The multi-state search for nine-year-old Melodee Buzzard, who went missing from California, concluded Tuesday with the discovery of her remains in a rural area of southern Utah, authorities announced.
Mother Arrested, Accused of Premeditated Murder
Ashlee Buzzard, Melodee’s mother, was arrested Tuesday morning by members of the Sheriff’s Office and the FBI and charged with premeditated murder, according to Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown. Authorities state she deliberately attempted to conceal her movements, such as entering gas stations in reverse to avoid detection by surveillance cameras.
The body was discovered by a couple taking photographs in a remote area of Wayne County, Utah, Brown stated. Authorities in Wayne County indicated the remains were found near a roadway with items present as evidence.
Initially, the remains could not be immediately identified, but “it was evident that the deceased was a female who had died as a result of a gunshot wound to the head,” Brown added. Subsequent DNA analysis confirmed a familial match to Melodee’s mother.
A Utah forensic lab linked the body to Melodee’s disappearance in less than 24 hours, according to Wayne County Sheriff Micah Gulley.
Prosecutors to Argue Vulnerability
Prosecutors will ask a jury to consider that Melodee was “particularly vulnerable” and that Buzzard “exploited a position of trust” to carry out the murder, according to the complaint. Brown stated in a press conference, “We have recovered a significant amount of evidence that clearly indicates this heinous crime was committed by Ashlee Buzzard, the mother of Melodee, and the person she trusted most in this world.”
Investigators currently do not have the murder weapon and have not established a motive, adding that Buzzard is “uncooperative,” authorities reported Tuesday.
Family Grief and a Timeline of Events
“It’s very sad for us, especially because tomorrow is Christmas Eve and, you know, the rest of my grandkids are coming home,” Denes, Melodee’s grandmother, told KEYT on Tuesday. She stated she was the first person police notified of Melodee’s death. “Now she’s with her daddy,” Denes said, noting that Melodee’s father, Denes’ son, died in a motorcycle accident when Melodee was an infant.
Brown outlined a timeline Tuesday detailing the investigation leading to the discovery of Melodee’s body. Buzzard and her nine-year-old daughter left on a road trip October 7th, when surveillance footage captured the girl at a local car rental agency dressed in what appeared to be a disguise. Melodee was wearing a hoodie over her head and “what appears to be a darker, smoother wig than her natural hair,” according to a previous statement from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. “Investigators believe the wig may have been used to alter her appearance.”
The rental car traveled through Nebraska, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and Kansas before returning to their home in Lompoc, approximately 55 miles northwest of Santa Barbara, authorities reported. At some point during the trip, Buzzard switched the vehicle’s rental license plate for one from New York, Brown stated Tuesday.
“Investigators have confirmed that Ashlee was seen returning to her residence in Lompoc on October 10th, driving the same rental vehicle she left with on October 7th, but Melodee was not in the car,” the Sheriff’s Office previously indicated. The girl was last seen on surveillance video with her mother on the Colorado side of the Colorado-Utah border on October 9th, according to Brown. Detectives now believe Melodee was murdered shortly after that stop.
Melodee was reported missing days later, on October 14th, not by a family member, but by a school administrator concerned about her prolonged absence. The following day, October 15th, detectives served a search warrant at Buzzard’s home. Further search warrants were executed on October 30th at Buzzard’s home, as well as a storage unit and a recently rented vehicle, according to investigators. A spent bullet casing was recovered during the search of the home, Brown said, and similar live ammunition was located during the search of the rental car. On December 17th, the ATF linked bullet casings from the Utah crime scene to a casing found at Buzzard’s residence, authorities stated.
“The premeditation and the callousness, cold-blooded and with criminal sophistication… was used to plan the crime,” Brown said. He added that the cruelty with which it was committed was shocking.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Melodee Buzzard last seen alive?
Melodee Buzzard was last seen on video surveillance with her mother on the Colorado side of the Colorado-Utah border on October 9th, according to Sheriff Bill Brown.
What charges is Ashlee Buzzard facing?
Ashlee Buzzard has been arrested and charged with premeditated murder, according to Sheriff Bill Brown.
Where was Melodee Buzzard’s body discovered?
Melodee Buzzard’s remains were discovered in a rural area of southern Utah, specifically in Wayne County, near a roadway, authorities reported.
What questions remain unanswered in this case, and how might the investigation proceed as authorities seek to understand the full scope of this tragedy?
