Melodee Buzzard, 9, was last seen with her mother Ashlee, 35, on October 7 at a car rental business.
Ashlee Buzzard, the mother of missing Melodee Buzzard, was taken into custody on Tuesday following the discovery of Melodee's body in Utah, ABC News reported, citing sources. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office is expected to hold a press conference at 2 p.
m. local time Tuesday to share “major developments“ in the case, according to the report. The sources told ABC News that Melodee's body was discovered in early December in Utah, near where the mother and daughter had taken a trip in October. Officials took Ashlee Buzzard into custody after the recovered remains yielded DNA results, the report said. Newsweek reached out to the sheriff's office by email on Tuesday for more information. Melodee Buzzard, 9, is described as approximately 4-foot-6, weighing 60 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. The Context Melodee Buzzard, 9, was last seen with her mother, Ashlee, 35, on October 7 at a car rental business. Surveillance images showed the pair wearing what appeared to be wigs. Ashlee Buzzard then returned to the home without her daughter three days later, officials said, noting that she had been “uncooperative“ in the investigation. Officials have reported that the mother may have changed license plates during the cross-country journey, further complicating efforts to track her and Melodee’s movements. When Did Melodee Buzzard Go Missing? The investigation began after a school administrator reported Melodee’s unexplained absence on October 14, 2025. Earlier surveillance indicated she was last seen on October 7 at a car rental business in Lompoc, California, accompanied by her mother, Ashlee Buzzard. The pair departed that day on a cross-country trip lasting three days, with their travels traced through Nebraska and Kansas. Law enforcement reported that Melodee wore a wig that altered her appearance in the surveillance images, raising suspicions that she was in disguise. Surveillance images showing Melodee Buzzard appearing to wear a wig. Authorities said Ashlee Buzzard returned to Lompoc on October 10 without Melodee. Deputy efforts to verify Melodee’s safety were repeatedly unsuccessful, with the mother providing what investigators characterized as “no verifiable explanation“ for her daughter’s absence. Detectives executed a search warrant on their Mars Avenue residence on October 15, and on October 18, the FBI joined the active investigation. When Was Ashlee Buzzard Taken Into Custody? According to sources familiar with the case, Ashlee Buzzard was taken into custody after DNA testing confirmed the identity of Melodee’s body, which was discovered in Utah in early December 2025, ABC News reported. The location is within a region that the mother and daughter traveled through in October. Law enforcement believes that Melodee was likely killed before she was officially reported missing, according to the report. What People Are Saying Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown said in a statement on October 24, 2025: “Our detectives are following every lead in this case. We continue to seek information from the public that could help us find Melodee. We remain determined to bring her home safely.” Bridgett Truitt, Melodee Buzzard’s aunt, told KEYT in October: “We never stopped thinking about her or loving her or praying for her.” What Happens Next The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office announced it would provide major updates in Melodee Buzzard’s case at a scheduled news conference Tuesday afternoon. Law enforcement has continued to urge the public to submit any information via detective or anonymous tip lines or through the department’s website. Further legal proceedings involving Ashlee Buzzard are expected to follow. Update 12/23/25 1:55 p.m. ET: This story has been updated to include more information.
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