The body of 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard has been found, and her mother is now in custody—more than two months after the girl mysteriously disappeared during what was supposed to be a simple mother-daughter road trip.
Ashlee Buzzard was taken into custody Tuesday in connection with the disappearance of the young California girl, according to law enforcement sources speaking to ABC News.
Melodee’s body was found in Utah in early December, authorities confirmed, bringing a heartbreaking end to the search.
Authorities in Utah have located the body of 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, marking a tragic turn in the case. Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office
Ashlee Buzzard was placed in custody Tuesday, law enforcement sources told ABC News, in a major development in the investigation into her daughter’s disappearance. KSBY
Law enforcement sources revealed that Melodee’s body was found in a spot she had visited with her mother during their October trip, raising chilling questions about what happened.
Investigators believe Melodee was murdered and probably died in October—long before anyone reported her missing.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office said it will update the public on “major developments” in the missing girl’s case at 5 p.m. ET Tuesday.
Melodee was captured on camera with her mother on Oct. 9 near the Colorado-Utah border, after what was supposed to be a spontaneous road trip from their Lompoc, California home. Santa Barbara County Sheriffâs Office
Investigators believe Melodee was killed and probably died in October—long before her disappearance came to light. Santa Barbara County Sheriffâs Office
Melodee was captured on camera with her mother on Oct. 9 near the Colorado-Utah border, during what began as an unplanned road trip from their Lompoc, California home and carried them as far as Nebraska.
Family members claimed they hadn’t seen the girl for more than a year and described the elder Buzzard as “extremely mentally unstable,” raising serious concerns about her wellbeing.
Authorities say the mother has been uncooperative throughout the investigation.
On Oct. 7, Buzzard and her daughter, both wearing wigs, walked into a Santa Barbara car rental outlet to pick up a Chevrolet Malibu.
The following day, authorities recorded their car traveling with New York plates. By the time it was returned in California on Oct. 10, the original plates were back—and Melodee was missing from her mother’s side.
Authorities charged 40-year-old Ashlee last month with felony false imprisonment in a case unrelated to her daughter’s disappearance.
The charges—brought after claims that she tried to stop a man from leaving her home—were ultimately dismissed.
An audio recording that seemed to contradict the victim’s claims led to the dismissal of the case; the victim had called himself a “legal document assistant.”
Map showing the route Melodee Buzzard and her mother traveled from Green River, Utah, to Lompoc, California, during their October 9–10, 2025 road trip. Santa Barbara County Sheriffâs Office
He told authorities that Ashlee became noticeably upset when the topic of her daughter’s disappearance came up.
Melodee was reported missing in October when staff at Lompoc Unified School District discovered that the homeschooled elementary school girl had not been seen for an extended period.
