, deputies escorted Ashlee Buzzard from her home in Vandenberg Village, according to neighbors who reported the sighting. The mother was taken into custody, as confirmed by video shared with NBC News affiliate KSBY. It is not immediately clear why the mother was taken into custody. The mother is 40 years old. The sheriff’s department has not released a statement explaining the reason for her arrest.
A law enforcement source familiar with the investigation told NBC News that the body of Melodee Buzzard was found earlier this month. The source said the body was discovered out of state. More details about what led to the discovery were not immediately available. The source did not specify the location of the discovery. The body was identified as the missing 9-year-old Lompoc girl.
In a post earlier on X, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department said it would announce “major developments” Tuesday in the search for Melodee Buzzard. The details were expected at the 2 p.m. news conference. The announcement was made in advance of the scheduled briefing.
Detectives shared security camera images that show Ashlee Buzzard and her daughter at a rental car business in Lompoc at the start of the trip on Oct. 7. They appear to be wearing wigs, according to the agency. The images provide visual confirmation of the mother and child before the trip.
Ashlee Buzzard was arrested in November in an unrelated crime, the sheriff’s department said. She was arrested on suspicion of felony false imprisonment, authorities said. The arrest was unrelated to the current investigation.
The case continues to develop as authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding the disappearance, the vehicle’s travel, and the mother’s custody. The discovery of Melodee’s body has added a new dimension to the investigation. Updates are expected at the scheduled news conference on Tuesday.
Key Takeaways
- Body of 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard found out of state.
- Mother Ashlee Buzzard, 40, taken into custody early Tuesday morning.
- Vehicle: white 2024 Chevrolet Malibu, plates 9MNG101 and HCG967, traveled to Nebraska and other states.
- Investigation began Oct. 14 after school report; news conference scheduled for Tuesday at 2 p.m.
- Previous arrest of mother in November for felony false imprisonment.
