Tragic Death of 9-Year-Old Melodee Buzzard: Mom Allegedly Used Disguise and Swapped Car Plates to Hide Crime

A 40-year-old mother was arrested late Tuesday and is now facing charges of first-degree murder after authorities confirmed that the remains of her nine-year-old daughter were found in a remote area of southern Utah, more than two months after the child was reported missing.

Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown announced that Ashlee Lynn Buzzard was taken into custody on 23 December following the discovery and identification of the remains of Melodee Elani Buzzard, who disappeared from the Lompoc area in October 2025.

According to the Sheriff's Office, Melodee's remains were located earlier this month in a rural area near Caineville in Wayne County, Utah, and forensic analysis determined the child had died from gunshot wounds to the head.

'This is an extraordinarily tragic case involving the murder of a child by the very person she relied upon and trusted the most,' Sheriff Brown said in a statement. 'While maternal filicide is rare and difficult to comprehend, the evidence in this case clearly indicates a calculated, deliberate and ruthless act.'

Buzzard was arrested without incident after sheriff's deputies and FBI agents served search and arrest warrants at her residence in Lompoc at approximately 7.51am. She was booked into the Santa Barbara County Northern Branch Jail on suspicion of first-degree murder and is being held without bail.

Evidence Links Mother to Killing, Sheriff Says

Investigators said they uncovered extensive evidence connecting Buzzard to her daughter's death, including ballistic evidence recovered both in California and Utah.

According to the Sheriff's Office, detectives recovered an expended cartridge case from the family's residence on Mars Avenue in Lompoc and a live round of similar ammunition from a rented vehicle used by Buzzard. Cartridge cases later recovered at the Utah crime scene were analysed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and determined to be linked to the California evidence.

On 22 December, FBI crime lab testing confirmed the remains found in Utah were a familial DNA match to Ashlee Buzzard.

Disguises and Efforts to Avoid Detection

Sheriff's officials said the investigation revealed deliberate attempts to conceal Melodee's whereabouts and obstruct law enforcement.

Detectives learned that Buzzard had rented a vehicle shortly before Melodee was reported missing. Surveillance images from the rental office showed both mother and daughter wearing wigs, which investigators believe was an attempt to conceal their identities. Those images were released publicly on 22 October.

Authorities also detailed a multi-state travel route involving California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming and Nebraska, followed by a return journey through Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Arizona and Nevada. Investigators said Buzzard switched licence plates and backed into petrol stations to avoid surveillance cameras.

Melodee was last seen on video with her mother on 9 October 2025 near the Colorado–Utah border. Investigators now believe the child was killed shortly after that point.

Missing Report Triggered Intensive Investigation

The case came to official attention on 14 October, when a school administrator reported Melodee's prolonged absence. Deputies responded to the family home, where Buzzard was unable to provide a verifiable explanation for her daughter's whereabouts.

From that point, detectives pursued the case across multiple jurisdictions, working with federal, state and local agencies while collecting physical, digital and forensic evidence.

'Throughout the investigation, detectives encountered deliberate efforts to prevent them from locating Melodee and uncovering the truth,' Sheriff Brown said. 'Despite these obstacles, investigators remained methodical and relentless.'

Discovery of Remains and Next Steps

On 6 December, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of a decomposed body discovered off State Route 24 in a remote area of Utah. Two days later, Santa Barbara authorities were notified that the remains were female and that the victim had died from gunshot wounds.

Sheriff Brown said the outcome was devastating.

'We hoped against hope that she would be found alive,' he said. 'This outcome is heartbreaking.'

The Sheriff's Office extended condolences to the Meza and Buzzard families and said the investigation remains active as the case moves through the court system.

'This investigation does not end here,' Brown said. 'We remain committed to working closely with prosecutors to ensure justice is pursued with integrity, care and compassion. Melodee deserved a far better life, and she will never be forgotten.'

Because the case is now before the courts, authorities said additional details are limited at this time.